Los Angeles Township Atty. George Gascón and former federal prosecutor Nathan Hochman faced off in a contentious debate Tuesday night that provided a look at the dueling candidates in the final weeks of a hotly contested election campaign.
Forum was held after release new vote It showed Hochman holding a 30-point lead over the incumbent among likely voters.
Mr. Hochman, buoyed by the new poll results, accused Mr. Gascon of “gaslighting” the public about his career and the state of security in Los Angeles County. Mr. Gascon passionately defended Mr. Hochman’s performance as a prosecutor, saying multiple times that he had been misinformed or “lied” about his background and important issues.
Tuesday’s debate, presented by KNX News and the Los Angeles Times, was the third between the candidates, with one more left before Election Day.
Mr. Hochman and Mr. Gascón have mostly stuck to well-worn talking points during the forum. Mr. Hochman reiterated similar statements made on the campaign trail and in previous debates, saying that Mr. Gascon “has never personally prosecuted or defended a criminal case in his career, but I have 32 I have years of experience.”
Later in the debate, Gascón said that while Hochman was representing “wealthy” clients as a defense attorney, he was “managing the LAPD’s COMPSTAT statistics.”
Distance atty. Georges Gascon used more direct language, at one point saying the other person was either “lying or they don’t understand the job.”
(Jason Almond/Los Angeles Times)
Gascon reiterated his previous claims, saying, “In 2022.” [Hochman] He was running for state attorney general as a Republican while the incumbent worked to improve public safety in Los Angeles County.
Hochman, a longtime Republican, is running as an independent for the Democratic Party. He has said he did not vote for Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020, and in August said he supported Kamala Harris for president. Gascón repeatedly referred to Harris’ past work before she became vice president.
Both candidates have adopted increasingly inflammatory rhetoric as election day approaches.
Mr. Gascon used more direct language, at one point claiming that the other person was either “lying or doesn’t understand the job.” Mr. Hochman repeatedly claimed that Mr. Gascón conducted a “gascon” about both candidates’ backgrounds and the reality of security in Los Angeles County in a “desperate effort to gas the public.”
A big topic of conversation on Tuesday was the results of a poll released that morning by the Institute of Government at the University of California, Berkeley, co-sponsored by the Times. A poll of 908 likely L.A. County voters showed Hochman leading Gascon 51% to 21%, with 28% of voters remaining undecided.
The percentage of voters who identified themselves as undecided in Tuesday’s poll was down 7 percentage points from the previous Times/University of California Berkeley poll on Aug. 18. Since then, he said, the vast majority of voters who have chosen a candidate have “mostly gone to Mr. Hochman.” The poll, conducted online in English and Spanish from Sept. 25 to Oct. 1, had a margin of error of 3 points, said poll director Mark DiCamillo.
Tuesday’s event also included an in-depth discussion of policy and crime statistics.
As he had in each of the previous two contests, Gascón defended his record of reforming the DA’s office along progressive lines. He said rehabilitation is essential given that more than 90% of incarcerated people are eventually released, and also discussed the nuances of the role of prosecutors and what they can do. , I also tried to explain what it can’t do.
“Fear is rising because crime is on the rise,” challenger Nathan Hockman said, adding that it was essential for prosecutors to prosecute low-level crimes such as drug possession.
(Jason Almond/Los Angeles Times)
“The other side continues to misrepresent the facts because it suits them,” Gascón said, adding that Hochman “instead of sitting at the table and rolling up our sleeves and asking what we can do, It added that it was pushing a “dystopian view of the current situation.” Addresses criminal justice issues in Los Angeles County.
Hochman said Tuesday, as he has since winning the March primary, that crime is out of control in the county and residents need tough-minded prosecutors who will bring criminals to justice. I drew a vision.
Since Gascón took office, “violent crimes, property crimes, hate crimes…and human trafficking have increased by double digits,” Hochman said. “Fear is rising because crime is on the rise,” he said, adding it is vital that prosecutors prosecute low-level crimes such as drug possession and loitering for the purpose of prostitution.
Gascon said such an approach would bring back the days when county jails were filled with people who committed minor crimes.
“It’s always been about mass incarceration,” Gascón said of the opposition’s rhetoric. “He’s talking about how we’re going to keep them safe, but he’s talking about there being no flexibility and everyone facing maximum penalties no matter what. He’s very cryptographic when it comes to mass incarceration. This is a very cryptic story regarding the drug war.
