Nathan Hochman, who campaigned on a "hard middle approach" to battling crime and scored a resounding victory over reform-minded incumbent George Gascón in last month's election, is set to take the oath of office Tuesday as L.A. County's 44th district attorney.
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The 61-year-old former federal prosecutor will be sworn in at noon in a ceremony outside the Hall of Justice, with former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a fellow Republican, administering the oath.
Hochman will carry what amounts to a mandate from L.A. County voters to get tougher on crime -- with the latest numbers giving him more than 1.9 million votes, or just under 60%, compared to Gascón's 1.3 million votes. Gascón conceded defeat on Nov. 6, one day after Election Day.
Gascón was swept into office four years ago with a progressive platform -- but he became a target of critics, including Hochman, who accused him of being soft on crime.
Gascón defended his record while in office, denying allegations that his policies led to an increase in crime and insisting that statistics show actual drops in many categories. But Hochman disputed that claim -- saying said he would ensure people serve appropriate punishment for their crimes.
"We'll go back to just two things -- the facts and the law," Hochman told his supporters on Election Night in Beverly Hills.
Even while the votes were still being tallied, he told his backers that "the voices of the residents of L.A. County have been heard and they're saying enough is enough of George Gascón's policies and they look forward to a safer future."
The Association of Deputy District Attorneys, which represents county prosecutors, hailed Hochman's victory as a "pivotal moment in the fight to return balance and accountability to the justice system and to prioritize public safety in a county that has seen a dangerous decline under the failed leadership of George Gascón."
During a pre-election debate hosted by KNX News and the Los Angeles Times, Gascón highlighted his progressive policies -- several of which he implemented once he took office in 2020 -- such as limiting extra-long sentences for people accused of using a gun or being a gang member, prosecutions of juveniles as adults and no longer seeking the death penalty, though he later revised some of his policies.
But Hochman said such policies have led to an increase in crime across the county and that he would revoke several of Gascón's directives.
Hochman had touted his "hard middle approach," stating it will not lead to mass incarceration but rather that cases would be reviewed individually and punishment meted out proportionally for the crime committed.
According to the California Department of Justice, violent crime is up about 8% from 2019 to 2023 countywide, though in Los Angeles violent crime decreased by about 6%.
"We should not be worse than any other D.A.'s office out there. The L.A. County D.A.'s Office used to be the gold standard by which all other D.A.'s offices had measured," Hochman said.
Gascón insisted that his office had been holding criminals accountable for their crimes, including retail and residential theft. But Hochman pointed to high-profile robberies of homes, 7-Eleven stores, retail and other local businesses that he said have led to increased concerns from residents and business owners over public safety.
"We need to send a very strong message of enforcement, accountability and ultimately deterrent to those residential burglaries, and if they're coming, for instance, overseas from Chile or from Venezuela, we have to work with the federal government," Hochman said.
Gascón survived two attempts to recall him, and during his tenure has also been accused by 20 prosecutors of workplace retaliation.
Hochman said morale in the D.A.'s office is at a "all-time low," accusing Gascón of creating "a dysfunctional office."
During his campaign, Hochman touted what he calls his "Blueprint for Justice" that he said would "restore safety and justice to our county."
As part of his blueprint, Hochman vowed to "restore the purpose of the District Attorney's Office to fairly, effectively, and vigorously prosecute those who break laws in Los Angeles County based on the evidence and the law."
Hochman said he would also "restore the integrity and independence of the district attorney by not making decisions based on a party affiliation or political ideology but solely on the facts and the law."
One of Hochman's early high-profile cases will involve Erik and Lyle Menendez, who are serving life sentences without parole for the 1989 shotgun slayings of their parents in their Beverly Hills mansion. The brothers are waiting for a decision on their bid for release based on what their attorneys say is new evidence that they were sexually abused by their father.
In the run-up to the election, Gascón announced that he supported the resentencing of the brothers, but a judge last week delayed a decision on the matter until January, giving Hochman time to review the case.
The Menendez brothers' defense team submitted papers to Gov. Gavin Newsom requesting clemency, but the governor said he would not make any decision on the request until Hochman has a chance to review the nearly 35-year- old case.
"The governor respects the role of the district attorney in ensuring justice is served and recognizes that voters have entrusted District Attorney- elect Hochman to carry out this responsibility," a statement from the governor's office said.
"The governor will defer to the DA-elect's review and analysis of the Menendez case prior to making any clemency decisions."
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