Michael Tenenbaum Watch: The California State Bar Flap Part 2

GOP Attorney Michael Tenenbaum with former Chairwoman, Leslie Cornejo of the Ventura County Republican Central Committee

Flap wrote yesterday that GOP attorney and twice defeated California 24th Congressional District candidate Michael Tenenbaum is being investigated by the California State Bar after his election to its Board of Governors.

Now, Flap has obtained additional information that may shed some light on the FLAP.

The State Bar Board of Governors Friday authorized President Jeffrey Bleich to appoint a committee to inquire and to report back to the board as to whether Michael Tenenbaum, the newly elected board member from District 6, is eligible to serve.

The committee, which is to consist of one current and two former board members, will look into allegationsâ€”by persons who have not been publicly identifiedâ€”that Tenenbaumâ€™s principal office is not located in the district, as required by the State Bar Act.

The non-contiguous District 6 consists of Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. Tenenbaum, who defeated Redlands attorney Bryan C. Hartnell by a little over 100 votes, with Riverside lawyer A. Benjamin Aames a distant third.

Tenenbaum told the MetNews Friday that his office is in his home, in Thousand Oaks in Ventura County.

Hartnell and Aames both said they heard reports during the campaign that Tenenbaum actually practiced from an office outside the district, but that they did not investigate and were in no way involved in instigating Fridayâ€™s action by the board.

The board directed that none of the members of the committee that will look into the matter come from District 6 or from District 7, which is Los Angeles County. Tenenbaum is a member of the Professional Responsibility and Ethics Committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, a State Bar spokesperson said.

Hartnell and Aames both said it was unclear what the board would do if it determines Tenenbaum is ineligible. Aames said he hoped that it would order a new election between Hartnell and himself, but said it was also possible that Hartnell, as the second-place finisher, would be declared the winner.

Hartnell declined to speculate as to what action the board might take.

If Michael Tenenbaum is indeed practicing law from his home and uses The Mail Stop as a business address, separate from his home, then Tenenbaum appears to be good to go – assuming his seat on the California State Bar’s Board of Governors.