Billionaire leftist George Soros seems to have shifted his stance regarding his previous support for far-left ‘reform’ prosecutors he helped elect across the country. The UK’s Daily Mail reported that Soros will cease providing those prosecutors with financial support as their popularity declines and more Americans become disenchanted with their lenient crime policies.
Soros, 93 years old, directed over $5 million into his fundraising PAC, the California Justice & Public Safety PAC, from 2018 to 2020. However, he has not spent a penny since the beginning of 2023. This change of course has impacted Los Angeles County DA George Gascon and Alameda County DA Pamela Price ahead of their re-elections, both of whom are now considered at risk of losing their positions in office.
Critics have often pointed to prosecutors in California for contributing to the state’s perceived decline, attributing the increase in crime rates to these officials’ lenient policies. Soros has reportedly stopped funding through his political action committee (PAC), which had been a primary source of support for these prosecutors, according to campaign finance records reported by the Daily Caller.
During the 2020 election campaign, George Gascón received substantial support from a PAC, with contributions totaling more than $4.5 million. His campaign capitalized on the momentum of the Black Lives Matter protests, advocating for a distinctly progressive platform.
Gascón’s policies, particularly his reluctance to prosecute certain crimes, have drawn criticism from conservative circles. He publicly announced his intention not to imprison individuals for offenses such as resisting arrest and refrained from prosecuting other crimes, including disturbing the peace, driving without a license, public intoxication, making criminal threats, and loitering to commit prostitution.
Gascón’s policies also included discouraging the issuance of fines for certain offenses, except in cases involving repeat offenders, domestic violence, or physical force against officers.
During his first year as District Attorney in Los Angeles, crime rates surged, with homicides increasing by 11.8% from 2020 to 2021, alongside rises in burglaries and gun-related offenses. A key part of Gascón’s platform was reducing the jail population, eliminating cash bail, and protecting immigrants from ICE.
Gascón secured 25.2% of the vote in an open primary in May but now faces a significant challenge from former federal prosecutor Nathan Hochman in the upcoming November election. This next election will be particularly challenging as he will no longer have the financial backing of George Soros, who had previously supported his campaign through significant PAC contributions.
Both Gascon and Price have faced or are facing recall efforts.
When she first ran for District Attorney of Alameda County in 2018, Pamela Price received approximately $700,000 from Soros’ PAC, though she did not win that election.
Since assuming office, Oakland—the largest city in her jurisdiction—has experienced a 21% increase in violent crime rates over her first ten months. Price, like George Gascón, advocated for progressive criminal justice reforms, which some have criticized as being too lenient.
Dissatisfaction among community members and the Alameda County Prosecutors’ Association, a union of her employees, which earlier this year voted in favor of her removal, have sparked a recall effort due to the rise in crime under her leadership.
The far-left Open Society Foundation, now run by George Soros’ son, Alex, will be highly focused on defeating former President Donald Trump in this year’s election. In an op-ed for Politico, Alex Soros argued that defeating Trump is crucial for the left-wing group’s ongoing work across Europe, which has primarily focused on undermining the traditional values-based democratic order on the continent, much like George Soros has done in the United States for decades.
