Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman issued a warning to would-be criminals over the weekend that his office will be enforcing the laws and holding them accountable for misdeeds committed in his jurisdiction.
"I am standing at the border between LA County and San Bernardino County where criminals used to enjoy crossing in the LA direction, thinking that little to no consequences would occur if they stole, robbed and engaged in criminal conduct," Hochman wrote in a Sunday afternoon post on X.
"Times have changed!" he said. "The fun is over. A new DA was elected. And criminals in LA County will now be prosecuted and held fully accountable for their illegal actions."
The post featured a video of Hochman walking across the county border while discussing his tough-on-crime approach.
Hochman, an independent, campaigned heavily on fighting to restore law and order in Los Angeles and made public safety a centerpiece of his bid for office last year. He defeated his incumbent opponent, progressive prosecutor George Gascón, by 20 points in the general election on Nov. 5 and was sworn in on Dec. 3.
A lifelong Los Angeles resident, Hochman is a former federal prosecutor and U.S. assistant attorney general whose "Blueprint for Justice" detailed for voters the actions he would take to bring safety back to their communities. He also previously served as the president of the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission.
While on the campaign trail, Hochman rejected the "public safety failure" of Gascón's policies, which he argued led to soaring crime and little to no consequences for juvenile offenders. Hochman further accused Gascón of "catastrophic incompetence."
Gascón survived two recall attempts while in office, even as voters expressed concern over his liberal agenda.
Gascón also reportedly co-authored California's Proposition 47, a 2014 ballot measure that reclassified simple drug possession and theft crimes less than $950 from felonies to misdemeanors.
Regardless of voter political differences, Hochman said that public safety is an issue with bipartisan backing.
"I spoke to ultra-left liberals, independents and conservative Republicans, and it turns out that even though they don't agree on much, they do agree that making sure that the district attorney prioritizes their safety and implements policies that will hold criminals accountable for their actions in a smart and proportional manner really matters," he said, according to the New York Post.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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