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In a Democrat year, where Barack Obama won California by over 20 points, Republican Representative Elton Gallegly has won re-election to California’s 24th Congressional District.

Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Simi Valley, beat challenger Marta Jorgensen, a Democrat from Solvang, for the 24th Congressional District seat.

Gallegly has represented the district — which includes part of Santa Barbara County most of Ventura County, except for the coastal areas of Oxnard and Ventura — since 1986. Jorgensen won the right to oppose him with her surprise victory in a three-candidate Democratic primary. With 100 percent of the precincts counted, Gallegly had 57 percent to Jorgensen’s 43 percent.

Congrats to Elton for his election victory. As my Congressman, Flap has always been pleased with the outstanding representation Gallegly has given all of his constituents.

GOP Attorney and twice defeated California 24th Congressional District candidate Michael Tenenbaum has been confirmed as eligible to represent District 6 on the State Bar Board of Governors, seven weeks after winning election.

While the ballots in that election were canvassed July 10, certification of the results was delayed because of what officials said were questions about where the winner actually practiced law.

Only 19 percent of the district’s attorneys participated in the balloting. Redlands attorney Bryan Hartnell, who was supported by all the major bar associations in the district, lost by 118 votes, while Riverside attorney A. Benjamin Aames came in third.

District 6 encompasses the Inland Empire counties of San Bernardino and Riverside, as well as the coastal counties of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura.State Bar rules require that a governor’s principal place of practice be located within the district that governor represents. When questions were raised about Tenenbaum’s law practice address – which is a mail receiving service – the State Bar launched an investigation.

Tenenbaum has maintained that he practices from his Thousand Oaks home, and a committee appointed at the direction of the Bar of Governors has now accepted that assertion.

As Flap said before, if Tenenbaum could substantiate that he worked at home, despite his mailing address being a “The Mail Shop” he was good to go. And, he has.

Michael Tenenbaum will assume his seat on the California State Bar’s Board of Governors on September 27th.

Update:

Incoming State Bar President Holly Fujie welcomed Tenenbaum to the board in a press statement issued Friday.

“I am looking forward to a substantive and hardworking year with this board,” she said, “and Mr. Tenenbaum will make an important contribution to this on behalf of his District Six constituents.”

The State Bar’s decision came one day after Tenenbaum had filed suit in Los Angeles County Superior Court, asking that his election be certified. In his own press statement, Tenenbaum said he would now dismiss the suit.

He also noted that the seven weeks it took the State Bar to certify him was longer than it took the Palm Beach, Fla., canvassing board, the Florida Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court to certify George W. Bush as the winner of the 2000 presidential election.

“That’s unfortunate not only for the lawyers in this state whose dues were wasted on an unnecessary bureaucratic process,” he said, “but also for the citizens of California who expect the Bar to use its resources more judiciously.”

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Michael Tenenbaum Watch: The California State Bar Flap Part 2

Michael Tenenbaum Watch: The California State Bar Flap

Representative Elton Gallegly Breezes to Easy Victory in CA-24 GOP Primary Race

Michael Tenenbaum to Challenge GOP Congressman Elton Gallegly in GOP Primary Election

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Technorati Tags: Michael Tenenbaum, Elton Gallegly

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 allegations—by persons who have not been publicly identified—that Tenenbaum’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 Friday’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.

But, if it is discovered that he is ACTUALLY practicing law at an office outside the area, then he MIGHT be in some jeopardy.

Tenenbaum apparently used his Mail Stop Address as his Congressional Campaign Committe address as well.

Michael Tenenbaum for Congress’s Federal Election candidate information is found here.

Tenenbaum’s campaign contributions detail and an itemization of individual contributions are here.

Stay tuned…….

Previous:

Michael Tenenbaum Watch: The California State Bar Flap

Representative Elton Gallegly Breezes to Easy Victory in CA-24 GOP Primary Race

Michael Tenenbaum to Challenge GOP Congressman Elton Gallegly in GOP Primary Election

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Technorati Tags: Michael Tenenbaum, Elton Gallegly

Marta Jorgensen of Solvang, California who had withdrawn from her withdrawal in the Democrat primary race for California’s 24th Congressional District won the right to face off against 22 year incumbent Congressman Elton Gallegy last night.

Marta Jorgensen, reached by phone Tuesday evening and informed of the early returns, was incredulous. “You’re kidding! That’s a pretty amazing thing.”

For three weeks during the campaign, Jorgensen had suspended campaigning and announced she was supporting Jill Martinez, a developer of affordable housing and the Democratic nominee from two years ago.

But, saying she thought Martinez and Oak Park insurance agent Mary Pallant were not paying enough attention to Santa Barbara County voters, Jorgensen jumped back in.

“I was certain I had shot myself in the foot on that,” she said. “I thought maybe I’d get 8 or 10 percent.”

With 83 percent of the returns counted, Jorgensen was leading, with 47 percent of the vote, over Martinez, with 32 percent, and Pallant, with 21 percent.

The winner will face incumbent Rep. Elton Gallegly, who easily prevailed in the Republican primary over Westlake Village attorney Michael Tenenbaum. Gallegly led, 77 percent to 23 percent.

So, why did this unknown, underfunded and almost random person win the Democrat nomination. I mean are the Democrats that stupid and uninformed?

Timm Herdt at the VC Star says it was the ballot designations:

• Marta Jorgensen - Educator

• Jill Martizez - Businesswoman/Housing Developer (Martinez ran as a minister two years ago)

• Mary Pallant - Insurance Agent

Some discussion over at Calitics, a Left-wing NUTROOTS site supports this thesis:

Nevertheless, let this be a lesson for many Democrats currently considering elected office: among the many other considerations in an election season, don’t overlook the power of a progressive-sounding ballot designation that shies away from anything having to do with business, housing development, insurance or the like. Democrats are fed up with anything related to Republican-sounding industries and are looking for a change–even if they do sometimes look for it in the most shallow ways.

And that, it must be admitted, is actually a good thing.

Thus, the Democrats are fickle and shallow?

Flap says RIGHT. After all, Marta Jorgensen just a few weeks ago begged off campaigning down south in Simi Valley because she could not afford the gas to get there.

By the way, Elton Gallegly now competing for his 12th term in Congress at the last reporting period boasted over $900,000 in his campaign coffers.

Marta Jorgensen in November will be another failed Democrat challenger to Congressman Elton Gallegly.

Rate the California 24th Congressional District as SAFE GOP.

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Representative Elton Gallegly Breezes to Easy Victory in CA-24 GOP Primary Race

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