Jackie Lacey, the first black and first female Los Angeles County District Attorney (DA), who was defeated by George Soros-backed George Gascón in 2020, has officially endorsed challenger Nathan Hochman in the upcoming 2024 race for D.A.
In a statement released by the Hochman campaign on Monday, Lacey, a lifelong Democrat and trailblazer as the first woman and first African-American to serve as District Attorney of Los Angeles County, expressed her support for Hochman. She criticized current D.A. George Gascón for allegedly emboldening criminals and causing an increase in crime due to a failure to enforce the law effectively.
Lacey emphasized the importance of having strong leadership in the District Attorney’s Office to promote justice and deter criminal behavior in the county. She highlighted Hochman’s extensive experience in criminal justice, both as a prosecutor and defense attorney, and his commitment to improving public safety as reasons for her endorsement.
Hochman, a former federal prosecutor and U.S. Assistant Attorney General, expressed gratitude for Lacey’s endorsement and highlighted her exceptional service during her tenure as District Attorney. He also noted previous endorsements from figures like Steve Cooley, a three-term District Attorney, and the Association of Deputy District Attorneys.
Lacey faced backlash from the Black Lives Matter movement, particularly after her husband was charged with a misdemeanor firearms violation during a confrontation with protesters. The charges were later dismissed, but Gascón ultimately won the 2020 election with support from Soros and California Democrats.
Gascón has faced recall attempts, with concerns raised about his approach to criminal justice reform and its impact on rising crime rates. Despite falling just short in the most recent recall effort, criticism of Gascón’s policies continues to grow.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Truth Voices and host of Truth Voices Sunday. He is a published author and winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship.
