Post-election Roundup
- Black Lives Matter Los Angeles led the opposition to Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey, both in the streets and at the ballot box, and this committed opposition was instrumental in her electoral defeat last Tuesday by George Gascón. This Monday, in a meeting organized by BLM-LA, Gascón met with family members of people shot by police. Though many celebrated Gascón’s victory, most recognized the need for continued vigilance in activist oversight of the office, even under a new, more progressive administration. Melina Abdullah, a founder of BLM-LA, said to Gascón, “This is a great first step, but we also want to make it very clear that we plan to hold you accountable.”
- In national media this week, a rash of articles deal with the potential fallout from the passage of California’s Proposition 22, which strips worker protections from Lyft and Uber drivers, as well as other workers in the gig economy. Lyft and Uber CEOs are feeling exuberant after their victory, and have spoken of taking the law “nationwide.”
- The advocacy of the Re-Imagine LA coalition was successful in passing Measure J, a county-wide measure that mandates 10% of the general fund be set aside for alternatives to incarceration. On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors took the next step toward implementation.
- The board also voted 3–2 in favor of exploring options to remove Sheriff Alex Villanueva from office, in response to Villanueva’s unceasing onslaught of deeply antisocial behavior. “Options” include impeachment, altering the state constitution or county charter, or simply limiting the duties of the office legislatively. Meanwhile, a similar proposal within the Los Angeles Democratic Party, which would officially call for Villanueva’s resignation, fell short of the 60% approval threshold. Instead, the party issued a strongly worded request that the sheriff try harder.
- The LA Times envisions the possibilities for a second stimulus bill under a Biden administration, with Republicans still plausibly retaining control of the Senate. Meanwhile, CalMatters examines the debilitated state of California’s unemployment protection program.
- More post-election speculation, as a treat: LAist tries to imagine what it might mean for the state to have a vice president emerge from California politics. Others make predictions for whom Governor Newsom will appoint to fill Harris’ Senate seat.
- DSA-LA congratulates Nithya Raman on her incredible campaign victory! Here’s an account, from a voice within her campaign, of why Raman was able to succeed in a city in which incumbent councilmembers are extremely difficult to unseat. It also presents a great diagnosis of the dire state of Los Angeles news media, and the emerging alternatives.
- Speaking of emerging alternative media, here is an article that ran in KNOCK.LA that asks what’s next after the election.