Elton Gallegly,  Michael Tenenbaum

Michael Tenebaum Watch: Panel Confirms Election

Tenenbaumandlesliecornejo

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

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.”


Previous:

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


Technorati Tags: ,