County hires trailblazing law firm to investigate Postmus
The former lead prosecutor in the Enron trial has been hired by the county to investigate disgraced Assessor Bill Postmus.
John Hueston, from the Los Angeles-based law firm Irell & Manella LLP, will investigate the county's options in forcing the embattled Postmus, who faces criminal charges of drug possession, from office.
The county has budgeted $250,000 to pay the law firm to begin the investigation. Hueston will report to the board on March 3 with a report on his findings.
John Hueston, from the Los Angeles-based law firm Irell & Manella LLP, will investigate the county's options in forcing the embattled Postmus, who faces criminal charges of drug possession, from office.
The county has budgeted $250,000 to pay the law firm to begin the investigation. Hueston will report to the board on March 3 with a report on his findings.
The county is seeking outside counsel in the Postmus matter to avert the perception of bias. It chose Irell & Manella for its stellar reputation, immediate availability and ability to get to the bottom of the Postmus matter in the most timelty manner possible.
"It has a lot of expertise in public corruption and looking into corporate entities," County Counsel Ruth Stringer said during today's Board of Supervisors meeting in San Bernardino.
Some criticized the county's move during the public comment portion of the meeting, and said a recall would be more suitable in that it would save the taxpayers.
"It would certainly be the most expeditious and economic solution," said Sam Clauder, spokesman for the San Bernardino County Democratic Central Committee.
San Bernardino attorney Allen Bartleman questioned why the county would pay a quarter of a million dollars to have an outside law firm investigate Postmus when house counsel can do it, and take steps to avoid the appearance of impartiality.
"A legal firewall can be set up within the county counsel's office to insulate against any conflict of interest," Bartleman said. He said he was "disgusted" by the board's waste of taxpayer money.
Stringer said a firewall wold not resolve a legal conflict, but didn't elaborate.
Investigators with the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office arrested Postmus, 37, on Jan. 15 at his Rancho Cucamonga townhouse during the serving of a search warrant. It was one of 10 warrants served in San Bernardino and Orange counties as part of the District Attorney's ongoing investigation into political malfeasance at the Assessor's Office.
A grand jury report last year criticized the Assessor's Office, charging cronyism and alleging Postmus' staff engaged in partisan politics within the office, on county time. The investigation is ongoing, and Postmus has not been charged with any crime.
Postmus posted bail and was released from the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga the day of his arrest.
A former lead prosecutor for the Enron trial of Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling, Hueston also devotes a substantial part of his practice to internal investigations, corporate crisis management and white collar criminal defense. He serves as co-chair of his firm's Corporate Crisis and White Collar Criminal Defense practice. California Lawyer magazine named Hueston a 2007 "California Attorney of the Year," according to the firm's web site.
Some criticized the county's move during the public comment portion of the meeting, and said a recall would be more suitable in that it would save the taxpayers.
"It would certainly be the most expeditious and economic solution," said Sam Clauder, spokesman for the San Bernardino County Democratic Central Committee.
San Bernardino attorney Allen Bartleman questioned why the county would pay a quarter of a million dollars to have an outside law firm investigate Postmus when house counsel can do it, and take steps to avoid the appearance of impartiality.
"A legal firewall can be set up within the county counsel's office to insulate against any conflict of interest," Bartleman said. He said he was "disgusted" by the board's waste of taxpayer money.
Stringer said a firewall wold not resolve a legal conflict, but didn't elaborate.
Investigators with the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office arrested Postmus, 37, on Jan. 15 at his Rancho Cucamonga townhouse during the serving of a search warrant. It was one of 10 warrants served in San Bernardino and Orange counties as part of the District Attorney's ongoing investigation into political malfeasance at the Assessor's Office.
A grand jury report last year criticized the Assessor's Office, charging cronyism and alleging Postmus' staff engaged in partisan politics within the office, on county time. The investigation is ongoing, and Postmus has not been charged with any crime.
Postmus posted bail and was released from the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga the day of his arrest.
A former lead prosecutor for the Enron trial of Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling, Hueston also devotes a substantial part of his practice to internal investigations, corporate crisis management and white collar criminal defense. He serves as co-chair of his firm's Corporate Crisis and White Collar Criminal Defense practice. California Lawyer magazine named Hueston a 2007 "California Attorney of the Year," according to the firm's web site.
Hueston is in a deposition today and was unavailable for comment.
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