Metropolitan News-Enterprise

 

Thursday, March 10, 2016

 

Page 1

 

Santana Draws Challenge, as Prosecutor Drops From Races

 

By KENNETH OFGANG, Staff Writer

 

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Ray Santana has become the third incumbent to face a confirmed challenge this election cycle.

Sole practitioner Eric O. Ibisi returned his nominating documents Tuesday. He will be Santana’s lone challenger among three candidates who filed declarations of intent to run, as one said Tuesday he will not run and two others have returned papers in other seats.

Neither Santana, who reportedly has been battling health issues, nor Ibisi has returned MetNews phone calls.

Other incumbents facing challenges are Kathryn Ann Solorzano, who faces Deputy Public Defender Tami L. Warren—who chose “Court Appointed Counsel” as her ballot designation—and James Kaddo, who faces sole practitioner Stepan Baghdassarian.

Other Potential Challenges

Two other judges face potential challenges, but all three of the attorneys who filed for Judge Marsha Revel’s seat are expected to run in open seat contests. The other judge who might face a challenge is Elden Fox, but he has not returned nominating documents, and his two potential opponents haven’t either.

In other news, a deputy district attorney who had filed declarations of intent to run for two of the three open seats told the MetNews yesterday he will not return nominating documents for either of them.

Dennis P. Vincent, who had taken out nominating documents for Offices Nos. 42 and 84, said he had changed his mind because he didn’t “want to get in the middle of a D.A. fight,” and also because of a personal issue he needs to address.

Six other deputy district attorneys filed DOIs for one or both of those seats. One of them, Philip Marshall, previously dropped out of the race for Office No. 84.

Remaining Candidates

Vincent’s departure leaves three confirmed and three potential candidates for Office No. 42, which is the seat being vacated by Judge Alan Rosenfield. Deputy District Attorney Efrain Matthew Aceves, sole practitioner Michael Ribons, and Superior Court Commissioner Cynthia Zuzga had returned their papers as of Tuesday; Alicia Molina of the Whittier firm Molina & Molina and sole practitioner Aaron Weissman had taken out documents but not returned them; and Deputy District Attorney Steven Schreiner filed a DOI, although he is expected to run for Office No. 11.

Molina could also run for that seat, which is being vacated by Judge Michelle Rosenblatt.

There are eight potential candidates for that office, but none of them had returned nominating documents. Six of them could run in other seats.

In Office No. 84, the seat that Judge Kathleen Diesman is leaving, Deputy District Attorneys Susan Jung Townsend and Hubert Yun have returned their paperwork, while Deputy District Attorney Javier Perez, sole practitioner Naser “Nas” Khoury, and Weissman had not. Perez and Khoury could run for other seats as well.

 

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