{"id":2691,"date":"2011-03-10T12:06:10","date_gmt":"2011-03-10T20:06:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.fogcityjournal.com\/wordpress\/?p=2691"},"modified":"2011-03-10T15:52:13","modified_gmt":"2011-03-10T23:52:13","slug":"gascon-pitches-da-candidacy-to-sf-young-dems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fogcityjournal.com\/wordpress\/2691\/gascon-pitches-da-candidacy-to-sf-young-dems\/","title":{"rendered":"Gasc\u00f3n Pitches DA Candidacy to SF Young Dems"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"

San Francisco District Attorney George Gasc\u00f3n was a guest speaker last eve at a meet and greet event organized by the San Francisco Young Democrats held at Infusion Lounge. Photos by Luke Thomas.<\/p><\/div>\n

By Luke Thomas<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

March 10, 2011<\/p>\n

Seeking endorsements on the campaign trail, newly appointed District Attorney George Gasc\u00f3n was provided an opportunity last eve to pitch his candidacy to San Francisco Young Democrats during a meet and greet event held at Infusion Lounge.<\/p>\n

The event provided the estimated 50 attendees an opportunity to hear Gasc\u00f3n make a case as to why he should be elected at large in November and for attendees to pose questions on several controversial issues including the death penalty, allegations of SFPD misconduct and perjury, Sit\/Lie, safe injection sites, and the City\u2019s inching towards authorizing the use of Tasers by law enforcement.<\/p>\n

Party affiliation<\/strong><\/p>\n

Seemingly foremost on Gasc\u00f3n\u2019s mind, a former Republican turned independent, was to douse criticism of his registering as a Democrat shortly after announcing he would run for DA.<\/p>\n

During opening remarks, Gasc\u00f3n, a Cuban-American immigrant, explained how he became a Republican. He said he was born during the Cuban revolution when a band of armed rebels led by Fidel Castro and Ernesto “Che” Guevara, overthrew the corrupt US-backed Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batistsa in 1959.<\/p>\n

He said he saw \u201cwhat repression can do,\u201d adding that some of his family members were imprisoned during the revolution.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I left Cuba, as many Cuban-Americans did, my family were Republicans, quite frankly, before they even crossed the Florida Straits. So when we came here, even before we were US citizens, my parents were supportive of the Republican Party. And when I got out of the military and became a US citizen \u2013 it was sort of the done thing – you become a Republican, and I did.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said he did not agree with everything the Republican Party stands for just as he does not agree with everything the Democrat Party stands for, \u201cBut I believe today that the extreme right or the extreme left are not where America is most of the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

One attendee pointedly questioned Gasc\u00f3n\u2019s registration to Democrat, calling the move, \u201ca marriage of convenience.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gasc\u00f3n responded, \u201cI have never in my life had any political ambitions. This was an opportunity that came at a very unexpected moment. I do want to get elected. I want to make sure that I reflect the values that I [unintelligible] and my philosophies and in my political decisions, and that\u2019s why I became a Democrat.\u201d<\/p>\n

Illegal immigration takes center stage in Mesa, AZ <\/strong><\/p>\n

Before being selected to replace former SFPD Police Chief Heather Fong, Gasc\u00f3n served as police chief in Mesa, Arizona, where, he said, he became embroiled in a \u201cin a very ugly, very nasty political fight\u201d with Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio over \u201cillegal immigration.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd many other people within the Republican Party, extreme right nativists, they basically wanted to do whatever they thought in their mind that they had to do in order to get rid of illegal immigration – illegal immigration almost being a code word for how do we get rid of Mexicans and other people of Latin descent,\u201d Gasc\u00f3n said.<\/p>\n

The actions of fellow Republicans in Arizona and other parts of the country left him \u201cincreasingly disappointed with the Party\u201d over the issue of illegal immigration as well as social issues. His disgust with Republicans, prompted him, he said, to submit op-eds to the New York Times and the Arizona Republic.<\/p>\n

Appointment to DA<\/strong><\/p>\n

His outspokenness on the issue of immigration as well as testifying before Congress resulted in him being \u201cthreatened often,\u201d Gasc\u00f3n said. He was then encouraged to apply for the position of San Francisco Police Chief. He served as police chief for 18 months before accepting an appointment in January by then Mayor Gavin Newsom to serve as San Francisco District Attorney.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I was offered the opportunity (to run for DA following his appointment), multiple people came to me and said, \u2018You know, politically and philosophically, you\u2019re much more closer to a Democrat than anything that has to do with being a Republican, you should become a Democrat, and I did.\u201d<\/p>\n

US incarceration rates<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gasc\u00f3n surprised attendees during opening remarks when he said incarceration rates in the US are \u201cunsustainable.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe that we have, unfortunately, we\u2019re at a junction in our nation where we are incarcerating more people per capita than any industrialized nation in the world. We can no longer sustain that,\u201d he said. \u201cWe cannot sustain it from a financial and economic point of view – and socially, I think it\u2019s also bankrupt. We have destroyed entire communities in this country in the name of keeping crime down.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to make sure we have safe communities but we\u2019ve got to make sure we start developing a different model, and I believe that as the DA in this county, not only can I do so here, but, quite frankly, more importantly, I can create political space for other DA\u2019s around the country to do this,\u201d Gasc\u00f3n added.<\/p>\n

Q&A<\/strong><\/p>\n

During a question and answer session, Gasc\u00f3n re-iterated his support for Sit\/Lie, a controversial ordinance passed by voters in November that provides police an \u201cextra tool in the tool box\u201d to deal low-level street crimes that previously required a complainant to file a police report as well as testify in court which, he said, discouraged residents from making complaints and filing charges.<\/p>\n

For low-level crimes, Gasc\u00f3n said the community courts model, which he supports, provides defendants an opportunity to repay society for their crimes without being criminalized for them. The model also provides defendants wrap-around services, which, if declined, could lead to defendants being prosecuted in a criminal court.<\/p>\n

Allegations of SFPD misconduct, perjury<\/strong><\/p>\n

On recent<\/a> allegations<\/a> of SFPD narcotics officers routinely engaging in misconduct and perjury to bolster convictions in court, Gasc\u00f3n said he \u201crecognizes that while the majority of men and women in uniform work very hard and do the right things every day, there will always be some people that will violate the rules or the law.\u201d<\/p>\n

As many as eight officers are currently being investigated by FBI, the DA’s office and SFPD internal affairs, for allegedly falsifying police reports; for undertaking warrantless searches and other police misconduct including blocking a video surveillance camera<\/a> to prevent arrest evidence being recorded. As many as 57 cases have been dropped or are in the process of being overturned as a result of video surveillance evidence released by Public Defender Jeff Adachi, evidence that contradicts police reports signed under penalty of perjury.<\/p>\n

Gasc\u00f3n was the police chief when some or all of the alleged transgressions occurred.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe allegations that are being made about these officers are extremely concerning and I have to repeat they are allegations until they are proven otherwise by a court of law,\u201d Gasc\u00f3n said. \u201cIf, in fact, the investigations supports the proposition that these individuals committed perjury, or committed some other crimes, they will be prosecuted and dealt with accordingly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Death Penalty<\/strong><\/p>\n

Responding to a question about the death penalty, Gasc\u00f3n re-iterated he is not opposed to the death penalty \u201cwhich is not the same as saying I support the death penalty.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHere\u2019s my take on the death penalty,\u201d Gasc\u00f3n said. \u201cFirst of all, I think it\u2019s a very blunt object or tool. I think that, generally speaking, it\u2019s not very practical\u2026 It is very expensive. What I am not prepared to do, I am not prepared to say that I can anticipate to have the vision to see beyond the future that there will never be a crime that will be so heinous, so bad in itself, that I will not be exploring whether that case should be considered for the death penalty, which is very different than saying that I am a supporter of the death penalty.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do not believe that it [death penalty] is a deterrent, that\u2019s why I am saying that I don\u2019t necessarily support it. However, the law is the law\u2026 I do not believe that you will see my office seeking the death penalty very often. In fact, the likelihood is that you will never see it, or if you see it, it will be very rare.\u201d<\/p>\n

Safe injection sites<\/strong><\/p>\n

Asked whether he supports safe injection sites, Gasc\u00f3n said he supports harm reduction.<\/p>\n

\u201cI absolutely support it\u2026 It\u2019s a public health issue and we have to do all we can to assist in reducing not only HIV but other diseases that have occurred.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think drug use, in general – and I separate drug use from drug sales – I view it as a public health issue and I think that we need to figure out better ways to deal with it,\u201d he said. \u201cI think that, frankly, what is going on in Mexico, for instance, we were very quick to point the finger at the violence in Mexico, but the reality is it was going on in Mexico because we have an incredible appetite for this stuff and we created the demand and we are really destroying this nation as well as other nations around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to look at it from a public health issue as opposed to a crime,\u201d Gasc\u00f3n added.<\/p>\n

Tasers<\/strong><\/p>\n

Responding to a question about Gasc\u00f3n\u2019s request to the Police Commission to authorize the use Tasers, Gasc\u00f3n said, \u201cThe Taser has been abused by police agencies around this country, undoubtedly\u2026 The Taser, first of all, it is not non-deadly. It has never been non-deadly. It has been presented like that by some people, but it never has been. It is a less deadly tool. Now I can tell you that it is much less likely to kill someone than a firearm is to kill someone. I believe that under the right set of circumstances, there are often police uses of force that lead to great bodily injury, not only to the offender, but to officers and others that could be significantly reduced if a Taser is used in an appropriate manner. The horror cases that you see about the Taser are cases where the Taser has not be used in the way that it should be use. Because some people have abused the Taser, I don\u2019t think it\u2019s a good enough reason to say that we don\u2019t want the San Francisco police department to have it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is a tool,\u201d Gasc\u00f3n added. \u201cIt is a tool that can be abused, but it\u2019s also a tool that if it\u2019s properly structured in training and policy and oversight, it can be a very useful tool and it can actually save lives and there\u2019s evidence of the Taser saving lives and reducing injuries in departments where comparisons have been made.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a follow up interview, Gasc\u00f3n was asked to comment on the State of Illinois becoming the 16th State to abolish the death penalty and whether his position on the death penalty in liberal San Francisco might hurt his campaign for DA. He reiterated his non-opposition to the death penalty.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope that people judge me on my actions as opposed to ideological statements,” he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The event provided the estimated 50 attendees an opportunity to hear Gasc\u00f3n make a case as to why he should be elected at large in November and for attendees to pose questions on several controversial issues including the death penalty, allegations of SFPD misconduct and perjury, Sit\/Lie, safe injection sites, and the City\u2019s inching towards authorizing the use of Tasers by law enforcement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[222,17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2691","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","category-politics"],"yoast_head":"\nGasc\u00f3n Pitches DA Candidacy to SF Young Dems - Fog City Journal<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fogcityjournal.com\/wordpress\/2691\/gascon-pitches-da-candidacy-to-sf-young-dems\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Gasc\u00f3n Pitches DA Candidacy to SF Young Dems - 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