(The Center Square) – Californians voted by wide margins to crack down on theft and drug crime, passing Proposition 36 and replacing Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon with former U.S. federal prosecutor Nathan Hochman.
Prop. 36, which passed with the support of 70.4% of voters as of the time of publication, allows for prosecutors to pursue felony charges for serial thieves and major drug crimes after Prop. 47, passed in 2014, made many only chargeable as misdemeanors that would be rarely prosecuted. Prop. 36 also created a new class of crime called “treatment-mandated felony” that would allow individuals to complete mental health or substance abuse treatment instead of going to prison; this portion of the measure is targeted at the state’s homeless population, which includes many individuals who refuse services and treatment for addictions and disorders.
Prop. 36 was backed by many prominent Democrats, including San Francisco Mayor London Breed, who late in her term embraced a tough-on-crime position as her rivals caught up to, and could replace her as mayor in the coming days as the city’s ranked-choice votes are tabulated. Backers also included San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, and San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, who appears to have relatively narrowly fended off an independent challenger.
Prop. 36 was opposed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon, who authored Prop. 47 and was up for re-election against former federal prosecutor Nathan Hochman. Gascon formerly served as San Francisco District Attorney before moving to run for LA DA and handing the reins to his hand-picked successor, Chesa Boudin, who ultimately was recalled from office by San Francisco voters.
Los Angeles shoplifting increased 62% in 2023 alone, which Hochman blamed on Gascon and Prop. 47, under which thefts under $950 were rarely-prosecuted misdemeanors.
Hochman’s campaign received record funding, reaching the legal fundraising cap of $2.5 million. As of the time of this article’s publication, Hochman was leading with 61.46% of the vote, while Gascon had 38.54%.
“The voters of Los Angeles County have spoken and have said enough is enough of D.A. Gascon’s pro-criminal extreme policies; they look forward to a safer future,” said Hochman in a victory statement on X. “As D.A., I look forward to representing all of the people, whether they voted for me or not, since their safety will be my responsibility.”
