[env-trinity] Fresno Bee- Wanger cuts legal ties to Westlands Water District

[Tom Stokely]

This story is an inspiration to all of us who are attempting to influence public opinion through the media.

Tom Stokely

********************************************
http://www.fresnobee.com/2011/12/06/2639915/wanger-cuts-legal-ties-to-westlands.html 
Wanger cuts legal ties to Westlands Water District
By John Ellis
- The Fresno Bee

Tuesday, Dec. 06, 2011 | 02:57 PM

Retired federal judge Oliver W. Wanger did an about-face today, deciding not to represent Westlands Water District in a case pending before a state appellate court.


A legal brief last week showed Wanger had signed on to represent Westlands in a lawsuit filed against it by several northern California groups.


But while Wanger’s expertise on water law was acknowledged, the move also resulted in intense debate about judicial ethics. As a judge, Wanger had presided over dozens of legal disputes involving Westlands — though the agency lost as many as it won in those cases.


Today, Wanger said in an interview that the ethics debate was “diverting attention away from the merits of the case.”


Wanger made it clear the debate had nothing to do with his decision to withdraw from the case.


His new firm — Wanger Jones Helsley — said in a statement to The Bee that “recent media comment has raised confusion about the cases upon which former Judge Oliver W. Wanger may work as a private attorney.


“He cannot work on cases involving matters he heard as a judge. The rules do not prevent him from taking cases involving parties who previously appeared before him. No conflict or violation of any rule has occurred.”


Tom Birmingham, general manager and counsel for Westlands, said in a statement that the agency “regrets that we will not have the benefit” of Wanger in the case.


“But we have the highest respect for his integrity and appreciate his strict adherence to the most exacting standards of legal ethics,” the statement said. “His decision not to proceed with this matter is entirely consistent with the meticulous attention he applied to all aspects of the law during his long career in the federal judiciary.”

Birmingham concluded by saying Westlands hopes to work with Wanger in the future.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://www2.dcn.org/pipermail/env-trinity/attachments/20111206/c862aaad/attachment.html>