The Los Angeles DA Homestretch: Notables Donate, Endorsements Ramp Up

The first step to removing Los Angeles County Dsoitirct Attorney George Gascon takes place Tuesday, March 5.

Because that’s primary day when 12 candidates will face off with the top to vote getters moving onto the final runoff election in November.

As to who those two will be, it’s anybody’s guess. Polling has consistently shown that a solid majority of LA voters loathe Gascon, but he may have enough rabid progressive support to pull him into the runoff with between 15 and 20% of the vote (enough in the crowded field to finish in the top two.)

For example, this is from the Democratic Socialists of America, Los Angeles Chapter’s voter guide:

We don’t need to go into the difference between all those candidates: they all want to return to the Jackie Lacey days: harsher punishments, more people in jail for longer sentences, less police oversight, reintroduce unfair bail policies, and undo Gascón’s attempts to positively reform the office. Hopefully they all split the right-wing vote and Gascón can continue his efforts to at least somewhat mitigate harm done by our police. DSA-LA could never really endorse a district attorney, but we can, and do, recommend you vote for George Gascon and stop our city from backsliding.

That pretty much says it all, – “ell, if you really haaaave to law enforcement, we guess…” but there are a few more Gascon tidbits. First, he has received about $12,000 in late contributions (any significant contribution after Feb. 17, the end of the last donation reporting period, to any of the candidates has to be reported,) including (it appears) $7,370 from Snoop Dogg’s family (the donations are listed as being from Cordozar – his middle name –  Broadus and his wife Shante Broadus – note: this could not be confirmed by the Globe with Snoop personally.)

Gascon is also endorsed by the Los Angeles Times, Planned Parenthood of LA, John Legend, Black Lives Matter founder Patrisse Cullors, and Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer of “don’t be mean to child sex traffickers” fame.

While Gascon did not get a donation from Rick Caruso, two others did. Jeff Chemerinsky and Eric Siddall each received $7,500.

For his part, Chemerinsky pulled in, including Caruso’s donation, $26,500 in late donations plus an independent expenditure of $23,800 was reported on his behalf.

Chemerinsky, mocked as “Gascon lite” or “mini Gascon,” does have his endorsers as well: Henry Waxman and Ira Reiner are two familiar LA political scene names.  Interestingly, Chemerinsky lists 26 endorsers on his website and 17 of them are “former” something or others.

Siddall pulled in $27,500, with $4,000 of it coming from the 7-11 franchisees PAC. Siddall has been touting his pro-small business stance of late and came out swinging against Gascon when the news that shoplifting is 81% in the past year despite George’s claims to the contrary.

Nathan Hochman similarly bashed Gascon on that front, raised about $52,000 in late donations, and Palos Verdes Investments big wig Gerald Marcil donated $100,000 to an independent PAC supporting Hochman.

KFI radio’s John Kobylt (flying solo now after the retirement of Ken Chiampou) endorsed two candidates:  John McKinney and Jon Hatami, presumably standing them out a bit from the crowded field.

McKinney has had $6,000 in late donations come his way plus an independent expenditure of $95,000 (for a mailer) made on his behalf.

McKinney also has a few dozen other deputy district attorneys and local officials backing him with either donations or endorsements.

For his part, Hatami announced a big media buy (north of $230,000) and received the endorsement of the LAPD officers union. Hatami got about $5,000 in late contributions

Judge Debra Archuleta who was also endorsed by the LAPD union, picked up the endorsement of former Congresswoman Diane Watson and the Democrats for Israel group and about $2,000 in late contributions while keeping up a hectic campaign pace.

Maria Ramirez snagged a plum endorsement (and $3,500 out of $12,000 total in late donations) from the California Teamsters PAC and was also endorsed (along with Gascon…sigh) by the Mexican American Bar Association.

Judge Craig Mitchell received $15,500 in late contributions and continues to run with the Skid Row Running Club he founded in 2012 to help the homeless.

Dan Kapelovitz did not report any late donations but has been endorsed by the both the Green and Peace and Freedom parties.

Likewise, Judge David Milton did not report any late funding but is endorsed by the California Republican Assembly.

The final candidate, Lloyd “Bobcat” Masson has apparently not filed any campaign finance reports, but the Times seems to love him.

I wonder why.

As to voter turnout, the county registrar’s office said Friday afternoon it had 458,753 of the about 5.6 million mail ballots returned.  Primaries have averaged about 20-25% turnouts and it appears Tuesday will see about the same.