Tuesday, March 12, 2013
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Harris, Bowen Name Lawyers to Watchdog Commission
By a MetNews Staff Writer
California Attorney General Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Debra Bowen both named attorneys to seats on the Fair Political Practices Commission yesterday.
The appointments of Eric Casher by Harris and Patricia Wynne by Bowen, following the recent appointment of local lawyer Gavin H. Wasserman by Controller John Chiang, complete the membership of the state’s political watchdog agency. Gov. Jerry Brown’s appointees—former Santa Clara County counsel and Judicial Council and State Bar Board of Governors member Ann Ravel and Los Angeles attorney Sean Eskovitz—have two years remaining on their terms.
Ravel is the commission chair. The terms of the new members expire Jan. 31, 2017.
In a release announcing the appointment of the 34-year-old Casher, an associate at Meyers Nave in Oakland, the attorney general said the appointee’s “commitment to justice, fairness and the rule of law will make him a strong asset on the Fair Political Practices Commission” and that the citizenry “will be well-served by his diligence and his judgment.”
Casher serves on the boards of the California Bar Foundation and the Charles Houston Bar Association, an African-American lawyers group where he also acts as general counsel. In 2011, Casher was recognized by the National Bar Association as one of the “Nation’s Best Advocates, 40 Under 40.”
He graduated from UC Berkeley and received his law degree from Hastings College of the Law.
“It’s truly an honor to be nominated by Attorney General Harris, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of California on the FPPC,” he said in a statement. “I am committed to helping ensure that the political process in California is as fair and transparent as possible.”
Wynne is currently deputy state treasurer, a post she will retire from on March 29. Bowen said that Wynne would take up her FPPC duties on April 8, and that predecessor Elizabeth Garrett, a USC law professor, would hold over until then.
The secretary of state said in a statement:
“It’s hard to overstate the importance of having an aggressive, proactive, independent political watchdog,which is why I am so pleased Tricia has accepted this appointment to the FPPC. Tricia has a keen understanding of the fair and practical application of complex laws and regulations, and her devotion to integrity, transparency and independence will serve all Californians well.”
Wynne served eight years as a special assistant attorney general and previously worked for a number of years as a staff attorney with the state Senate. She is a graduate of UC Santa Barbara, with a law degree from the University of San Diego.
The FPPC chair is the commission’s only fulltime member. Others are paid $100 per day for attending meetings.
Copyright 2013, Metropolitan News Company