In this episode of Talking Downey, Mario Guerra sits down with John McKinney — a 28-year Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney, veteran of over 100 jury trials, and candidate for Los Angeles City Attorney.
John shares his story: growing up in Passaic, New Jersey, losing both parents by age five, being raised by his eldest sister alongside four other children, and working his way through Rutgers University and UCLA School of Law. He talks about prosecuting the Nipsey Hussle murder case in the Major Crimes Division, being demoted under DA George Gascon for speaking out, and being brought back by current DA Nathan Hockman to lead the Bureau of Specialized Prosecutions — 300+ lawyers across eight of the office's most well-known divisions.
Mario and John go deep on the LA City Attorney race: the difference between the District Attorney and City Attorney roles, the contrasts between John and his opponent (experience, vision, ideology, and her ties to the Democratic Socialists of America), Ordinance 4118 and the fight over the city's anti-encampment law, and why five to seven people die on LA streets every day.
If you care about public safety, LA's homeless response, and who runs the second-largest municipal law firm in the country, this episode is for you.
Learn more or volunteer at McKinney4LA.com. Follow the campaign on Instagram: @johnmckinney_
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CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro and welcome with John McKinney, LA Deputy DA and City Attorney candidate
00:52 Growing up in Passaic, New Jersey — losing both parents young
01:22 Raised by his eldest sister on paycheck-to-paycheck values
01:55 The crack cocaine years and navigating around trouble
02:21 Rutgers University to UCLA School of Law
02:52 Why prosecution over criminal defense
04:47 28 years as a prosecutor and 100+ jury trials
05:36 The George Gascon retaliation and demotion from Major Crimes
06:12 Prosecuting the Nipsey Hussle murder case
07:34 Nathan Hockman brings him back — leading the Bureau of Specialized Prosecutions
08:12 The eight divisions he oversees today
10:09 800 lawyers, still 200–300 understaffed in LA County
10:45 DA vs City Attorney — how the two offices actually differ
13:47 The race — an incumbent who didn't make the top two
14:33 Objective contrasts with his opponent
15:03 34 years old, zero jury trials
18:34 Two different visions for what the City Attorney is
19:03 The "public interest law firm" framing problem
20:03 A nonpartisan role, and 40 years as a Democrat
22:19 Ordinance 4118 and the refusal to enforce the anti-encampment law
24:26 Five to seven homeless deaths on LA streets every day
25:07 The homeless approach — court-ordered treatment, not jail
26:23 Endorsements — three former DAs, former city attorneys, city council members
28:03 A business-friendly City Attorney for young entrepreneurs
30:37 McKinney4LA.com and how to volunteer
32:22 The DSA membership and the co-governance pledge
34:52 Closing: a paycheck-to-paycheck kid becoming your attorney
37:55 Closing thoughts and what's ahead — Downey council race and 14 propositions
