Nathan Hochman took his District Attorney campaign to the Crenshaw District on August 12, connecting with dozens of Black voters – a community that will play a key role in the Nov. 5 district attorney race.
Hochman, a former prosecutor and defense attorney, told voters at Dulan’s on Crenshaw that he wants to make them feel safe after four years of increasing crime in South Los Angeles and throughout Los Angeles County.
“You need to have a message sent to the criminals that says, ‘We’re going to enforce the laws again,’” Hochman told an audience of more than 60 voters on a sun-drenched patio at the popular soul food restaurant.
Hochman said that as D.A. he will partner with the African American community to address concerns about policing and the criminal justice system. This includes building bridges with law enforcement so the community feels comfortable interacting with police, and prosecuting cases appropriately so police understand there will be consequences for breaking the law.
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Hochman emphasized that he does not want to go back to the 1970s and 1980s era of mass incarceration, but instead to 2014, a year that had some of the lowest crime rates in Los Angeles County. “When you called 911 in 2014, the police actually showed up,” Hochman said.
But it’s also important for the District Attorney to proactively reach out to local schools and connect with teen-agers about how making the right choices can set them on a path of success.
Daphne Bradford, a White House Champion of Change Educator who organized Sunday’s event, said she agrees with Hochman’s message about the importance of education.
“I appreciate Nathan’s emphasis on education and his focus on connecting with youth,” Bradford said. “We need a D.A. who will not only focus on enforcing the law, but also the impact that we can have on public safety by sending the right message early and often to our youth.”
After explaining the policies he intended to implement, Hochman encouraged those in attendance to ask anything they wanted about his plans, telling them, “No question is off limits.”
The first question was about his plans on the first week in office. One key step, Hochman said, will be reversing the current D.A.’s policies that greatly reduce sentences for gun crimes – shootings, murders and robberies – and provide no penalties for juveniles who commit flash mob robberies and organized theft at retail stores.
Another question was how he intended to get apathetic voters to actually cast their ballots on election day.
Hochman told them that he’s working extremely hard to travel throughout the county, “I’m putting a lot of miles on my car,” he said, meeting with communities to talk about how important the D.A.’s race is to their quality of life.
He’s visited voters from all corners of the county to explain his plan to improve public safety, which has worsened each of the last four years. “George Gascon has had more than three-and-a-half years to prove his game plan and he has failed,” Hochman said.
After a spirited question-and-answer session with voters, Dulan’s owner, Greg Dulan, took Hochman on a tour of his popular restaurant.
“Dulan’s on Crenshaw is a community space that is open to anybody, any time who wants to hold a significant occasion here,” Dulan said. “We’re open to all perspectives and all people who want to experience our Southern culture and our delicious food.”
Hochman said he enjoyed the conversation with voters and looked forward to enjoying the food.
“If I become District Attorney, I’d love to make this a tradition,” Hochman said.
