Multiple prosecutors in the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office say Gascón uses an independent oversight panel to demote people who criticize his policies.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón is facing criticism for allegedly using a special panel called the LA County Equity Oversight Panel (CEOP) to silence and punish individuals who speak out against his policies, according to two prosecutors who spoke to The New York Post.
Critics of Gascón’s tenure as LA County DA say that while he may have good intentions, his policies have emboldened criminals and contributed to a growing crime wave that has gripped Los Angeles in recent years. Among these critics are hundreds of prosecutors who have worked for the LA County DA’s office for decades.
Experienced prosecutor John Lewin revealed that he was recently flagged to the Equity Oversight Panel. When Lewin inquired about the reason for the review, an attorney representing the LA County DA’s Office claimed that it was due to his social media posts allegedly containing “racial overtones.”
Lewin vehemently denied any formal wrongdoing, stating that he’s only guilty of being openly critical of Gascón on social media due to concerns about his competence, policies, and behavior.
“These are bogus complaints based on my social media posts that have been critical of Gascón,” Lewin emphasized. He further criticized the administration, stating, “They have gone after everybody who has challenged his policy positions. It’s patently absurd and it’s offensive. If they think they’re going to intimidate me into silence, they got another thing coming.”
Gascon’s CEOP consists of employment law experts who review complaints against employees and provide recommendations for potential discipline to relevant departments. The final decision regarding punishment is ultimately made by the LA County DA’s Office. Complaints filed with the oversight panel are done anonymously.
Deputy District Attorney Shea Sanna also stated that he was accused of racism and handed a 10-day suspension after a recent complaint was filed against him. The complaint involved his public description of a 2021 incident where a group of men brutally assaulted an individual.
Sanna explained, “They are doing this to tarnish my reputation by calling me a racist, which is despicable.” He clarified that his statement about the incident, where both the perpetrators and victim were black, was taken out of context to portray him as racist.
Sanna pointed out that the complaint was lodged with the LA County Equity Oversight Panel only after he publicly criticized Gascón’s policies, including one that resulted in a violent gang member being released and subsequently killing two police officers in June 2022.
Despite Sanna’s rebuttal, Gascón’s office upheld the panel’s recommendation and informed Sanna of his 10-day suspension.
This is the second time Sanna has faced suspension, as he was previously suspended for five days in March for referring to a convicted child molester with male pronouns. The DA’s Office accused him of misgendering and “deadnaming” the individual, who identified as a woman following arrest for sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl.
Sanna commented, “This administration doesn’t want to punish me directly because it will be clear retaliation, so they are using this Equity Oversight Panel as a sword to file these anonymous complaints.”
Several other veteran prosecutors in the office were also transferred from their high-profile units or supervisory positions in September. The reassignments were claimed to be routine transfers, but Lewin contested this assertion, stating, “Never in the history of Major Crimes (Unit) has a trial lawyer like myself been involved with an involuntary transfer like this.”
Around 20 prosecutors have filed retaliation lawsuits against Gascón and the office. Jason Lustig, a former head Deputy District Attorney who supervised the LA County DA’s Long Beach office, was also transferred to a non-supervisory role after publicly criticizing Gascón’s policies.
Lustig remarked, “[Gascón’s] policies were clearly illegal and contrary to the law and are against our ethics as prosecutors. […] he promptly retaliated against me and took my supervisory status.”
The LA County DA’s Office declined to comment on the various claims but emphasized the independence of the CEOP panel, which did not respond to a request for comment from The New York Post.
In a statement, the office said, “The Los Angeles County policy of equity is a framework of guidelines and practices that aim to promote fairness and equal opportunity. […] This [CEOP] panel is tasked with thoroughly evaluating all complaints and ensuring they are addressed in a fair and impartial manner.”
