A political bogeyman has emerged in L.A.'s election: Ousted D.A. George Gascn

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Set us as preferred A political advertisement released this summer claimed former L.A.County Dist.

Atty.George Gascón “almost destroyed Los Angeles” and warned that, if elected as L.A.’s next city attorney, Marissa Roy will “do the same.” Earlier this month, a seemingly out-of-nowhere rumor spread through City Hall and among rank-and-file cops that City Councilwoman Nithya Raman plans to name Gascón the city’s next police chief if she ousts Karen Bass in the mayoral contest.

Gascón told The Times last week he has no interest in the job and hasn’t spoken to Raman or her team.Raman has dismissed the rumor as a politically motivated lie started by the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the police union that supports Bass.

A spokesperson for the union said Raman’s allegation was “untrue”; Bass’ campaign also said it had nothing to do with the Gascón rumor.Nevertheless, the claim has been amplified in a number of arenas in recent days.An article in the California Post raised the issue last week, but only cited the panic of anonymous police officers.

The LAPD’s former top cop, Bill Bratton, signal boosted the issue in a tweet praising LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell, whose future could be in jeopardy if Raman wins.California Some observers see the November election between Mayor Karen Bass and challenger Nithya Raman as a referendum on LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell.Gascón declined to comment for this article, other than to shoot down the rumor that he could become LAPD chief.After suffering a crushing defeat in his bid for reelection in 2024, Gascón all but disappeared from public life.

He routinely declines interview requests and has receded from the leading role he once held in the nationwide progressive prosecutor movement.But in the homestretch of the two most important contests on most Angelenos’ bal...