BREAKING: Torrance City Council Passes Resolution of No Confidence in LA County District Attorney George Gascon

 And they said that it could not be done.

But it has been done!

In the wee hours of June 23, 2021, as their council meeting from June 22, 2021 went into overtime, the Torrance City Council voted for the Resolution of No Confidence in corrupt, lawless, pro-criminal Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon!

The final vote tally:

The final vote tally was 5 to 1, with former police officer, child abuse prosecutor and unpopular mayor Pat Furey voting No.

In spite of the fact that the mayor was so perversely recalictrant about this measure, the rest of the city council voted for the Resolution.

We did it!

Many residents and other activists in Los Angeles County told me that this would never happen. Oftentimes, the Torrance city council avoids passing resolutions stating a controversial position on an issue or a candidate.

The city councils in the past have often hewn a consensus conservative position, avoiding difficult issues as much as possible.

The initial pushback that I received from some of the city councilmembers on this issue a few weeks ago was particularly disturbing, and even infuriating. When I spoke to Councilman Mike Griffiths about this resolution, he just cut me off: "Not gonna happen." That kind of dismissive attitude really rankled me. I exposed his opposition the next week, and that lit up a lot of residents in the city.

Councilman Griffiths expressed ongoing dismay or disinterest in supporting the resolution earlier this morning, too. Ultimately, though, he voted for it. The kind of outrage and activism that I took on, that is precisely what it takes to get things done in politics: "In politics, nothing moves unless it's pushed." Griffiths felt the heat, and he saw the light.

I did the same thing with the other city councilmembers who had been sitting on the fence or refused to give a statement of some kind on this very commonsense issue. Not all of them returned my calls, but they got the message, and other people in the city got the message, too.

This outcome shows that you can fight city hall, and win.

Some people--including some of the city councilmembers themselves--did not like my tactics calling them out publicly for not taking a stance or rudely brushing me off.

But my approach worked, and many residents contacted me afterwards to confirm that they wanted the city council to do the right thing, denounce George Gascon, and go on record issuing a Resolution of No Confidence.

We did it, folks!

WINNING!

Torrance City Council: Pass Resolution of No Confidence in LA County DA George Gascon, Support Recall

Dear Torrance City Council: 

Public safety is of ultimate importance in any community. Families move to the city of Torrance for safety, as well as for the excellent schools and business opportunities. 

 

Public safety is being undermined, sadly, but the current District Attorney of Los Angeles County, George Gascon. 

 

His directives to the District Attorney's office are immoral, unethical, and in some cases, illegal. He has taken frequent steps to implement pro-criminal policies, even directing deputy prosecutors not to attend parole hearings, and also to offer lenient sentencing guidelines to judges. His memoranda against application of the death penalty, the decision to unilaterally ignore misdemeanor charges in many cases, his decision to refrain from trying heinous juvenile crimes as adults, among his directives for no money cash bail, fly in the face of the rule of law, the will of the voters, and the best practices for maintenance of public safety. 

 

His failures as a leader have elicited outrage across the political spectrum, from retired LA County Supervisor Mike Antonovich to LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva. Victims’ Rights groups, which are not and should never be partisan, are leading the fight to have Gascon recalled, as well. 

 

I submit that even though Gascon was elected per official reports with a majority of the vote, the fact is that dubious voting and election practices have made the outcomes of local and county elections in Los Angeles County more suspect. However, regardless of the outcome of the election in November 2020, Gascon is a clear and present danger to the public safety of all Los Angeles County residents. 

 

The city of Beverly Hills has wisely taken the simple yet direct steps of issuing a resolution of No Confidence in DA George Gascon. 

 

I urge the Torrance City Council to follow Beverly Hills and issue a similar Resolution of No Confidence. I would go one step further and also urge the city of Torrance to support the recall of the current District Attorney, since his lack of commitment to law and order, to safety and security, to justice and restoration are so skewed, or so lacking, that one has to wonder how he can call himself a public servant of any degree or integrity. 

 

In the link below, you will find a sample of the resolution of No Confidence passed by the Beverly Hills City Council on March 16, 2021, specifically pages 6-8. 

 

https://beverlyhills.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=49&event_id=5139&meta_id=464736 

 

I urge the city council to consider this move. 

 

Thank you for your time. 

 

Sincerely, 

Arthur Schaper

Please contact the Torrance City Council and urge them to issue a resolution of No Confirence in corrupt, pro-criminal Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon!

Torrance City Council Contacts

 

Pat Furey (pfurey@torranceca.gov);

George Chen (gchen@torranceca.gov);

Aurelio Mattucci (amattucci@torranceca.gov);

Sharon Kalani (skalani@torranceca.gov)

Mike Griffiths (mgriffiths@torranceca.gov);

Heidi Ashcraft (hashcraft@torranceca.gov);

 

City Clerk Rebecca Poirier (rpoirier@torranceca.gov);

City Manager Aram Chaparyan (achaparyan@torranceca.gov);

City Attorney Patrick Sullivan (psullivan@torranceca.gov);

Chief of Police Jon Megeff (jmegeff@torranceca.gov)

Phone:   (310) 618-2801