THE AMERICA ONE NEWS
Jun 2, 2025  |  
0
 | Remer,MN
Sponsor:  QWIKET 
Sponsor:  QWIKET 
Sponsor:  QWIKET: Elevate your fantasy game! Interactive Sports Knowledge.
Sponsor:  QWIKET: Elevate your fantasy game! Interactive Sports Knowledge and Reasoning Support for Fantasy Sports and Betting Enthusiasts.
back  
topic
NY Post
New York Post
13 Jun 2023


NextImg:Los Angeles DA George Gascón punishing colleagues who criticize him with ‘weaponized’ panel: sources

Under-fire Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón has “weaponized” a special panel to suspend and punish anyone who speaks out against his policies, two prosecutors alleged to The Post.

Deputy District Attorney Shea Sanna said he has been falsely accused of racism and given a 10-day suspension after a complaint was recently made against over his description of a 2021 altercation involving a group of men who viciously beat an individual.

“They are doing this to tarnish my reputation by calling me a racist, which is despicable,” Shea said. “The defense attorney claimed her client wasn’t culpable, but I said, ‘It was like a pack of hyenas on National Geographic … every time the victim turned his back, someone in the group attacked, dragged him away and they beat and robbed him.’

“Everyone involved in the case, including the victim, is black. They changed the context of my statement to make it look like I am racist, which I am not.”

Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Shea Senna said he was informed that he would be suspended for 10 days. He claims it’s in retaliation for speaking out against LA County DA George Gascón and his progressive policies.
Fox News

Sanna noted a complaint was only filed with the LA County Equity Oversight Panel after he had spoke out against Gascón’s policies, including one which allowed a violent gangbanger out on the streets who later went on to kill two Police officers in June 2022.

Veteran prosecutor John Lewin, who secured the conviction of real estate scion Robert Durst, told The Post he has also been flagged to the Equity Oversight Panel.

When he asked why he was being reviewed, he was informed he had been reported over social media posts, which apparently had racial overtones, charges which he strongly denies.

Hannah Tubbs began identifying as female after being arrested in connection with a 2014 child molestation case in Los Angeles County. Tubbs pleaded not guilty Thursday to an April 2019 murder in nearby Kern County.

Hannah Tubbs began identifying as female after being arrested in connection with a 2014 child molestation case in Los Angeles County. Tubbs pleaded not guilty Thursday to an April 2019 murder in nearby Kern County.

“These are bogus complaints based on my social media posts that have been critical of Gascón,” Lewin said. “This administration is trying all the can to see how they can shut me up, forgetting that I’m supporting an African American candidate [Deputy District Attorney John McKinney] to replace [Gascón].

“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.”

The LA County Equity Oversight Panel [CEOP] is a group made up of employment law experts who review complaints against employees. The panel then make recommendations concerning any possible discipline to the relevant departments.

Any final decision on punishment is ultimately made by the county department — in this case the LA County DA’s Office. Complaints with the oversight panel are made anonymously.

In this Jan. 29, 2020, file photo, George Gascón participates at the L.A. District Attorney candidates' debate in Los Angeles.

In this Jan. 29, 2020, file photo, George Gascón participates at the L.A. District Attorney candidates’ debate in Los Angeles.
AP

The DA’s Office took the panel’s recommendation and informed Sanna on Wednesday that he would be suspended for 10 days, the second time the prosecutor has been suspended.

Gascón also suspended Sanna for five days in March after he referred to child molester Hannah Tubbs with male pronouns in an email to Gascon to warn him Tubbs was attempting to “game the system”.

The DA’s Office accused Sanna of misgendering and “deadnaming” Tubbs, who began identifying as a woman after being arrested for a 2014 sexual assault of a 10-year old girl for which Tubbs is currently serving two years in juvenile prison.

“When I told them that Tubbs was faking [being transgender] and I had all of the recordings, they refused to listen and instead they filed the complaint with the Equity Oversight Panel because they were ‘offended’ that I misgendered [Tubbs],” Sanna said.

Deputy District Attorney John Lewin makes opening statements in New York real estate heir Robert Durst's murder trial in Los Angeles, California March 9, 2020.

Deputy District Attorney John Lewin makes opening statements in New York real estate heir Robert Durst’s murder trial in Los Angeles, Calif. on March 9, 2020.
POOL/AFP via Getty Images

“This administration don’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.”

Lewin was also among several veteran prosecutors in the office who were transferred from their high-profile units or supervisor positions in September.

Another was John McKinney, who handled the murder case of rapper Nipsey Hussle but was reassigned from the elite Major Crimes unit to instead supervise misdemeanor cases out of East Los Angeles.

“Never in the history of Major Crimes (Unit) has a trial lawyer like myself been involved with an involuntary transfer like this,” Lewin said. “He’s trying to say that this is a ‘routine transfer, which everybody knows is a lie.”

Lewin is among about 20 prosecutors who have file retaliation suits against Gascón and the office.

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon speaks during a press conference

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon at a press conference.
MediaNews Group via Getty Images

Deputy District Attorney John McKinney speaks to the jury as Judge H. Clay Jacke listens during closing arguments on June 30, 2022 in Los Angeles, California, during the People v Eric Holder, Jr trial over the death of Nipsey Hussle.

Deputy District Attorney John McKinney speaks to the jury as Judge H. Clay Jacke listens during closing arguments on June 30, 2022 in Los Angeles, California, during the People v Eric Holder, Jr trial over the death of Nipsey Hussle.
Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Another is Jason Lustig who was head Deputy District Attorney who supervised the LA County DA’s Long Beach office until he also was transferred to a lesser role.

Like his colleague, Lusting was also critical of Gascón’s policies and spoke out publicly against the embattled DA, which he claims cost him his position.

“[Gascón’s] policies were clearly illegal and contrary to the law and are against our ethics as prosecutors,” Lusting said. “During the second recall campaign against [Gascón], I became very vocal about it. In early August when it looked like there wasn’t going to be enough votes to recall Gascón, he promptly retaliated against me and took my supervisory status.”

Lusting, who went from supervising about 30 other attorneys for the past five years, is now working back in Downtown LA in the Narcotics Division— a position he held back in 1994.

L.A. County prosecutor Jason Lustig.

Veteran prosecutor Jason Lustig, on the right, said his supervisor title was taken away and he was reassigned after he started to publicly criticize LA County DA George Gascón.
Fox News

“This is very bad and people are devastated because the administration is completely disorganized,” Lusting said.

“There are no experienced leaders in the administration. It’s really a disaster, frankly. We are badly understaffed, and the caseload is out of control. He’s made moves in the office that has disorganized rather than organize things for the better, morale is in an all-time low.’

LA County DA officials would not comment on various claims when reached by The Post and pointed to the independence of the CEOP panel, who did not immediately return a request for comment.

“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,” the office said in a statement.