From Hardscrabble Upbringing to High-Stakes Race: John McKinney Seeks L.A. City Attorney Post

Growing up in a cramped New Jersey household without financial security, John McKinney never envisioned a career in law. Orphaned before the age of five after losing both parents, McKinney was raised by his oldest sister in Passaic alongside half a dozen other children. To pay for college, he worked as a house painter and a substitute teacher. Today, the 58-year-old veteran prosecutor stands as one of the highest-ranking officials in the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office, boasting an undefeated record in homicide trials that includes convictions in high-profile cases such as the murder of hip-hop artist Nipsey Hussle.

Now, McKinney is mounting an upstart campaign to become the city attorney for Los Angeles, taking on progressive candidate Marissa Roy. The race follows a tumultuous political journey for McKinney, who rose to broader public attention in 2020 when he publicly criticized then-District Attorney George Gascón and later participated in the failed recall effort against him. Although that bid fell short, McKinney aligned with incoming District Attorney Nathan Hochman, who appointed him to oversee specialized prosecutions involving gang homicides, cop killings, child abuse, and juvenile crimes.

McKinney entered the race for city attorney in January after being approached by supporters, quickly building a campaign with assistance from fundraisers who had backed Hochman’s earlier prosecutorial bid. His platform centers on addressing the city’s homelessness crisis through what he terms “compassionate accountability,” tackling quality-of-life offenses, and reining in ballooning legal costs. Having watched a nephew suffer through schizophrenia, McKinney argues that the city attorney’s office can leverage prosecution to push homeless individuals struggling with addiction or mental health issues into treatment, while also instituting more rigorous audits of city-contracted community organizations.

The campaign has highlighted stark contrasts between the two candidates. McKinney frequently notes his extensive courtroom experience, contrasting it with his 34-year-old opponent, a deputy state attorney general who has spent her career primarily on civil matters. Roy, who secured a $17-billion settlement from Meta earlier this year and is backed by the local Democratic Party and the Democratic Socialists of America, defeated McKinney by 15 percentage points in the June primary. She has criticized McKinney for lacking civil law experience and has sought to cast him as a conservative-leaning candidate who would fail to push back against federal immigration policies.

McKinney has dismissed partisan attacks as a misleading smear campaign, emphasizing his status as a lifelong Democrat while maintaining that the city attorney’s office should focus on municipal issues rather than spearheading litigation against the White House. He has also pledged to scrutinize municipal litigation expenses, pointing to the Los Angeles Police Department as a major driver of city legal costs. Despite facing a significant fundraising deficit and trailing Roy in financial support, McKinney has drawn backing from law enforcement groups, including the Los Angeles Police Protective League, as well as independent expenditure committees that have poured millions into the race.