LA County taxpayers are footing the bill for the defense of UCLA's arrested protesters



The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted last week to provide legal assistance for those who were arrested when law enforcement moved in to get rid of the anti-Israel encampment at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Over 200 people were arrested earlier this month when California Highway Patrolmen in riot gear breached the fortified encampment, which was located outside of Royce Hall. Those who were arrested was due to them not dispersing and often fighting with CHP, despite being given multiple warnings to leave. The west end of the camp was left open for people who were willing to leave.

The ones who stayed and fought with the police did so willingly.

Fox News national correspondent Bill Melugin reported all board members except for one voted in favor of the motion. The legal assistance will be provided through the Public Defender's Office.

'But I believe they don’t have the legal authority to micromanage like this.'
— (@)

While public defense was already an option to protesters who were arrested if they wanted a public defender, "In this case, the County is directing the PD office to provide taxpayer resources [and] services for a defense for this specific population they’ve chosen over others, track the cases, then report back on the resolutions in 60 days," Melugin noted.

"But a defendant can only make the choice to opt for representation from the public defender if they show they can’t afford to hire an attorney. The Board of Supervisors appoints the Public Defender, but I believe they don’t have the legal authority to micromanage like this," California-based attorney Laura Powell said in response.

Out of the 200 who were arrested, some were released from jail soon after without being charged with anything, according to the Daily Bruin.

Christopher Bou Saeed, an L.A.-based criminal defense and civil rights attorney, told the Daily Bruin he saw charges that he felt were unjust as a result of previous demonstrations.

"In prior protests, there have been filings that I didn’t think were warranted, and I’ve represented people in the George Floyd protests with charges that I didn’t think were supported by the evidence,” he said.

Beyond trespassing and resisting arrest, 43 had been charged with conspiracy to commit burglary.

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Soros-backed DA Gascón allegedly used 'mafia tactics' to intimidate LA prosecutor who exposed woke policies



Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Tatiana Chahoian recently told KTTV that her boss, George Soros-backed District Attorney George Gascón, used "mafia tactics" to intimidate her after she exposed his soft-on-crime policies.

On February 26, Chahoian blew the whistle on Gascón by informing the media that a recent memo urged prosecutors not to pursue crimes related to reckless driving, street racing, and street takeovers that do not result in injuries. Chahoian told KTTV that she was in "a state of shock" when she received the communication from Gascón.

"The same conduct that we're talking about here is the same conduct that results in the death of so many people. It's like saying if somebody shoots at somebody else, and they're a bad shot, and they miss, we're not going to file charges because nothing happened," she told the news outlet.

Chahoian said that two days after she exposed the memo's instructions, two police officers showed up at her home to deliver a letter from Gascón's office.

"It was a three-page letter telling me that I lied, telling me that I violated policies with Gascón's office and that I didn't obtain approval before speaking out, as if I don't have a First Amendment right and essentially telling me to be quiet and meet with my supervisor," she explained.

Fox News Digital reported that Laura Kessner, Gascón's central operations director, wrote in the letter to Chahoian, "Your statements to the media were untrue, a misrepresentation of the communication from Head Deputy John Harlan, conflicted with the LADA [personnel policy handbook], and were misleading to the public."

"Your statements were also a disservice to your colleagues who work diligently every day to promote public safety in an ethical manner," the letter reportedly read.

Chahoian told KTTV that she is "very afraid" she may lose her job.

"I mean, silencing people by threatening them with the police is literally a mafia tactic, and I don't work for the mob," Chahoian remarked, noting that the correspondence from Gascón's office could have been delivered via email.

"We don't live in a third-world country where police are sent to people's homes to intimidate them into silence," she added.

Gascón, who has already dodged two recall efforts, has been met with incredible frustration and pushback from the Los Angeles County community for his soft-on-crime policies. Last month, during a district attorney debate, the mother of a shooting victim confronted Gascón for having "more sympathy" for criminals than victims, Blaze News previously reported.

In response to Chahoian's allegations, Gascón's office told KTTV, "We cannot comment on specific personnel matters. Saying that, honesty is critically important to any prosecutor's office. Addressing false claims made by District Attorney staff or the media is a fundamental responsibility of this office — failure to do so fuels distrust in the important work we do every day, undermining our duty to the public and to justice."


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Shaq appears in LA Port Police ad as Gavin Newsom promises to finally refund police with $267M to fight retail theft

Shaq appears in LA Port Police ad as Gavin Newsom promises to finally refund police with $267M to fight retail theft



Former NBA champion and current commentator Shaquille O'Neal appeared in a commercial for the Los Angeles Port Police just days after California's Governor Gavin Newsom promised to provide new funding to jurisdictions across to state to battle retail theft.

O'Neal, who attended Los Angeles County's Reserve Academy, officially became a reserve officer for the Los Angeles Port Police in 2005. He also became a reserve officer in South Florida in 2015.

"Team is more important than any one of us. If you have what it takes to join the Los Angeles Port Police, come on down. It's time to dive in," O'Neal said in the recruitment ad.

"Big thanks to @Shaq for his continued support for law enforcement and spending time with his old police department. It was great to see him back in our uniform!" the port police wrote on X.

Big thanks to @SHAQ for his continued support for law enforcement and spending time with his old police department. It was great to see him back in our uniform! \n\nMore clips to come\u2026
— LA Port Police (@LA Port Police) 1694706221

The September 14, 2023, ad came just two days after Governor Newsom announced a state investment to battle retail theft, a crime that has been rampant across the state and caused several major businesses to flee city centers, such as Sacramento and San Francisco.

Over $267 million in total was promised across 55 law enforcement agencies throughout the state, which will include up to $23 million for 41 sheriffs’ and police departments, as well as one probation department.

Orange County, Los Angeles County, Riverside County, Sacramento County, San Mateo County, Santa Clara County, and Ventura County are all targeted with funding, and individual targets have been set for certain jurisdictions. For example, Sacramento will have a targeted increase of 20% in retail theft arrests, while San Francisco will receive funding for a crackdown on the sale of stolen goods.

“Enough with these brazen smash-and-grabs. With an unprecedented $267 million investment, Californians will soon see more takedowns, more police, more arrests, and more felony prosecutions. When shameless criminals walk out of stores with stolen goods, they’ll walk straight into jail cells," Governor Newsom said.

Another 13 district attorneys’ offices across California will get up to $2 million each as well to fund new teams dedicated to prosecuting organized retail theft and to establish county-wide "intelligence centers."

The funding is also specifically meant to curtail vehicle and catalytic converter theft.

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SHOCKING: 'FLASH MOB' theft hits Nordstrom as crime rates SKYROCKET across America



If you’re looking for a safe, crime-free city to call home, Los Angeles is probably not the place.

California police have reported that more than 30 people stole over $300,000 worth of items from a Los Angeles shopping mall this past Saturday afternoon.

Video footage shows what looks to be over a dozen people in black masks and clothing escaping the ransacked store with stolen merchandise in hand.

Glenn Beck and Stu Burguiere review the footage, shocked.

“Nobody’s stopping them,” Glenn remarks.

“If I didn’t have, you know, my own moral compass, and I knew they couldn’t do anything, and I needed a screwdriver, why wouldn’t I just walk in and just grab the screwdriver and walk out?” he adds.

Stu claims that his wife and daughter witnessed something similar last year. The two were in a makeup store when three women came in with giant black grocery bags and filled them up with makeup.

“They just walked out with no conflict, no one trying to stop them. They just walked in and walked out,” Stu says.

When his wife asked a worker what had happened, she was told those people come in at least once a month and that employees have to let them in. No one's allowed to stop them.

And Stu isn’t sure how to stop shoplifters either.

“I don’t know what the solution is to it exactly. It’s either massive increase in police force, where you have police everywhere, which is like a police-state-type environment, because if you can’t trust anybody to not break the law constantly that’s what winds up happening.”


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LAPD refused to honor nearly 800 ICE requests in 2022 that would have seen criminal noncitizens deported



Los Angeles is a city rife with crime. Rather than seize upon every available measure to make its job easier, the Los Angeles Police Department has recommitted to hindering the efforts of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain and oust criminal noncitizens.

A new report unanimously approved July 18 by the Los Angeles Police Commission revealed that the LAPD has and will continue to flout federal immigration law ahead of the city's official designation as a sanctuary city for illegal aliens, reported the Los Angeles Daily News.

The annual "Immigration Enforcement, Task Force Reporting Requirements and Department Operations" report indicated that police received 783 detainer requests from ICE last year. The LAPD refused to honor a single one.

"Our top priority is public safety and building of trust, and the demonstration of our agency’s transparency and outreach to all our immigrant communities," said police officials. "Our ongoing focus is to ensure the victims and witnesses are not afraid to contact the police, report crime or become witnesses as necessary, regardless of their immigration status."

"Our focus will always be to maximize public safety for all," they added.

The report made clear that the LAPD continues to adhere to the guidelines published by the Office of the Chief of Police, which underscore the LAPD's commitment to the California Values Act, reported KTTV-TV.

The California Values Act, ratified by Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown in 2017, prohibited state and local law enforcement agencies, including school police and security departments, "from using money or personnel to investigate, interrogate, detain, detect, or arrest persons for immigration enforcement purposes, as specified, and would, subject to exceptions, proscribe other activities or conduct in connection with immigration enforcement by law enforcement agencies."

Extra to precluding law enforcement from helping federal agencies enforce American law, the act rendered public schools, public libraries, health facilities operated by the state, courthouses, and other facilities safe spaces for illegal aliens.

KTTV noted that while the city will not cooperate with immigration officials, those suspected of committing a crime are still fingerprinted through the decentralized automated booking system and entered into the National Crime Information Center, accessible to state and federal law enforcement agencies.This way, though impotent to do anything about it, immigration officials still might have some idea of which predacious foreign nationals are holed up in the Democrat city.

Although California is already a so-called sanctuary state with an estimated illegal alien population of over 3.2 million, CBS News reported that the Los Angeles City Council voted last month to make L.A. a sanctuary city, instructing the city attorney to draft an ordinance with 60 days to bar "any city resources, property or personnel from being utilized for any federal immigration enforcement."

Councilwoman Nithya Raman said, "A significant number of residents in Los Angeles live in fear of being apprehended, detained and deported by federal immigration authorities."

While criminal noncitizens are made to feel welcome, LAPD officers appear increasingly keen to leave the city.

The force has hemorrhaged officers in recent years, losing nearly 1,000 since 2019 and looking to lose another 500 by the end of 2023.

TheBlaze previously reported that Jerretta Sandoz, vice president of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, recently told union members to leave the city.

"Go somewhere that respects the work you do," she wrote in a now-deleted Facebook post. "Go somewhere that has a city council or city manager that openly acknowledges the great work you do, go somewhere that doesn’t have Two or more City Council members who hate you (no exaggeration)."

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'Put your f***ing a** in the ground': LSU lecturer under investigation over threatening message to Louisiana lawmaker who supported ban on child sex-change mutilations



A lecturer at Louisiana State University has been barred from teaching and is now under investigation by Louisiana State Police after allegedly sending a threatening, profanity-laced message to Republican state Sen. Michael Fesi.

Fesi was among the state senators who voted to override Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards' veto of SB 648, thereby ensuring the bill banning child sex-change mutilations would be made law.

The prospect — made a reality with Fesi's help — that children could no longer receive destructive puberty blockers or go under the the knife for irreversible, sterilizing procedures didn't just upset Democrats. It appears to have similarly enraged LSU grad student and lecturer Marcus Venable.

The voicemail message allegedly left by Venable calls Fesi a "f***ing moron" and a "fat f***ing piece of sh**."

"I just want to say congratulations to our state Sen. 'Big Mike' Fesi," says the message. "And that f***ing moron voted to make things worse for people who are already suffering. ... You did not produce any g**damn evidence to support the claims you made about people being harmed by transgender care. Yet we've had tons of empirical evidence telling us there's an increased suicide risk for people who don't get this care."

WAFB-TV indicated that that the allusion to "evidence" about persons harmed by so-called "transgender care" is likely in reference to Fesi's remarks Tuesday at the state Capitol, where he said, "You know who the real experts are, it’s the ones that had this procedure done and are now in their mid-twenties, and late twenties, and trying to say that they hate their parents for letting this happen to them."

"So you, you big fat-headed mother f***er, I can't wait to read your name in the f***ing obituary," continues the voicemail message. "I will make a g**damn martini made from the tears of butthurt conservatives when we put your f***ing a** in the ground, you fat f***ing useless piece of sh**."

While Venable allegedly concluded the message by wishing Fesi a "terrible day," the occasional LSU lecturer appears to have reaped the whirlwind.

Upon receiving the threatening message, Fesi informed the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office, which then turned it over to the LSP, reported WAFB.

"I just want them to do their investigation, and them do what they think’s right. I don’t want to see no harm come to anybody," said Fesi.

Louisiana State Police confirmed to the Advocate that an investigation into Venable was under way.

LSU, which acknowledged that the leftist has taught classes at the school, indicated he will no longer be permitted to do so.

LSU spokeswoman Abbi Rocha Laymoun told the College Fix in a statement Thursday, "As a university, we foster open and respectful dialogue. Like everyone, graduate students with teaching assignments have the right to express their opinions, but this profanity-filled, threatening call crossed the line."

Laymoun added, "This does not exhibit the character we expect of someone given the privilege of teaching as part of their graduate assistantship. The student will be allowed to continue their studies but will not be extended the opportunity to teach in the future."

Venable reportedly did not respond to the College Fix's request for comment.

Legal analyst Franz Borghardt suggested to WAFB that the university was within its rights to prohibit Venable from teaching.

"First and foremost, your constitutional rights to free speech are not absolute, if your words or your expression are threatening, if they are harmful, they are not necessarily absolutely protected," said Borghardt. "So, can LSU respond to a faculty member, albeit an LSU grad student making a profane, potentially threatening voicemail to a member of the legislature, yes I think they can. Because candidly at the end of the day, the call borderlines on a criminal act, whether it be assault, whether it be terrorizing."

Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) responded to the voicemail on Twitter, writing, "My, my, my... I'll be your huckle bearer Mr. LSU Professor."

Sex-change survivor Chloe Cole highlighted how Venable's stated research interests were "criminology, sexual assault, sex-offender recidivism, sex-offender registries."

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee tweeted, "Let's see if @LSU decides this deranged, hateful, & violent bigot ought to get a paycheck from taxpayers or should be invited to take a job cleaning toilets on campus since he gets most of his disgusting words from one."

Hear the voicemail message here:

— (@)

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Father legally changes gender to female in attempt to gain custody of his kids: 'I'm also a mom'



An Ecuadoran journalist has now legally changed his gender from male to female so that he can attempt to secure full custody of his two young daughters.

On December 30, René Salinas Ramos, 47, announced publicly that he had just legally changed his gender identification to female to circumvent a legal system which, he claimed, unfairly favors the mother in custody cases.

"Being a father in this country, Ecuador, is punished, and I’m only seen as a provider," Ramos stated in Spanish.

"The laws say that the one who has the right is the woman," he added. "As of this moment, I am female. Now I’m also a mom. That’s how I consider myself. I am very sure of my sexuality. What I have sought is to give the love and protection that a mother can give her children."

\u201cCiudadano ecuatoriano cambi\u00f3 su g\u00e9nero a femenino para luchar por la custodia de sus hijas. \u201cMi actuar no es contra nadie en particular, sino contra el sistema\u201d, dijo Rene Salinas, quien renunci\u00f3 a su g\u00e9nero masculino en el Registro Civil de Cuenca.\n\ud83c\udfa5: https://t.co/VjHyzCLGbp \ud83d\udc40\u201d
— La Voz del Tomebamba (@La Voz del Tomebamba) 1672436440

Ramos claimed that he and his ex-wife, whose name has not been reported, are in the midst of a contentious custody battle for their two girls. Ramos hinted that his ex is physically abusive to the children. He also claimed that he had not seen either girl in at least five months and may not have seen his elder daughter in a year and a half.

The Ecuadorian Gender Identity Law, passed in 2015, allows adults to change their gender identity by "self-declaration," the Post Millennial claimed. Unlike in some states in the U.S., they do not have to show documentation indicating that they have undergone medical treatment, such as so-called gender transition surgery.

While Ramos called the move "great proof of love" for his daughters, some of his fellow countrymen have denounced Ramos for violating what they call "the spirit" of the Gender Identity Law.

"This man’s private matter, to obtain custody of his daughters, isn’t the spirit of the law," said Diane Rodríguez, who is also supposedly Ecuador's first "trans" Assembly member.

The law, according to a statement from the Ecuadorian Federation of LGBTI Organizations, was designed to "protect the common good of a historically discriminated population," namely, "transgender and transsexual people."

But despite complaints from activists, Ramos insisted he would not relent in his pursuit of his children.

"Now that I am a woman, I can be a mother," he said, "and I am on equal footing to fight for the parental authority of my daughters."

"My actions are not against anyone in particular, but against the system which stigmatizes being born male," he added, flashing a new ID which denotes his new female identity. He also indicated that he will continue to fight for the rights of fathers in general.

Get a COVID-19 booster so that you can safely go eat donuts, LA Public Health urges



The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is making a questionable pitch for COVID-19 booster shots by urging the public to get jabbed so that they can safely head out to eat donuts.

"REDISCOVER YOUR MIDNIGHT CRAVINGS," text declares on a photo of Randy's Donuts, an establishment located in Inglewood, California. "Indulge Safely, Get Boosted."

LA Public Health's tweet included English and Spanish versions of the graphic.

The text of the tweet is in Spanish, but according to a translation, it says, "Where will you rediscover your midnight cravings? Visit http://vacunatelosangeles.com for information on mask use, tests, immunizations, and medications. So you can safely enjoy while having a bite!"

\u201c\u00bfD\u00f3nde redescubrir\u00e1 sus antojos de medianoche? Visite https://t.co/clmgUr4neN para obtener informaci\u00f3n sobre el uso de mascarillas, pruebas, vacunas y medicamentos. \u00a1Para que pueda disfrutar de forma segura mientras toma un bocado!\u201d
— LA Public Health (@LA Public Health) 1669684025

In another tweet, the department drew a bizarre parallel between upgrading to a newer phone and getting an updated COVID-19 booster shot.

"You've updated your phone – why not update your booster?" the department tweeted.

\u201cYou\u2019ve updated your phone \u2013 why not update your booster?\n \nUpdated boosters work against the original COVID strain & new strains like omicron & can be taken at least 2 months after any primary series or booster.\n \nFind a location to get boosted at https://t.co/UVkFi7uO8G.\u201d
— LA Public Health (@LA Public Health) 1669753278

"COVID-19 vaccines available in the United States are effective at protecting people from getting seriously ill, being hospitalized, and dying. As with other vaccine-preventable diseases, you are protected best from COVID-19 when you stay up to date with the recommended vaccinations, including recommended boosters," the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asserts.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky tested positive for COVID-19 last month, took a course of Paxlovid, tested negative, but then tested positive again — she had received an updated vaccine shot in September.

"COVID-19 vaccines may not prevent every infection, but they do provide us important protection against severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19. My updated #COVID19 vaccine helped ensure my immune system was equipped to protect me against severe illness," Walensky tweeted earlier this month.

\u201cCOVID-19 vaccines may not prevent every infection, but they do provide us important protection against severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19. My updated #COVID19 vaccine helped ensure my immune system was equipped to protect me against severe illness.\u201d
— Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH (@Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH) 1667918175

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who had received a bivalent booster, tested positive earlier this month after returning from Egypt.

"I am very grateful to be experiencing only mild symptoms after being fully vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19, including the latest bivalent booster," the Democratic governor said in a statement. "I especially encourage all New Mexicans to get the latest bivalent COVID-19 booster in order to stay best protected," she said in the statement.

LA school district posts woke video about 'food neutrality,' claiming junk food is not 'bad.' Deletes video after backlash from parent union



A Los Angeles parent union called out the LA Unified School District for allegedly posting a video on social media that argued junk food is not "bad" and to "eat without guilt."

The video was created as part of a series called "Smarter in Seconds" and featured nutritionist Kera Nyemb-Diop, and activists Blair Imani and Maya Finoh.

It started with a skit from Imani discussing how someone's food choices should not be judged based on society's "false standard of health."

Nutritionist Kera Nyemb-Diop stated in the video, "Diet culture, fatphobia, and systems of oppression have created false hierarchies of food, and it shows up everywhere."

Imani provided the example of exercising to "earn" food or consuming vegetables as a "punishment" to "earn" dessert. She argued that this mindset creates "harmful thought patterns."

Nyemb-Diop said people should "approach food with neutrality in mind" instead of focusing on "good" or "bad" choices.

In the social media video, Maya Finoh stated, "The only foods that are bad for you are foods that contain allergens, poisons, and contaminants, or foods that are spoiled or otherwise inedible."

"We are all incorrectly taught from a young age that our size, and therefore the food we eat, are markers of our self-worth," continued Finoh.

\u201c.@LASchools shared this \u201cFood Neutrality\u201d video on @lausdHRDE Insta. They tell our kids that we\u2019ve lied to them & no one food is better for them than another food (oppressive food hierarchy). @lausdHRDE is actively working to undermine parents & hurt kids. @LAUSDSup do u know?\u201d
— LA Parent Union \u2744\ufe0f\ud83d\ude22 (@LA Parent Union \u2744\ufe0f\ud83d\ude22) 1662956625

The Daily Mail reported that the Los Angeles Unified School District's Human Relations and Diversity department allegedly posted the video on Instagram.

The district's parent union immediately slammed the school board for posting the content and accused nutritionist Kera Nyemb-Diop of being a rep for Mondelēz International.

Mondelēz is one of the world's largest snack companies and manufacturer of Oreo, Chips Ahoy!, Cadbury, Sour Patch Kids, and several others.

"@LAUSDSup your Human Relations Diversity and Equity team needs oversight. They shared a video of a Mondelez rep, selling high fructose corn syrup to our kids. This is long overdue. This department is completely unsupervised," wrote LA Parent Union on Twitter.

The union accused the district of trying to undermine parents and "tell our kids that we've lied to them."

Since the backlash on Twitter from the parent union, the Los Angeles Unified School District allegedly removed the video from Instagram.

The school district did not immediately respond to a request for comment, Daily Mail reported.

Cities in LA County say they will not enforce a new indoor mask mandate



As Los Angeles County health officials are expected to announce Thursday whether an indoor mask-wearing mandate will go back into effect, several cities in the county have announced they will not enforce a new mask order.

The cities of Beverly Hills, El Segundo, Pasadena, and Long Beach have each announced they will not enforce an indoor mask mandate if one is implemented.

"My City Council colleagues and I strongly believe the decision to wear a mask should be the choice of the individual and should not be imposed by L.A. County," El Segundo Mayor Drew Boyles said in a statement Wednesday. "Individuals should review the data available and consider their own circumstances and make their own decisions about wearing a mask. Businesses need to consider the various agencies that regulate their businesses as part of deciding how they will react to a potential change to mask requirements."

The El Segundo City Council voted unanimously against enforcing a new mask mandate in a special meeting Tuesday night.

The Beverly Hills City Council held a similar vote Monday night, determining it would not enforce a mask order, KABC-TV reported. Interestingly, Beverly Hills was among the first cities in L.A. County to adopt an outdoor mask mandate in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Deadline noted.

The cities of Long Beach and Pasadena, which each operate their own independent health departments, also announced Tuesday they will not enforce a county-wide mask mandate.

Rising coronavirus cases in Los Angeles County prompted health officials to entertain the possibility of a renewed mask mandate. Los Angeles County Health Director Barbara Ferrer warned that an indoor mask mandate may be needed to slow the spread of the virus after the county entered the high COVID-19 community level on July 14, based on criteria from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

\u201cLA County enters High COVID-19 Community level & will require masking indoors if county remains high for two consecutive weeks (effective July 29). Wearing a high quality, well-fitted respirator helps limit the spread of the highly transmissible BA.5 variant.\u201d
— LA Public Health (@LA Public Health) 1657925525

But county government officials are on the record opposing a renewed mask mandate.

Supervisor Kathryn Barger said Monday she does not support a mandatory mask policy.

"I am not questioning the effectiveness of wearing a mask," Barger told KABC. "I'm questioning the effectiveness of making a mandate and telling people that they have to. I think it has an opposite effect and people will choose to defy."

At Tuesday's county board meeting, Supervisor Janice Han said a mask mandate would be "very divisive."

"I honestly believe there are a significant number of the population who are not willing to accept mask mandates at this point," Hahn said. "And many of them, the ones that have contacted me, pointed out that we do have more tools now than we had at the beginning of the pandemic."

On Wednesday, the county reported 7,316 new cases and 20 new deaths. There are currently 1,280 COVID-19 hospitalizations, and the county had a case positivity rate of 16.2%.