WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.360 --> 00:00:05.360 Joe Ascolante live from Hollywood. If by Hollywood you mean Burbank. We are 2 00:00:05.400 --> 00:00:09.519 across the street from a Wiener Snitzel that sells beer. And this is two 3 00:00:09.599 --> 00:00:15.599 hours of the business, end of show business. And my guest this hour 4 00:00:16.359 --> 00:00:23.719 is Maria Ramirez, who is the candidate for District Attorney in Los Angeles County. 5 00:00:23.760 --> 00:00:30.280 And the election day is coming up like March fifth, nine days, 6 00:00:30.519 --> 00:00:32.840 nine days a week from Tuesday. Yes, that's what it is. So 7 00:00:32.920 --> 00:00:36.600 Maria, good evening, good evening, Thank you for having me. Joe, 8 00:00:37.320 --> 00:00:40.560 I'm happy to have you here because this is a show about Hollywood and 9 00:00:40.880 --> 00:00:46.039 about show business. But you can't make movies or TV here if you have 10 00:00:46.320 --> 00:00:56.359 a rampant crime and you know, bizarre criminal reform justice reform theories that don't 11 00:00:56.439 --> 00:01:00.280 seem to work, and they and so we we we would get into that 12 00:01:00.359 --> 00:01:03.519 in this show by saying, if you can't, if you can't work here, 13 00:01:03.560 --> 00:01:07.159 like in San Francisco they are always talking about, like you park your 14 00:01:07.159 --> 00:01:11.239 car, and all these news crews and TV crews that have their their their 15 00:01:11.239 --> 00:01:15.159 cameras stolen and their equipment stolen. And we don't want to live in a 16 00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:18.719 world like that. But it kind of seems like we do. So I'm 17 00:01:18.760 --> 00:01:23.200 interested in in who the district attorney is because the district attorney is going to 18 00:01:23.200 --> 00:01:26.280 decide who we prosecute. No, yes, exactly exactly that. And you're 19 00:01:26.400 --> 00:01:32.239 what give us your background as it because I think in this race you are 20 00:01:33.239 --> 00:01:38.560 seem to be the most experienced and that seems to be one of the one 21 00:01:38.599 --> 00:01:44.079 of your advantages in this field, which we have to say includes this gascone 22 00:01:44.079 --> 00:01:49.879 guy who was named georgecon Con, the gas con man. Yeah, and 23 00:01:49.879 --> 00:01:55.159 so that guy is a villain to most people who actually think about it. 24 00:01:55.400 --> 00:01:57.159 And so you work for him, right, he's your boss. He's my 25 00:01:57.239 --> 00:02:00.560 boss, has been my boss for the last three years, and it has 26 00:02:00.680 --> 00:02:05.560 been, as you can imagine, chaotic in our office. And you know, 27 00:02:05.599 --> 00:02:07.360 I think you're right when we I know this is a Hollywood show, 28 00:02:07.360 --> 00:02:13.159 but you know it's it's public safety really affects all aspects of us in La 29 00:02:13.240 --> 00:02:16.719 County, and the businesses, you know, are economics, and I think, 30 00:02:16.960 --> 00:02:21.000 you know, movie making and TV making is all part of that and 31 00:02:21.039 --> 00:02:24.960 really about keeping our employees safe, you know, to go to work and 32 00:02:25.080 --> 00:02:30.039 wherever that may be. And so it really does intersect. But you know, 33 00:02:30.479 --> 00:02:31.840 just a little bit about me. I was born and raised in La 34 00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:36.639 County, grew up in Boyle Heights Heights. Yeah, drove, I just 35 00:02:36.719 --> 00:02:39.360 drove through there. The best Mexican food ever. I went to King Taco, 36 00:02:39.479 --> 00:02:44.120 but that's more. Yeah, there's one actually in Boyle Heights as well, 37 00:02:44.159 --> 00:02:46.319 but I went to the one that's like the big one right just about 38 00:02:46.599 --> 00:02:51.319 five hours ago. Yeah, that's yummy, but the food is amazing, 39 00:02:51.639 --> 00:02:53.960 So the one of Boyle Heights. So Boyle Heights, you grew up in 40 00:02:53.960 --> 00:02:55.199 Boyle Heights. What high school do you go to when you grow up in 41 00:02:55.240 --> 00:02:58.400 Boyle Heights. Well, when you grew up in Boyle Heights, you go 42 00:02:58.400 --> 00:03:04.199 to Roosevelt. Except that my mother did not want me going to Roosevelt with 43 00:03:04.240 --> 00:03:07.479 some of the kids that I was in grammar school with that were bad influences, 44 00:03:07.520 --> 00:03:10.840 she thought, so she sent me to Sacred Heart of Mary High School 45 00:03:10.879 --> 00:03:15.800 in Montabello, in Manabello. Yes, that was a wise choice, yea 46 00:03:15.960 --> 00:03:17.840 good for you come from a good family. I come from a great family. 47 00:03:17.840 --> 00:03:23.000 They immigrated here from Mexico and built a great life for us here. 48 00:03:23.039 --> 00:03:28.879 And about thirty three years ago I decided to join the DA's office, mainly 49 00:03:28.960 --> 00:03:31.400 due to the fact that that Boyle Heights at that time was experiencing a lot 50 00:03:31.439 --> 00:03:37.199 of gang violence and I really wanted to give the victims of crime in our 51 00:03:37.400 --> 00:03:42.479 neighborhood a voice, and I felt that our office needed to be more representative 52 00:03:42.560 --> 00:03:46.240 of our communities, and so I joined thirty three years ago. I spent 53 00:03:46.280 --> 00:03:53.680 the first half of my career prosecuting gang violent crimes and major narcotic dealers, 54 00:03:53.840 --> 00:03:59.159 and then the second half of my career I've spent in supervision roles and working 55 00:03:59.159 --> 00:04:02.039 my way up through the management of our office. And so I became the 56 00:04:02.080 --> 00:04:06.479 first Latina to be appointed as head deputy District attorney, overseeing a division, 57 00:04:08.039 --> 00:04:13.080 and then eventually under Jackie Lacy, I became a bureau director, overseeing eight 58 00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:16.399 of our most complex and high profile divisions, including major crimes, which most 59 00:04:16.439 --> 00:04:20.480 of your viewers might know about because they handle the high profile cases now. 60 00:04:23.199 --> 00:04:25.800 Then and Steve Cooley, what was your boss for a while? Yaes, 61 00:04:25.800 --> 00:04:29.160 Steve Cooley, He's the one that promoted me to head deputy district attorney. 62 00:04:29.199 --> 00:04:32.560 So I've served in management under three district attorneys, and in fact, I 63 00:04:32.680 --> 00:04:38.279 was in my director position when George Gascon was elected into office. Now, 64 00:04:39.160 --> 00:04:41.959 people, if they don't follow this, it would be surprised to know that 65 00:04:42.000 --> 00:04:46.879 this George Gascon is a He's not even from here, right, Where did 66 00:04:46.879 --> 00:04:49.160 he come from? Well, he is from here. Apparently he's from if 67 00:04:49.199 --> 00:04:53.879 I understand, he's from Maywood or somewhere. So he is from here. 68 00:04:54.000 --> 00:04:57.959 Oh okay. So he was at ALIPD for a very long time, was 69 00:04:58.120 --> 00:05:01.519 very, from my understanding, tough on crime kind of guy. Eventually went 70 00:05:01.560 --> 00:05:05.720 to Arizona to be the chief of police there, and then between chief of 71 00:05:05.800 --> 00:05:12.279 police and governor knew some bringing him over to San Francisco to be the chief 72 00:05:12.319 --> 00:05:18.079 there. Somehow his priorities seem to have changed and he developed a very progressive 73 00:05:18.120 --> 00:05:23.399 agenda. And we have seen and heard what has happened to San Francisco. 74 00:05:23.720 --> 00:05:28.000 Yes, and we start we are starting to see that happening as well here 75 00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:30.000 in Los Angeles. Yeah, talking to me that people can look at San 76 00:05:30.040 --> 00:05:35.360 Francisco and see what a message's become because and primarily because of their lack of 77 00:05:35.519 --> 00:05:40.639 enforcement for crime. Yes, and they and if you ask them do you 78 00:05:40.879 --> 00:05:43.560 support that, they'll say no. But when they go in the ballot box, 79 00:05:43.839 --> 00:05:46.160 they'll vote for this Gascon guy because there's so much money behind him, 80 00:05:46.360 --> 00:05:50.319 exactly exactly, and that you know, we had an example of what his 81 00:05:50.480 --> 00:05:56.079 policies did to a city, and we turned a blind eye to it. 82 00:05:56.160 --> 00:06:00.360 You know, not me personally, but I think our voting public did. 83 00:06:00.399 --> 00:06:02.920 And I think they were sold a bill of goods that he has failed to 84 00:06:02.959 --> 00:06:09.959 deliver on. Now it isn't he. They threw one out in San Francisco, 85 00:06:10.040 --> 00:06:13.480 right They had a prosecutor that followed him was just like him, and 86 00:06:13.480 --> 00:06:15.800 they and the and the people rose up and kicked him out office right right. 87 00:06:15.800 --> 00:06:23.000 They recalled him chesna budin. I can't recall how you pronounce that, 88 00:06:23.040 --> 00:06:26.319 but yes, they kicked him out because they were fed up with what was 89 00:06:26.319 --> 00:06:30.040 happening in San Francisco. And as you know, we've had to recall attempts 90 00:06:30.040 --> 00:06:31.879 against George Gascon that have failed. They didn't work, were they just didn't 91 00:06:31.920 --> 00:06:35.879 bumbled bungled. I mean, I think the first one, the problem was 92 00:06:35.920 --> 00:06:40.639 that it was it started right after he took office, and I think people 93 00:06:40.759 --> 00:06:44.120 were not ready to go that route. So a lot of people don't don't 94 00:06:44.120 --> 00:06:46.240 pay attention. No, they don't pay attention, and I think, hey, 95 00:06:46.319 --> 00:06:48.680 he was elected. Many people said give him a chance, and so 96 00:06:48.839 --> 00:06:53.800 and then it wasn't really very well planned out or well funded. The second 97 00:06:54.000 --> 00:06:59.519 attempt was well found funded, but I don't know. There were some shenanigans 98 00:06:59.519 --> 00:07:04.480 going on with register Recorder's office with pounding the signatures, and somehow somebody used 99 00:07:04.480 --> 00:07:08.519 some influence to get all the signatures thrown out many of them. Yes, 100 00:07:08.639 --> 00:07:12.199 they did, and it really although and then other people would say, you, 101 00:07:12.240 --> 00:07:15.600 no one cares who votes in a general election, or everybody's voice got 102 00:07:15.639 --> 00:07:18.240 to be heard in this, and you're hurting democracy if you're if you're not 103 00:07:18.319 --> 00:07:21.399 counting someone. But when he when his recall came out, they didn't want 104 00:07:21.399 --> 00:07:24.519 to count any of those folks, right, and many of them have thrown 105 00:07:24.560 --> 00:07:28.160 out, were thrown out that should not have been. Uh So you know, 106 00:07:28.399 --> 00:07:31.439 he's he's like the teflon dawn and he just keeps surviving these things with 107 00:07:32.279 --> 00:07:35.800 you know, and we just I think, now this is really our chance. 108 00:07:35.839 --> 00:07:41.319 That's why it's such an important election to really get him out before Los 109 00:07:41.319 --> 00:07:45.399 Angeles turns into San Francisco. Yeah, I mean, if you if you 110 00:07:46.040 --> 00:07:48.839 see in San Francisco. I mean, you can go to San Francisco and 111 00:07:48.920 --> 00:07:51.199 have a good time and not you know, and not I've noticed that you 112 00:07:51.240 --> 00:07:54.720 can go there and have a good time and not experience it. But but 113 00:07:55.160 --> 00:08:00.240 every it seems like every couple of months, it just like spreads to where 114 00:08:00.279 --> 00:08:05.519 there's fewer places you can go without experiencing crime or you know, needles on 115 00:08:05.560 --> 00:08:09.519 the ground or just you know, feces, human hobo diarrhea as my wife 116 00:08:09.600 --> 00:08:16.639 calls it. So it's you don't want that here, and that's what happened 117 00:08:16.639 --> 00:08:20.680 there. Why bring it? And then the empty buildings, Yes, we 118 00:08:20.720 --> 00:08:24.519 already have this empty building thing with the graffiti downtown. Yeah, that was 119 00:08:24.560 --> 00:08:26.879 amazing, wasn't it. And they were they were there, these graffiti people. 120 00:08:26.879 --> 00:08:28.839 I don't know if you know there, Sam, those guys were there 121 00:08:28.839 --> 00:08:31.600 for like three days doing that. Yeah, and they were they were graffiti 122 00:08:31.679 --> 00:08:35.840 all the way up or from the top down. Fact that nobody saw that 123 00:08:35.120 --> 00:08:39.200 or they saw they saw it, but nobody did anything about it because they 124 00:08:39.240 --> 00:08:43.639 knew they wouldn't be prosecuted, because they knew George Gascon wouldn't wouldn't support any 125 00:08:43.799 --> 00:08:48.440 kind of prosecution or jail time for these for these crimes, which do you 126 00:08:48.559 --> 00:08:52.799 might see that think that it's at didn't hurt anybody. These people don't have 127 00:08:52.799 --> 00:08:54.320 anything else to do. You might think it's cool looking, man, you 128 00:08:54.360 --> 00:08:56.679 know what, and some certain angles it is kind of cool looking, but 129 00:08:58.399 --> 00:09:01.759 it's you're not the person who lives as the street and your condo just went 130 00:09:01.840 --> 00:09:07.840 down in value by sixty percent because you live across the street from that. 131 00:09:07.440 --> 00:09:11.759 And then you call the owner and you can't even get a hold of them 132 00:09:11.759 --> 00:09:15.039 in China, and the owner already was experience. The reason that it was 133 00:09:15.080 --> 00:09:20.720 empty is because he was having some financial issues with continuing the project. And 134 00:09:20.799 --> 00:09:22.679 now you know they're going to have to clean this up, which is another 135 00:09:22.759 --> 00:09:26.200 cost, is it? That's that's what I mean. When you're not going 136 00:09:26.240 --> 00:09:28.480 to get it affects our economy. Yeah, you're not going to get that 137 00:09:28.480 --> 00:09:31.679 building done. You're not going to get so many people there that they can 138 00:09:31.720 --> 00:09:35.960 support the grocery stores around, and pretty soon your whole foods is h is 139 00:09:35.000 --> 00:09:39.399 closed down and you deserve it because you voted for gascon right, Yes, 140 00:09:39.480 --> 00:09:41.279 all right, we're gonna take a break and we're gonna come back. We're 141 00:09:41.279 --> 00:09:46.000 gonna talk more about your background and some of the major crimes that the sexy, 142 00:09:46.039 --> 00:09:50.639 major crimes that Maria Mamirez has h worked on and other stuff. And 143 00:09:50.679 --> 00:09:54.879 then we might even get into some of my regular stories and see what you 144 00:09:54.919 --> 00:09:58.679 think about those. Sure. On Joe Ascalante Live from Hollywood, we're talking 145 00:09:58.720 --> 00:10:03.799 to Rio Ramirez, candidate for DA And just so in case someone's driving around 146 00:10:03.840 --> 00:10:05.200 going I'd like to give that lady some money. What do they do go 147 00:10:05.320 --> 00:10:09.919 to? Why my website Maria forda dot com and anything helps. Right now, 148 00:10:09.919 --> 00:10:13.240 it's nine days until the election, so I need to get my name 149 00:10:13.279 --> 00:10:16.799 out there. Okay, great, we'll be back after this. Joe Ascolante 150 00:10:16.879 --> 00:10:22.360 Live from Hollywood. By Hollywood, you mean Burdbank. We are here. 151 00:10:22.279 --> 00:10:28.399 This is a Hollywood show. Of course, we're serving the Hollywood community. 152 00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:33.559 But we have an important District Attorney race in Los Angeles County where the home 153 00:10:33.559 --> 00:10:37.480 of Hollywood, where there's a lot on the line. We've got a DA 154 00:10:37.639 --> 00:10:43.440 here named Gascon that has made us kind of the laughing stock of one of 155 00:10:43.440 --> 00:10:48.000 the laughing stocks of the whole country because he does not believe in prosecuting crime. 156 00:10:48.399 --> 00:10:50.759 I know this. My sister works in the DA's office. And she's 157 00:10:50.799 --> 00:10:54.720 a prosecutor, been a prosecutor for like thirty years, and then they he 158 00:10:54.840 --> 00:11:00.679 came in and just pretty soon like she can't do her job anymore. And 159 00:11:00.720 --> 00:11:03.559 it's the job seems to be. And Maria, you can correct me if 160 00:11:03.600 --> 00:11:09.080 I'm wrong. His philosophy seems to be let as many people out of jail 161 00:11:09.240 --> 00:11:16.120 as possible and keep anybody from going to jail, regardless of whatever that would 162 00:11:16.200 --> 00:11:20.399 effect that would have on public safety. I agree, and people often ask 163 00:11:20.480 --> 00:11:24.559 me what is what motivates him in terms of what his policies are, But 164 00:11:24.279 --> 00:11:30.080 and I really think it's just the decarceration of as many people as he can 165 00:11:30.159 --> 00:11:33.519 so that he can say I've taken all of these individuals out of custody. 166 00:11:33.720 --> 00:11:37.240 But he has no plan for what happens to these individuals. Are they giving 167 00:11:37.360 --> 00:11:41.600 jobs, are they given services? Do they have housing? And you know, 168 00:11:41.679 --> 00:11:46.759 we're we have the highest homelessness crisis in the nation, and this is 169 00:11:46.840 --> 00:11:50.840 part of the problem that he's just letting people out. His policies do not 170 00:11:50.919 --> 00:11:56.159 allow our prosecutors to file the appropriate charges, the appropriate enhancements. He ties 171 00:11:56.200 --> 00:12:00.799 our hands with that, and so it really is affecting our ability to keep 172 00:12:00.799 --> 00:12:03.639 our community safe, like gun enhancements. I've heard a little bit about this, 173 00:12:03.840 --> 00:12:09.080 And on the one hand, they want if they're if you're like a 174 00:12:09.159 --> 00:12:13.759 progressive like he is, you want gun control, you want to keep guns 175 00:12:13.840 --> 00:12:18.799 as few guns as possible. But it doesn't seem like he's interested at all 176 00:12:18.960 --> 00:12:22.480 in pointing out that a gun, a criminal using a gun should should get 177 00:12:22.480 --> 00:12:26.799 a higher sentence than a criminal not using a gun, and so that you're 178 00:12:26.840 --> 00:12:30.519 not allowed to do these gun enhancements anymore, right, right, Well, 179 00:12:30.720 --> 00:12:35.960 so there are several gun enhancements, and he allowed us the ability to use 180 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:39.399 the gun enhancement that has the least amount of prison time attached to it, 181 00:12:39.879 --> 00:12:45.759 and he did not allow us to use the more serious gun enhancements that go 182 00:12:45.960 --> 00:12:50.159 attached to the more serious violent crimes. And so that doesn't make any sense. 183 00:12:50.240 --> 00:12:54.679 Right, we want to discourage people from committing violent offenses with firearms, 184 00:12:56.080 --> 00:13:00.200 and so it's disingenuous of him to say that he's for gun control, then 185 00:13:00.279 --> 00:13:03.120 does not allow us to use all of the tools that the legislature has given 186 00:13:03.200 --> 00:13:07.120 us to be able to keep the public safe from gun violence. It doesn't 187 00:13:07.159 --> 00:13:11.240 make sense. And so his agenda, I think is very politically motivated. 188 00:13:11.320 --> 00:13:16.120 It really does not take into consideration the real effects it has on our communities. 189 00:13:16.799 --> 00:13:20.919 And so that is a failure of leadership, I think on his part, 190 00:13:20.480 --> 00:13:24.559 and we have to we have to get him out of office because now 191 00:13:24.879 --> 00:13:31.480 there are some gun enhancements that he has actually allowed prosecutors to use, but 192 00:13:31.519 --> 00:13:35.000 it's only on those cases where he's going to get media attention on, or 193 00:13:35.039 --> 00:13:39.200 where there's a police officer that is killed and he's going to get media attention 194 00:13:39.320 --> 00:13:41.960 on that. So now all of a sudden, he becomes tough on crime 195 00:13:43.360 --> 00:13:46.480 when he's not allowing us to use those same enhancements for just the regular guy 196 00:13:46.519 --> 00:13:50.879 that gets killed on the street. So that sounds like a politician rather than 197 00:13:50.399 --> 00:13:54.720 like a public servant exactly. He is definitely a politician. Well, and 198 00:13:54.080 --> 00:13:56.279 where do you think he wants to go? Like? Where is he is? 199 00:13:56.279 --> 00:14:00.799 He? Does he want to be governor and move move on? Or 200 00:14:00.879 --> 00:14:05.440 is he? I don't know. I think his evil plan is to focus 201 00:14:05.480 --> 00:14:11.840 on La County because he's seeking another term here. And if you talk before 202 00:14:11.960 --> 00:14:15.120 when I talked to him, he kind of was thinking I'm going to retire, 203 00:14:16.039 --> 00:14:18.639 but here he is running for another term, and I just think he 204 00:14:18.679 --> 00:14:24.320 wants to institute his agenda for as long as he can here in La County. 205 00:14:24.600 --> 00:14:28.600 But people vote for this like yes, like they voted for Prop. 206 00:14:28.720 --> 00:14:31.559 Forty seven, that was the one that reduced penalties also, but that was 207 00:14:31.679 --> 00:14:35.240 that was before him, wasn't it. Yeah. So Prop forty seven I 208 00:14:35.279 --> 00:14:39.200 think came about because of the fact that there was the jails and prisons were 209 00:14:39.240 --> 00:14:43.120 crowded, and there was overcrowding, and we had to find a way to 210 00:14:43.159 --> 00:14:48.159 fix that problem. And so Prop forty seven came about to minimize some of 211 00:14:48.200 --> 00:14:54.080 the incarceration rates for certain offenses. But one of the biggest things I think 212 00:14:54.120 --> 00:15:00.600 that it hindered us with is our inability to charge felonies for repeat defenders. 213 00:15:00.639 --> 00:15:03.879 And it's those repeat offenders that are currently committing those mash and grab robberies, 214 00:15:05.000 --> 00:15:09.120 those staff burglaries, all of that, and so that's really where the problem 215 00:15:09.200 --> 00:15:11.080 is with Prop forty seven. Okay, So the people that you have in 216 00:15:11.120 --> 00:15:15.639 the most trouble with are the repeat offenders, and if you could just lock 217 00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:18.039 them up for a little while, yes, they definitely wouldn't be they could 218 00:15:18.320 --> 00:15:22.200 they'd just be committing crimes in jail, and not to say that they don't, 219 00:15:22.639 --> 00:15:26.639 but they'll be committing. They're locked up, so they're not smashing and 220 00:15:26.679 --> 00:15:31.399 grabbing, right, So you got to get those people and Prop forty seven 221 00:15:31.440 --> 00:15:33.679 doesn't allow that to happen. Now. I heard there's a movement to get 222 00:15:33.759 --> 00:15:39.159 rid of Top forty seven, But do you think that would work in La 223 00:15:39.240 --> 00:15:41.720 County? Is it necessary? Is there anything else you could do? Yeah? 224 00:15:41.759 --> 00:15:43.519 So I think there's two movements right now, one to completely get rid 225 00:15:43.559 --> 00:15:48.360 of Prop forty seven and then another one to amend certain parts of it that 226 00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:50.559 are giving us the most problems. I don't think that we need to get 227 00:15:50.639 --> 00:15:54.120 rid of Prop forty seven completely. Also, we have to remember that La 228 00:15:54.200 --> 00:16:00.639 County is a heavily democratic county and lean's aggressive for the most part, and 229 00:16:00.679 --> 00:16:04.919 so I don't think that a complete withdrawal of Top forty seven is going to 230 00:16:04.960 --> 00:16:08.720 work in Allen County. So we have to be more thoughtful about what we 231 00:16:08.799 --> 00:16:12.200 need to be able to do our job to prosecute cases. And I think 232 00:16:12.320 --> 00:16:15.840 if we amend those parts of it that are hindering us right now with those 233 00:16:15.879 --> 00:16:19.799 repeat offenders, I think that's going to go a long way. Now, 234 00:16:21.200 --> 00:16:23.600 it's good you brought that up. About the kind of county we have. 235 00:16:25.600 --> 00:16:30.080 It's a bunch of Democrats, a lot of Latinos and Democrats. Now you're 236 00:16:30.120 --> 00:16:37.960 a Democrat, you're a Latina. You could win. Like I consider myself 237 00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:45.039 pretty conservative, I'm registered as independent, but I support you as a Democrat 238 00:16:45.440 --> 00:16:52.240 because number one, you're a real prosecutor, and number two you are you 239 00:16:52.240 --> 00:16:56.879 can win. So you have another opponent in this race. It's something I 240 00:16:56.879 --> 00:17:00.519 know a little bit. I'm not that sharp on this, but this is 241 00:17:00.600 --> 00:17:04.559 guy Hawkman, and he is basically a Republican until a few months ago, 242 00:17:04.680 --> 00:17:08.240 right, yes, and and God bless him. He looks at he's a 243 00:17:08.240 --> 00:17:12.599 public servant, and I'm sure he's a great guy. He's not gonna win. 244 00:17:12.680 --> 00:17:17.680 Nobody's gonna fall for that in this kind Nobody is falling for the Republican 245 00:17:17.720 --> 00:17:22.599 turned though, especially the white Republican turned independent to well, I'm pro crime 246 00:17:22.599 --> 00:17:26.359 and I'm gonna unseat Gascon. That is not going to work here. That's 247 00:17:26.400 --> 00:17:32.799 our biggest fear within our District Attorney's office. Because even Nathan Hawkman is a 248 00:17:32.880 --> 00:17:37.680 very nice guy, and he really has had a great experience serving the public. 249 00:17:37.720 --> 00:17:41.400 But everyone will bring up his Republican past. You know, he ran 250 00:17:41.440 --> 00:17:45.799 against Bonta, who is our attorney general. He couldn't beat him, and 251 00:17:45.839 --> 00:17:48.599 he couldn't beat him with all the money that he and he has raised the 252 00:17:48.599 --> 00:17:52.359 most money of all of the candidates. And so we're afraid that it's going 253 00:17:52.440 --> 00:17:57.119 to be Gascon and Nathan Hawkman standing at the end. And there is no 254 00:17:57.279 --> 00:18:02.720 way that Nathan Hawkman and Alick County is going to be George Gascon. So 255 00:18:02.880 --> 00:18:06.720 I think we need somebody that appeals to the mass, vast majority of LA 256 00:18:06.799 --> 00:18:11.319 County. I am a Democrat, but I am very prosecutor. I'm a 257 00:18:11.319 --> 00:18:15.160 prosecutor, have to it doesn't matter what you cry prosecut I care about public 258 00:18:15.160 --> 00:18:18.440 safety. I care about victims. You know, I'm very common kids, 259 00:18:18.079 --> 00:18:22.480 yes exactly, my family's here. You know, I want my child growing 260 00:18:22.519 --> 00:18:25.079 up in a safe place. And so, uh, you know, we 261 00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:29.200 need somebody like that that really and and you know, Joe, traditionally the 262 00:18:29.400 --> 00:18:33.799 Ya's race has been nonpartisan, right, it never party politics never really comes 263 00:18:33.799 --> 00:18:37.240 into play. But because George, it was always it was always like prosecutors 264 00:18:37.279 --> 00:18:40.039 are favored. If you're talking on crime, you're going to win yes. 265 00:18:41.000 --> 00:18:44.160 Now, it's not that the world is upside down exact Maria Maris is trying 266 00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:47.559 to turn it right side up. Yes again, and I can okay, 267 00:18:47.599 --> 00:18:51.799 and we're going to take another break, and then we're going to uh, 268 00:18:52.039 --> 00:18:55.839 I'm going to get to some more of your background. And but I want 269 00:18:55.839 --> 00:18:59.480 to tell everybody once again the website and where they can donate, because I 270 00:18:59.519 --> 00:19:03.160 know that that and in this point during a race, you every little bit 271 00:19:03.319 --> 00:19:07.359 counts because you got to get on that on these on people's phones. You 272 00:19:07.359 --> 00:19:10.680 got to get your little message on people's phones, and you got to get 273 00:19:10.720 --> 00:19:12.640 the eyeballs. And you know, if it's five hundred here and five hundred 274 00:19:12.640 --> 00:19:15.599 there, it really makes a big difference, it really does. How do 275 00:19:15.680 --> 00:19:18.119 they do they do that? And so you go to Maria four da dot 276 00:19:18.160 --> 00:19:22.640 com and there's a donate button there, and I would really appreciate it to 277 00:19:22.640 --> 00:19:25.359 try to get my message out. The polls show that when I get my 278 00:19:25.400 --> 00:19:27.680 message out, I am a top contender. So that's what I'm trying to 279 00:19:27.720 --> 00:19:30.039 do this last nine days. All Right, we'll talk a little bit about 280 00:19:30.039 --> 00:19:33.279 that how the race actually works too when we come back, because it's it's 281 00:19:33.319 --> 00:19:40.680 it's interesting. Joe Ascalante Live from Hollywood. Joe Escalante Live from Hollywood, 282 00:19:40.839 --> 00:19:47.440 every Sunday, five to seven eleven fifty on your AM out talking to Maria 283 00:19:47.720 --> 00:19:52.880 Ramirez. Maria, election day is when March fifth. Man, how old 284 00:19:52.880 --> 00:19:56.000 do you have to beat a boat? Eighteen? Okay? And registered? 285 00:19:56.119 --> 00:20:00.960 And register? Yeah, okay, and then let's talk. She's We've been 286 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:04.640 talking to her about why it's important. I mean, I believe to reduce 287 00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:10.519 crime in LA for the entertainment industry, for movies, for for anything from 288 00:20:10.839 --> 00:20:17.960 movie production to the restaurants that support you know, all the business that that 289 00:20:18.240 --> 00:20:23.079 relies on the Hollywood film industry and the and the music industry. People won't 290 00:20:23.079 --> 00:20:27.000 come here. There's a there's a studio, famous studio in Hollywood is about 291 00:20:27.000 --> 00:20:33.079 to shut their doors because of homeless crime. And that place has been there 292 00:20:33.119 --> 00:20:37.599 forever, and now there's stuff's getting stolen broken into. I mean, who 293 00:20:37.720 --> 00:20:41.359 what kind of a rock star wants to come and step over hobo diarrhea to 294 00:20:41.480 --> 00:20:44.960 get to the studio every morning? Not that not that they go in the 295 00:20:44.960 --> 00:20:48.200 morning. Do you know what they do, Maria? They show up around 296 00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:52.000 noon. If one of them does, like maybe the bass player shows up 297 00:20:52.000 --> 00:20:56.920 at singer shows up at ten pm. But still there's hobo diarrhea there, 298 00:20:56.039 --> 00:21:00.680 Yes, and it's there all day, so it's steaming. So yeah, 299 00:21:00.680 --> 00:21:04.680 I think it's important to have a good DA that is going to reduce crime. 300 00:21:04.720 --> 00:21:10.279 The one we have now, George Gascon is a guy that increases crime. 301 00:21:10.920 --> 00:21:14.480 And it's just I mean, it's not even a theory, it's just 302 00:21:14.640 --> 00:21:18.240 true. His policies make crime go up, make the crime less, make 303 00:21:18.240 --> 00:21:22.920 the streets less safe. So that's why I'm, you know, spending so 304 00:21:22.000 --> 00:21:26.240 much time on this. So Maria, how does this work? They vote, 305 00:21:26.279 --> 00:21:29.799 and then how do you win? Is the top two go to the 306 00:21:29.920 --> 00:21:32.920 This is a primary election, right, yes, yes, so you know 307 00:21:32.960 --> 00:21:37.240 it is a crowded field. There's twelve candidates, including the incumbent, and 308 00:21:37.559 --> 00:21:40.079 twelve twelve times. Am I going to give all these people equal times? 309 00:21:40.119 --> 00:21:42.279 I know, Well, maybe they won't reach out, but if they want 310 00:21:42.319 --> 00:21:45.680 to, if they watch you, I'll put them on here. But I'm 311 00:21:45.680 --> 00:21:48.200 only going to tell them to vote for Maria America. Thank you. I 312 00:21:48.240 --> 00:21:52.279 really appreciate the support. Yeah, so, the it is unlikely with such 313 00:21:52.279 --> 00:21:56.599 a crowded field and the unpopularity of the incumbent that anyone would get more than 314 00:21:56.640 --> 00:22:02.119 fifty percent of the vote to be able to win outright, So we think 315 00:22:02.119 --> 00:22:04.319 it's going to go to the general election in November, and the top two 316 00:22:04.440 --> 00:22:10.319 vote getters will go to the November runoff. So you need to be the 317 00:22:10.400 --> 00:22:15.000 top in that top too, and we assume the incumbent will be one of 318 00:22:15.039 --> 00:22:17.400 them, and you just want to be the other one because then you can 319 00:22:17.440 --> 00:22:21.480 focus on, Hey, everybody, there's one guy here that's crime and there's 320 00:22:21.480 --> 00:22:25.680 one that's against crime. Yes, sad that we've got to a place where 321 00:22:25.720 --> 00:22:29.079 we have to talk like that, but exactly that's where we're at. It's 322 00:22:29.119 --> 00:22:33.359 crazy, and from all indications so far, looks like it's a low voter 323 00:22:33.480 --> 00:22:38.720 turnout from the take home ballots, and so every vote is going to count. 324 00:22:40.079 --> 00:22:42.920 Now, is it low voter turnout? Because is the primary? Didn't 325 00:22:42.920 --> 00:22:48.559 The primary used to be in June. They moved it to coincide because of 326 00:22:48.599 --> 00:22:52.960 the presidential year, and now it is in March. Many It's funny because 327 00:22:52.000 --> 00:22:56.039 many people still think that the primary is in June, and I have to 328 00:22:56.079 --> 00:23:00.119 remind them, people like me in tol this morning. Yeah, it's in 329 00:23:00.240 --> 00:23:03.119 March. Fifth a week from Tuesday. Holy cow. So yeah, so 330 00:23:03.240 --> 00:23:08.680 just get out there and vote. From Maria Ramirez, she is I mean, 331 00:23:08.839 --> 00:23:12.599 if you listen to the show and you live in La County, I 332 00:23:12.640 --> 00:23:17.519 think we're going to get these people. Now the other people, you know, 333 00:23:17.599 --> 00:23:22.039 people do they just do strange things because they're told to or there's a 334 00:23:22.039 --> 00:23:26.519 bunch of money. Now, what about these conspiracy theories that say this guy, 335 00:23:26.759 --> 00:23:32.799 George Gascone is responsible, I mean, George Soros is responsible for the 336 00:23:32.920 --> 00:23:37.200 das like Gascon and him attacking judges and things like that. Is that true? 337 00:23:37.400 --> 00:23:41.680 That is that well? I think it is fact that George Soros funded 338 00:23:41.839 --> 00:23:45.960 George Gascon's campaign when he ran for DA in twenty twenty, So that's a 339 00:23:47.000 --> 00:23:48.799 fact. I don't think that there's a conspiracy theory there. Okay. And 340 00:23:49.119 --> 00:23:53.720 if you compare the other individuals, the other prosecutors that he has supported with 341 00:23:53.839 --> 00:24:00.839 funds across the country, it is these really progressive process comcuters, just like 342 00:24:00.920 --> 00:24:06.039 George Gascon, just like the DA in San Francisco that was recalled. So 343 00:24:06.119 --> 00:24:10.680 it is those types of prosecutors that he's funding. Why he's doing that, 344 00:24:10.799 --> 00:24:12.640 I really don't understand. Well, I can say, because you can't say, 345 00:24:12.839 --> 00:24:15.799 Yes, he hates America and he wants to see it changed. And 346 00:24:15.880 --> 00:24:19.160 so does any live here? I don't know. Isn't he Hungarian or something? 347 00:24:19.200 --> 00:24:22.319 Yeah, but I think he lives here. So it's weird. But 348 00:24:22.640 --> 00:24:23.799 I mean, I know a lot of people. I'm going to tell you, 349 00:24:23.880 --> 00:24:27.920 Maria. I have asked people point blank that I'm I'm like, spend 350 00:24:27.920 --> 00:24:30.279 a lot of time in the music business. And I talked to the you 351 00:24:30.319 --> 00:24:36.000 know, the progressive elites, and I asked them, I go, do 352 00:24:36.160 --> 00:24:37.799 you do you really look at the crime and all this stuff that's going Do 353 00:24:37.839 --> 00:24:41.400 you really they're not prosecuting these rioters or stuff like that? Do you really 354 00:24:42.359 --> 00:24:48.400 think that's good for society? And I have people tell me with a straight 355 00:24:48.440 --> 00:24:51.039 face, I love it. I love it. I think it's good, 356 00:24:51.160 --> 00:24:53.599 you know, the idea being, hey, you know what, we need 357 00:24:53.640 --> 00:24:59.279 to turn this world upside down, because you know that's for too long the 358 00:25:00.279 --> 00:25:03.680 have been controlling things, and I really like to see the tables turn even 359 00:25:03.720 --> 00:25:07.559 and that means let these people out of jail and let them, let Antifa 360 00:25:07.640 --> 00:25:11.119 run the streets all that kind. They really believe that, So I can't 361 00:25:11.119 --> 00:25:15.079 even argue with it because they're not. That's that's what they want, the 362 00:25:15.160 --> 00:25:19.799 chaos, they want the crime. Well that makes sense when you consider what 363 00:25:19.920 --> 00:25:26.839 George Gascon has done to our office internally. It really has been chaos and 364 00:25:26.920 --> 00:25:30.839 he really doesn't care about our office internally. You know, I don't know 365 00:25:30.839 --> 00:25:34.279 if you've heard, but we have been losing prosecutors. People are retiring, 366 00:25:34.319 --> 00:25:38.480 they're leaving early, they're going to other departments. We have gone from eleven 367 00:25:38.599 --> 00:25:44.359 hundred attorneys we're under eight hundred now. And we can't hire fast enough because 368 00:25:44.400 --> 00:25:48.480 nobody wants to come and work for him. Just attrition, attrition and people, 369 00:25:48.519 --> 00:25:51.960 Yeah, people leaving, and we can't the military where they say, 370 00:25:52.000 --> 00:25:56.240 like people think the militaries, it's not the way, it's not their parents 371 00:25:56.319 --> 00:25:59.880 military. And then now we have problems. Yeah, and you know, 372 00:26:00.039 --> 00:26:03.279 we used to hire. When we would put out a hiring notice, we 373 00:26:03.440 --> 00:26:07.240 was get thousands of applications. This last goal around, we received one hundred 374 00:26:07.599 --> 00:26:11.759 applications. Gosh, really just because they're like, why should I go to 375 00:26:11.839 --> 00:26:17.720 the prosecutor's office and have them tell me to use certain methods to let everybody 376 00:26:17.720 --> 00:26:18.799 out of jail? That doesn't sound like fun. And I think that people 377 00:26:18.839 --> 00:26:22.359 are confused now with what our office stands for. You know, they're like, 378 00:26:22.400 --> 00:26:26.680 well, it was very clear before you came to the office you wanted 379 00:26:26.720 --> 00:26:30.480 to do good for the community, prosecute crimes and do the right thing, 380 00:26:30.640 --> 00:26:34.960 like that was our basic motto. And now it's all gotten very blurred. 381 00:26:36.400 --> 00:26:38.440 We don't know, you know, we have public defenders running our office. 382 00:26:38.880 --> 00:26:45.240 It's all very blurred, and it's a tragedy for our office. Now would 383 00:26:45.279 --> 00:26:48.640 they hire Sam over here? I mean, no, maybe Sam. I'm 384 00:26:48.640 --> 00:26:52.200 good, he's good. And then what about an appeal with trust me? 385 00:26:52.279 --> 00:26:56.200 What about the public? I mean, I wanted to be a prosecutor. 386 00:26:56.240 --> 00:27:00.400 I went to law school thinking I was going to be a prosecutor, and 387 00:27:00.440 --> 00:27:04.000 then I you know, by the time I figured out what my student loans 388 00:27:04.039 --> 00:27:07.440 were, I realized I couldn't pay him off with the prosecutor's salary. It 389 00:27:07.480 --> 00:27:11.599 seemed like I couldn't. I wasn't a financial planner. I wasn't like but 390 00:27:11.680 --> 00:27:12.960 I was looking at it going I don't think I can do it. So 391 00:27:14.000 --> 00:27:18.920 I got a job at CBS and I ended up there and I and I 392 00:27:18.000 --> 00:27:22.200 made some money, but I wanted to do it because it looked like fun, 393 00:27:22.440 --> 00:27:25.680 and it looked like you were one of the good guys and you were 394 00:27:25.799 --> 00:27:32.880 fighting crime. And now it's just some weird social experiment and with the ordinary 395 00:27:32.920 --> 00:27:38.599 citizens are the victims. So you know, it's it's it's it's got to 396 00:27:38.599 --> 00:27:41.519 be sad over there. The morale is bad, correct, the morale is 397 00:27:41.640 --> 00:27:45.160 very He doesn't care about that. But he does not care about it. 398 00:27:45.200 --> 00:27:48.960 And you know, there's about there's about twenty lawsuits against him because he retaliates 399 00:27:48.960 --> 00:27:53.640 against people who don't believe what he believes and don't follow what he thinks is 400 00:27:53.640 --> 00:27:56.559 the right thing to do, which is not. So that doesn't sound like 401 00:27:56.599 --> 00:28:00.839 leadership. It is not leadership. He has a failed leader. And our 402 00:28:00.880 --> 00:28:06.160 office needs strong leadership right now. And that's why I want to win this, 403 00:28:06.279 --> 00:28:08.960 because I wanted to turn our office around and make it the respected office 404 00:28:08.960 --> 00:28:11.799 that it once was. We used to I mean, I've been there more 405 00:28:11.839 --> 00:28:15.039 than thirty three years. I used to love coming to work every single day. 406 00:28:15.200 --> 00:28:18.559 Yeah, and now the last three years it's just been so sad. 407 00:28:18.680 --> 00:28:23.599 I used to tell people and when they're saying, I'm thinking about going to 408 00:28:23.680 --> 00:28:29.720 law school, and I would say don't because the job of a lawyer is 409 00:28:30.680 --> 00:28:33.359 pretty painful, and you don't know what it is until you get there. 410 00:28:33.480 --> 00:28:37.319 Did you know what it was until you got there? Because I surely didn't. 411 00:28:37.440 --> 00:28:41.160 Yeah, I mean I think I didn't. Because in law school we 412 00:28:41.680 --> 00:28:45.960 took trial advocacy classes, we clerked at the DA's office, and so we 413 00:28:45.039 --> 00:28:48.559 had an idea of you know, and it was always about wanting to do 414 00:28:48.599 --> 00:28:52.319 the right thing because most of the time, you either go to a big 415 00:28:52.400 --> 00:28:55.799 law firm or you go into public service. And so the people that go 416 00:28:55.799 --> 00:29:00.279 into public service really care about our communities. And most people don't go public 417 00:29:00.279 --> 00:29:02.079 service. They go to a big law firm and then they find out that 418 00:29:02.160 --> 00:29:04.480 job sucks. The job will kill you. So I was just like, 419 00:29:06.039 --> 00:29:08.400 I tell people not to go. I go unless you want to be a 420 00:29:08.519 --> 00:29:12.559 DA. Because my sister is a prosecutor. She loves her job. I've 421 00:29:12.559 --> 00:29:15.759 never met anybody that loved her job so much. And so I recommend people, 422 00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:18.480 if you want to go to law school, do that. If not, 423 00:29:18.680 --> 00:29:22.440 don't go, You're gonna hate You're gonna hate that job. So you 424 00:29:22.480 --> 00:29:25.519 don't think it's gonna be something, you know, magical, it's gonna you 425 00:29:25.559 --> 00:29:27.599 know, you could turn you into an alcoholic and then your your liver's gonna 426 00:29:27.640 --> 00:29:32.559 die and and then you die. And yeah, it's critical to turn things 427 00:29:32.599 --> 00:29:36.319 around so that we can get passionate people back to doing the job of keeping 428 00:29:36.319 --> 00:29:38.079 our community safe and that really have a drive for that, you know, 429 00:29:38.119 --> 00:29:41.720 and don't care about the money. Yeah, and that was the thing. 430 00:29:41.200 --> 00:29:45.160 You didn't need a lot of money because it was a fun job and you 431 00:29:45.240 --> 00:29:48.920 left it like five or five thirty. My sister did Ria Romero is staying 432 00:29:48.960 --> 00:29:52.599 late. She's burned the midnight oil to fight for you guys. So we're 433 00:29:52.599 --> 00:29:56.599 gonna take a break and we're gonna come back and talk more about crime in 434 00:29:56.640 --> 00:30:25.359 Los Angeles. On Joe'sclante Live from Hollywood, Joe as Calornte, here's my 435 00:30:25.480 --> 00:30:33.519 lawyer. You don't want day. He does it all Floya and you don't. 436 00:30:41.240 --> 00:30:45.880 Joe Escalante Here why from Hollywood Every Sunday on k E I B eleven 437 00:30:45.960 --> 00:30:52.400 fifty on your am Dow. We're talking to Maria Ramirez from Boyle Heights, 438 00:30:52.440 --> 00:30:56.920 will Heps. She's a small town girl who is about to be our next 439 00:30:56.960 --> 00:31:00.319 district attorney right here in Los Angeles. You just need your vote and some 440 00:31:00.359 --> 00:31:06.240 money probably too. You haven't Maria for DA dot com dot com. Okay, 441 00:31:06.279 --> 00:31:07.359 o case, I forget to say that at the end, because things 442 00:31:07.359 --> 00:31:11.839 get crazy at the end. I might start panicking about what we got to 443 00:31:11.880 --> 00:31:17.359 do in the last twenty seconds. So let's talk a little bit about We've 444 00:31:17.359 --> 00:31:21.359 talked about your experience a little bit. You've been thirty three years in the 445 00:31:21.359 --> 00:31:26.400 Prosecutor's office, obviously you're qualified to be, and you're in a management managerial 446 00:31:26.640 --> 00:31:27.960 thing. You've run the you've basically run the DA's office. Yes, I 447 00:31:29.000 --> 00:31:32.039 have run. Is there anyone in this race that has as much experience with 448 00:31:32.079 --> 00:31:37.839 you as you know? Okay, now what about this? Okay? What 449 00:31:37.960 --> 00:31:41.400 kind of crimes like? What are the like when you were when you were 450 00:31:41.160 --> 00:31:45.440 when you're thinking back and you're having your retirement party and they and they, 451 00:31:45.920 --> 00:31:48.880 what are the highlights of the crimes and if there's any that have to do 452 00:31:48.880 --> 00:31:52.519 with Hollywood, which is what this show is about, even if it's just 453 00:31:52.680 --> 00:31:56.440 a TV movie was made out of it? What what? What are what 454 00:31:56.480 --> 00:32:00.680 are the things that come to mind in the DA office in Los Angeles? 455 00:32:01.200 --> 00:32:07.759 Well, I personally don't think I have handled a case that involved anything Hollywood 456 00:32:07.799 --> 00:32:12.680 related. I spent most of my career prosecuting gang violent crimes, like your 457 00:32:12.680 --> 00:32:15.599 sister. That's where I met her, in the hardware gang division. And 458 00:32:16.319 --> 00:32:20.960 really, you know, did you see the movie Colors? I did see 459 00:32:20.960 --> 00:32:23.000 the movie Colors? Okay, that cos I guess that counts. Yeah, 460 00:32:23.680 --> 00:32:27.240 But you know, now that you think about it, there hasn't really been 461 00:32:27.279 --> 00:32:32.559 a lot of movies made about the gang culture, and Colors is one. 462 00:32:32.680 --> 00:32:38.440 But you don't see that recently either. Well, because you guys wiped eradicated, 463 00:32:38.440 --> 00:32:42.400 the gang, medicated the gang thing. Whatever happened to the crips and 464 00:32:42.440 --> 00:32:44.480 the bloods. That used to be the number one thing we would hear in 465 00:32:44.480 --> 00:32:45.960 the news every day. What are these people up to the Well, there's 466 00:32:45.960 --> 00:32:51.839 still there's still crips and bloods, but I think that a lot of the 467 00:32:51.920 --> 00:32:59.240 violence is between more of an ethnic conflict. But you know, I still 468 00:32:59.480 --> 00:33:01.160 I don't think that we hear it as much as we used to when we 469 00:33:01.160 --> 00:33:07.160 were in the nineties. But definitely it's still a problem. If you were 470 00:33:07.160 --> 00:33:12.240 gonna say, uh, if you're gonna describe me, would you describe me 471 00:33:12.279 --> 00:33:15.000 as a crip or blood? Let me give you a little background Okay, 472 00:33:15.759 --> 00:33:24.359 my dad went to Compton College, but my mother and grandmother lived in Inglewood. 473 00:33:24.119 --> 00:33:27.559 So like, so, I think you're a crip. I'm a crip 474 00:33:28.359 --> 00:33:31.000 Inglewood crips. I thought those were the bloods in Inglewood. I don't know 475 00:33:31.079 --> 00:33:34.720 anything. You are wearing a blue tie. I'm just saying, oh, 476 00:33:34.799 --> 00:33:39.599 there you go, wee. I'm a crip. Yeah now, and we 477 00:33:39.680 --> 00:33:44.599 know you are all about that thug life. I would come on true, 478 00:33:44.880 --> 00:33:50.119 you and Tupac. What about what about the Russian gangs? They scare me 479 00:33:50.119 --> 00:33:52.680 more than anything. Are they Are they a force? They're not a force 480 00:33:52.720 --> 00:33:58.119 on the local level. I wonder if they're a force at the federal level 481 00:33:58.240 --> 00:34:01.680 because we don't get a lot of Russian gang crime. What about Armenian gangs? 482 00:34:01.799 --> 00:34:06.079 We have some Armenian gang crimes. They're colorful? Are they? In 483 00:34:06.160 --> 00:34:12.679 what way? My friend went to an Armenian wedding and they were just like 484 00:34:14.239 --> 00:34:16.039 throwing out hundred dollars bills anywhere. You know, we're not talking about the 485 00:34:16.039 --> 00:34:20.559 gangs now, we're talking about this Armenian culture is colorful. If you're throwing 486 00:34:20.719 --> 00:34:23.400 out one hundred dollars bills, learn in a gang. That's a rule. 487 00:34:23.480 --> 00:34:29.599 Number one and my my gang profiling career that I so gangs now they're really 488 00:34:29.679 --> 00:34:34.199 getting more into the monetary business of selling drugs and guns, and it's more 489 00:34:34.239 --> 00:34:37.400 it's become more of a business and not a street and not so much right 490 00:34:37.519 --> 00:34:42.960 and not so much territory. It's more about your cutting into my drug business. 491 00:34:44.639 --> 00:34:52.360 Prostituting women. That was let's talk about prostitution. Is that something that 492 00:34:52.639 --> 00:34:57.400 is like a problem in Los Angeles or is that being prosecuted? It's not. 493 00:34:57.480 --> 00:35:01.760 I think there's been a change in the way that we're looking at women 494 00:35:02.000 --> 00:35:07.519 and young women who are trafficked as victims. I noticed we call it trafficking 495 00:35:07.559 --> 00:35:09.599 now, yes, like you. I saw a lady to give a speech 496 00:35:09.639 --> 00:35:12.960 the other day. She got a whole long speech, and she was a 497 00:35:12.960 --> 00:35:16.199 former prostitute, but she didn't describe herself as a prostitute. It was a 498 00:35:16.199 --> 00:35:19.360 benefit thing, you know, when she had reformed, and she just said 499 00:35:19.360 --> 00:35:22.079 I was trafficked, and she didn't have to say she was a prostitute anymore. 500 00:35:22.079 --> 00:35:23.199 She could just say I was trafficked, and everyone I could just was 501 00:35:23.280 --> 00:35:27.719 given her money. And I think that they're the problem is more with the 502 00:35:27.760 --> 00:35:31.599 pimps yeah, right, that take advantage in traffic. Unfortunately traffic minor women 503 00:35:31.719 --> 00:35:37.119 and girls and boys, and so I think that we're seeing now that many 504 00:35:37.159 --> 00:35:40.760 times they do this no choice of their own right, and so we're trying 505 00:35:40.800 --> 00:35:46.320 the criminal justice system is trying to get away from criminalizing their behavior and focus 506 00:35:46.320 --> 00:35:51.920 on criminalizing the people who put them there. Yeah, that kind of highlights 507 00:35:51.960 --> 00:35:55.079 the difference between sex work and being sex trafficked. People conflated a lot, 508 00:35:55.280 --> 00:36:00.519 exactly. Good point. Well, I'm a prude, so we have to 509 00:36:00.519 --> 00:36:07.440 move on from this topic because it's too embarrassing. What do you know, 510 00:36:07.440 --> 00:36:09.559 it's almost the end of the show, So we're gonna, we're gonna, 511 00:36:09.559 --> 00:36:12.320 We're gonna take off. That's the end of the show. So much time. 512 00:36:12.360 --> 00:36:15.159 We did a whole hour with Room with Maria Romerez. Yes, that 513 00:36:15.280 --> 00:36:16.800 was fun. Can I can I tell a quick story? Yeah? Please. 514 00:36:16.920 --> 00:36:21.960 One of my greatest memories is your sister and I were in the Hardcer 515 00:36:22.000 --> 00:36:27.440 gang division and I went with her to one of your Vandals shows in Hollywood. 516 00:36:27.719 --> 00:36:30.760 This was like looking to bust criminals. Yeah no, this was we 517 00:36:30.840 --> 00:36:32.679 just went to have fun. So this was like thirty years ago. And 518 00:36:32.719 --> 00:36:35.719 then after you guys, got done that. You said, come on, 519 00:36:35.800 --> 00:36:38.960 we're going on an after party. It ended up being Gwen Stefani's birthday party. 520 00:36:39.039 --> 00:36:42.719 That's how I do it. That's how I do it. So Maria 521 00:36:42.800 --> 00:36:45.679 Rameres say the website again, Maria for DA dot com. All right, 522 00:36:45.840 --> 00:36:49.079 yes, you come to my Come you come to my show. I take 523 00:36:49.119 --> 00:36:52.639 it to Gwen Stefani's house. There you go, Thank you. Joe, you up