Los Angeles Times Tells Angelenos They’re Wrong About Crime, Everything Is Fine

My family moved to Los Angeles during the 1984 Olympics. “I Love L.A.” was on the radio and the city was the envy of the world. I loved everything about L.A. I immediately became a Dodgers, Lakers, Rams, and Kings fan. And I loved the Los Angeles Times, mostly because of its sports section and exceptional calendar (entertainment) section. With no internet, the L.A. Times was everyone’s primary source of information, not just for news but for the scores of the games, who’s coming in concert, what’s on TV, and the weather.

Reading the morning paper was a ritual I continued until just a few years ago when I finally joined the 21st century and switched to the digital version. But I cancelled even that upon reading its recent endorsement of Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón for reelection. For the first time in 40 years, I am no longer a subscriber. Just as Los Angeles has changed dramatically in recent years, the L.A. Times has also changed.

Of course, it always had a left-wing bent. But it used to keep that reasonably in check. It was aware it was the primary source of news for Angelenos as there was no significant competing newspaper. It uncovered bribery scandals in the city council, exposed absurd waste by the state with the multi-billion dollar “bullet train to nowhere,” and revealed the billions stolen from the state through unemployment insurance fraud during the pandemic.But with the change in the media climate, the L.A. Times has changed. The newspaper is no longer the primary source of news for Angelenos, now competing with every other news source available online. Thus, it is no longer compelled to keep its leftist tendencies in check.

This was on full display in its decision to endorse Mr. Gascón. The endorsement shocked many, though cynics say, “What else did you expect?” To me, it was the Los Angeles Times coming out of the closet and no longer pretending to be L.A.’s newspaper, but the newspaper of the socialist left.

Crime and homelessness are notoriously out of control in L.A. It is not up for debate. Los Angeles County leads the nation in the number of homeless, and the city of Los Angeles is No. 1 in organized smash and grab robberies. Crime has become substantially worse on average in the last three years under Mr. Gascón, including vehicle thefts, homicides, and armed robberies. Homicides hit a 15-year high in 2022. Burglaries were so prevalent that year that the police issued an “Area Safety Bulletin” about “violent street robberies.” The bulletin warned of a rash of robberies whereby residents were targeted based upon their cars as well as expensive watches, jewelry, and purses.

But statistics can lie. If crime ticks down, it may be because fewer arrests are being made or fewer crimes being charged. What really matters is how people in the city feel. And trust me, everyone in L.A. feels less safe than in any time in recent memory. If we have not personally experienced crime, we know someone who has. For me, it is a friend recently robbed at gunpoint at a 7-11 in West L.A. They took his wallet and watch while slashing his arm with a knife.

Retail stores on Santa Monica’s famous “Promenade” have closed due to shoplifting and smash and grabs. L.A. gangs have turned from selling drugs to organized theft of homes, stores and trains. The homeless who wander our sidewalks, parks and beaches are dangerous and commit petty theft.

The increases have all happened under Mr. Gascón’s tenure, and it is clearly due to his policies. While he was the San Francisco District Attorney, he masterminded Proposition 47, which converted a host of crimes from felony to misdemeanor in California. Steal less than $950, and you face only misdemeanor charges. We are feeling the effects of this change.

Further, on his first day in office in L.A., Mr. Gascón announced directives to end cash bail, ban prosecutors from seeking enhanced sentences, and stop prosecuting first-time offenders for various “nonviolent” crimes. He ordered a review of past convictions to see if resentencing or release would be warranted based on the new policies. He stopped trying some juveniles as adults. As a result, more criminals are on L.A.’s streets than ever. And they have little fear of being arrested since they know they will immediately be released.