Thursday, January 6, 2011
Page 3
Brown Names Top Attorney General Aides to Posts in Governor’s Office
By a MetNews Staff Writer
Gov. Jerry Brown yesterday named two of his top aides when he was attorney general to major posts in his administration.
Jim Humes, 51, of San Francisco, will be executive secretary for administration, legal affairs, and policy. Humes was chief deputy attorney general under Brown, after serving as chief of the Civil Division under Bill Lockyer.
This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $175,000.
Named as legal affairs secretary was Jonathan Renner, 40, of Sacramento. Renner was senior assistant attorney general in the Government Law Division. Prior to that, Renner practiced law at Kronick, Moskovitz, Tiedemann & Girard in Sacramento.
This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $147,900.
The governor has not named a judicial appointments secretary, and there has been speculation that he would not do so, but would instead place those responsibilities with the legal affairs secretary, as he did during his first two terms. A spokesperson told the MetNews that no decision on that matter has been made.
The governor also made the following appointments:
•Nick Velasquez, 30, of Los Angeles, as director of external affairs. Velasquez served as deputy campaign manager for Brown’s 2010 campaign.
From 2006 to 2009 he served as a senior communications and policy aide to Los Angeles City Attorneys Rockard Delgadillo and Carmen Trutanich. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $80,000.
•Anne Gust Brown, 52, the governor’s wife, has been named special counsel. She is a University of Michigan Law School graduate and 1983 State Bar admittee, and a former Gap, Inc. executive. This position does not require Senate confirmation and Gust Brown will serve with no compensation.
•Joshua Groban, 37, of Los Angeles, will be senior advisor for policy and appointments. Groban served as legal counsel for the 2010 campaign and previously practiced law at Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP in Los Angeles.
This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $147,900.
•Julie Henderson, 48, of San Francisco, has been appointed senior advisor for policy. Henderson was a special assistant attorney general and previously was a vice president and associate general counsel at Gap Inc. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $147,900.
All of the appointees are Democrats.
Copyright 2011, Metropolitan News Company