Activists gathering signatures in an effort to recall Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón took their effort nearly to his front door this weekend, setting up shop across the street from his house in Long Beach.
Asian Industry B2B President Marc Ang, who organized the event Saturday afternoon outside Gascón’s home in Naples, said more than 80 people gathered on the sidewalk across the street from the residence in front of a school in the 5500 block of East The Toledo.
The group, which included two crime victims, peacefully gathered for about 90 minutes, Ang told City News Service on Sunday.
“We didn’t want to overstay,” Ang said about the neighborhood event. “We wanted to respect the neighbors, and we worked in conjunction with the Long Beach Police Department, and they were very kind to us.”
Karen Roseberry, a leader in the recall effort, noted that the event was on public property.
Recall organizers have until October 27 to gather 580,000 qualified signatures, she said. The group has said it will try to collect 750,000 to 800,000.
If organizers get enough signatures by the deadline, a recall election will be held. Gascón would be removed from office if a majority of voters choose to recall him, and he would be replaced by the candidate who receives the most votes.
Reform-minded Gascón took office last year, easily beating out incumbent Jackie Lacey, and since that time has faced lawsuits from prosecutors, interference from state law enforcement leaders and outcry from victims and their families who claim his policies have abandoned them.
“He needs to recognize that law-abiding citizens are frustrated,” Roseberry said. “On the very day he swore to uphold the law he issued directives to disregard the law.”
She said one of the people attending the signature-gathering event was a crime victim’s mother who voted for Gascón last November. But, Roseberry said, “She was unaware his directives would let killers out early.”
According to the Los Angeles Times, opponents of Gascón have criticized his policies banning the use of the death penalty, ending the prosecution of juveniles as adults, severerly limiting the use of sentencing enhancements and barring prosecutors from opposing the release of previously convicted defendants now eligible for parole.
It was not clear whether Gascón was home at the time. He did not come out to talk with the recall proponents, Roseberry said.
Ang said the group is planning another signature collection on Juneteenth at El Dorado Park in Long Beach, as well as other such events, focusing their efforts especially on minority communities that are disproportionately impacted by crime.
A reference to organizers’ opposition to Gascón, via the Los Angeles Times, was added to this City News Service story.
