Election 2024, LA County District Attorney: Initial Reflections on the Race

There have been at least two debates among the nine candidates for Los Angeles County District Attorney this year.

I had the chance to watch the LA Magazine debate, and I must say that Elex Michaelson ran a pretty decent debate.

                 

Here are some of my initial reactions:

1. A number of the candidates are running for a specific slot in the intersectional heirarchy.

McKinney is the "Black" or the "Black Lives Matter" candidate. He specifically mentioned the crime rates harming "black women." Whatever happened to focusing on the safety of all LA County residents?

Eric Siddall is the LGBT candidate. He is openly gay, and he wants to make sure that everyone knows about it. He certainly gives off a "light in the loafers" sentiment. This county does not need soft, but strong leadership willing to go hard on the lawlessness in the county.

Jeff Chemerinsky is the Jewish candidate. Everyone Jewish Democratic politician in Los Angeles County, a who's who of the LA County Democratic Party establishment, has lined up behind him. His father is the Dean of Boalt Hall School of Law at UC Berkeley, Erwin Chemerinsky.

Craig Mithcell is the "homeless" candidate, since as a judge he runs a jogging club on Skid Row, and he reaches out to homeless, addicts, repeat offenders. He is also the token white guy, if you don't count George Gascon.

Then there's John Hatami, who is the Victim candidate (and the Arab candidate), since he tells people that he was abused as a kid, and he was victim of kidnapping. People should also know that he is the RINO candidate, since he was a registered Republican for a long time, and is now advertising himself as a Democrat, throwing himself into the race as a "progressive" (just like LA County Sheriff Robert Luna).

There are two Latinas running for DA. Debra Archuleta does not care about race or ethnicity. She is focused on fairness.

Maria Ramirez is the La Raza candidate. She cares about illegal aliens, and she has the audacity to use "non-citizen immigrant" to describe illegal aliens. She is the Brown Power candidate, clearly.

2. Most of the Democratic challengers to George Gascon still want to hew a progressive leaning agenda. Almost none of them want to call out Prop 47, probably fearing that such a move would cost them votes. That is not a wise course of action.

3. It's really disturbing to hear that some of the candidates for DA still feel relatively safe in Los Angeles County. Eric Siddall and Jeff Chemerinsky were two of the candidates, and they seem determined not to go too hard on George Gascon. Siddall actually said "No hard feelings, but" to Gascon! Seriously? If the creepy carpet-bagger from San Franciso by way of Mesa, AZ is doing such a great job as District Attorney, why are you running to replace him?

4. Jeff Chemerinsky is clearing trying to stay the progressive course, since he actually supports disregarding the will of California voters and refusing to reinstate the death penalty. He is automatically unfit to serve as LA County District Attorney.