Enough is enough! How Hollywood turned on woke LA DA George Gascon as crime spirals
Hollywood Democratic supporters have now reportedly turned their backs on woke Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon. The list includes names like George Clooney’s long-time producing partner, Grant Heslov, and his wife Lysa; Cynthia Sikes Yorkin, widow of 'All in the Family' co-creator Bud Yorkin; former 20th Century Fox executive and producer, Jonathan Sheinberg, son of film industry titan Sidney Sheinberg; and Lauren King, widow of the late Richard King of King World Productions, as reported by Los Angeles Magazine.
Gascon joined the office in December 2020 and since then he has embarked on a progressive justice reform agenda while crime cases in the city are rising. Critics have held his “soft” crime policies responsible for the rise. It has been said that people from the entertainment industry, often inclined towards Democratic causes, donated money to a campaign for the 67-year-old’s recall in early 2022.
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The campaign reportedly made $1.8 million in the last three months of 2021, the majority of which has been donated by two Republican donors – Palos Verdes Estates investor Gerald Marcil and Beverly Hills real estate developer Geoff Palmer. Co-founder of the recall, Desiree Andrade, who is also a registered Democrat, spoke about the campaign against Gascon with Fox News Digital.
Andrade’s 20-year-old son was killed in a brutal attack in 2018. After the incident, the suspects were given death sentences under former LA District Attorney Jackie Lacey's leadership. But after Gascon came to power, things changed. “[T]hey shared with me that George Gascon, the new district attorney, was…dismissing special circumstance charges, and that affected my son's case drastically. Where these individuals were all facing life sentences and the death penalty, now there are only facing 25 years and only have to do 80% of that time, which drops it down to 20 years. I, at that point, was devastated because the oldest one involved in my son's murder was 21. So all of these guys would be out in their 40s,” she added.
Apart from Hollywood bigwigs, a big blow for Gascon has come from former LAPD chief Charlie Beck, who earlier supported him. But on Friday, February 11, Beck said: “I based my support for the election of District Attorney George Gascón on the hope he would advance public safety in Los Angeles and because of our close personal relationship of over 30 years. After observing the negative effects of his policies and practices on public safety, I am compelled to rescind that endorsement.”
He added: “I have spent the majority of my life protecting and serving the people of Los Angeles and the men and women of its police department. I believe they would be made safer and be better served by a District Attorney that emphasizes the rights of victims and the safety of our police officers.”
Elise Moore, a spokesperson for Gascon's campaign, reacted to Beck’s latest announcement and said that it’s “disappointing that Chief Beck has changed his position but we are respectful of his opinion and the many years of service that he has provided to the people of Los Angeles.”