Gascón’s Fake Resignation from DA’s Association

A widely covered piece of breaking news, breathlessly reported by Jerry Lannelli in the Appeal, announced that Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón has sent an open letter resigning his membership in the California District Attorneys Association (CDAA). “Among other criticisms, the letter mentioned the CDAA’s failure to appoint a single person of color to its 17-member board of directors.”  The article cites Anne Irwin, head of Smart Justice California, who said “Gascón’s decision could dramatically alter the CDAA’s power in Sacramento and continue to break apart the notion that prosecutors have “one voice.” Los Angeles County and its 10 milion residents represent over one fourth of California’s population.”   There is only one problem with this story, Gascón is not a member of CDAA.

As reported in today’s Daily Caller, the President of the CDAA, El Dorado County District Attorney Vern Pierson, notes that “Mr. Gascón cannot resign because he has not been a member of CDAA since October 2019 when he quit his job as DA of San Francisco.  On the ethnicity issue, his remarks are disingenuous, as he ran against the first sitting Los Angeles District Attorney who was both a woman and an African American. Incidentally, she was a CDAA board officer and in line to become president.”

“This appears to be a publicity stunt to divert attention from his favoring criminals at the expense of victims and growing calls for his recall,” Pierson continued, noting shootings and other violent crimes were increasing in LA.