post-Covid urban decay, frequently being cited by economists for being the victim of a “doom loop” as its downtown is plagued with vacant storefronts, retail theft, and an exodus of tech employees who now work remotely. Mayor London Breed, a Democrat, has recently proposed reforms to enhance penalties for homelessness, and last year voters ousted a progressive district attorney who first won his seat by proposing even more lenient policies for nonviolent crimes.

During the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, Rep. Schiff endorsed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act which targeted qualified immunity for police officers. He said at the time that the legislation would ensure “that we have best practices, we have uniform standards for the use of force, but I also recognize that law enforcement has an important function.” A slogan for his political opponent that year read “Early Defends, Schiff Defunds.”

Earlier that year, Rep. Schiff joined other fairweather Democrats in pulling their past endorsements of Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey, a tough-on-crime Black prosecutor who was seeking her third term.

“This is a rare time in our nation’s history. We have a responsibility to make profound changes to end systemic racism and reform criminal justice,” Schiff wrote announcing the rescission.

He continued, “(43rd District California Assemblymember) Laura Friedman and I no longer feel our endorsement of Jackie Lacey a year ago has the same meaning. We have decided to withdraw it.”

Lacey lost her election that year to George Gascón, an advocate for the end of cash bail.