Gascon's Opponent Pledges to Reverse Policies on Day One if Elected

Amidst the scandal surrounding the office of Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon, which includes alleged corruption and incompetence, challenger Nathan Hochman vows to reverse Gascon's soft-on-crime policies if elected. Hochman points to the Rebecca Grossman case, where a former top Gascon aide now faces charges, as evidence of widespread issues within the DA's office.

Rebecca Grossman, a Los Angeles socialite, drove under the influence of drugs and alcohol, killing two children in a 2020 crash. After her conviction, a scandal erupted within the Los Angeles District Attorney's office, led by George Gascon, regarding potential conflicts of interest and allegations of incompetence.

Nathan Hochman, a former federal prosecutor and challenger to Gascon in the November election, believes the scandal highlights Gascon's failed leadership. The former No. 3 aide in the DA's office, Diana Teran, supervised the team that prosecuted Grossman. Teran now has the same defense lawyer as Grossman, raising ethical concerns.

"You’ve created a conflict of interest in the middle of your case, which is insane," Hochman said. "You just got a conviction for a woman who killed two kids. And you’re going to jeopardize that? Shame on you, Diana Teran."

The scandal also raises the possibility of appeals in countless other cases prosecuted under Teran's supervision. Hochman views the situation as a catastrophic level of incompetence. State prosecutors have charged Teran with 11 felonies, including stealing confidential information while in the sheriff's office and using it inappropriately in the DA's office.

Hocham questions the competence of Gascon, who he claims is more concerned with protecting Teran than the office or victims. Gascon's office knew about the investigation into Teran but has refused to disclose when it first became aware of the charges.

After the issue was raised, the three lead prosecutors on the Grossman case were removed without warning. Hochman criticizes the move, stating that Ryan Gould and Jamie Castro "sacrificed their lives" to secure the conviction.

Meanwhile, Teran allegedly obstructed an interview with a new witness in the Grossman case after allegations of jury tampering. The victims' mother, Nancy Iskander, believes Grossman hired Teran's defense lawyer to pursue the conflict of interest issue.

Gascon has attempted to address the matter by reassigning the Grossman case to the Major Crimes Division, but critics believe the damage has already been done. Hochman argues that the scandals demonstrate a pattern of incompetence in Gascon's office, citing his top aides Tiffiny Blacknell and Joseph Iniguez.

"If this is the way that they're dealing with a case that has media scrutiny already, imagine how they're dealing with cases that don’t have this type of scrutiny," Hochman said.

The scandal continues to raise concerns about Gascon's leadership as he faces a runoff election in November. Hochman believes it is time to reverse Gascon's policies and restore public trust in the criminal justice system.