Anaheim Observer Civic affairs in OC's largest city.
The lawsuit filed by Jose Moreno et al and the ACLU against the City of Anaheim demanding the imposition of single-member council districts by judicial fiat, claimed the city was in violation of the California Voting Rights Act. One of the attorney’s sharing in the $1.22 million the city is paying as part of the lawsuit settlement is Robert Rubin.
Rubin, along with another left-wing lawyer, Joaquin Avila, authored the CVRA. Since the laws enactment in in 2002, Rubin has traveled the state filing, threatening to file or participating in CVRA lawsuits against cities and school districts. Conveniently, when defendants lose or settle CVRA lawsuits, they have to reimburse the plaintiffs for legal fees and expenses incurred.
According to Wikipedia, Rubin and Avila and their fellow litigators) have collected $4.3 million in fees from three cases. Who know one could rich fighting for the poor and disenfranchised?
Rubin was also part of the team suing Anaheim, and according to city documents he was demanding to be reimbursed at the kingly rate of $825 per hour! He billed 341.4 hours to “supervise all aspects of the case including legal/ litigation strategy and filings, argue/ attend hearings and city council meetings, correspond with opposing counsel” – which would have brought his haul to $281,655! Yowza.
As it is, Rubin settled for a mere $775 per hour, meaning he will pocket $264,585.
Let’s recap: Rubin authors legislation permitting attorneys like himself to sue local governments with at-large election systems, demanding they cure allegations of “racially-polarized voting” by switching to single-member districts. And they get paid by those local governments when they settle (which most, especially school districts, do)..
Rubin has set up a racket for himself. Like the song says, nice work if you can get it. Fighting for racial justice and makin’ bank in the process!
It’s interesting to compare the rates charged by the Moreno/David/Garcia/ACLU team, and those charged by the city’s legal counsel.
Plaintiffs Attorneys’ Hourly Rates (Demanded and Agreed)
Robert Rubin
Demanded: $825
Agreed: $775
Morris J. Baller
Demanded: $805
Agreed: $750
Laura L. Ho
Demanded: $675
Agreed: $600
Joseph E. Jaramillo
Demanded $625
Agreed: $550
Katrina Eiland
Demanded: $350
Agreed: $345
Hector O. Villagra
Demanded: $700
Agreed: $600
Belinda Escobar Hezler
Demanded: $630
Agreed: $500
Bardis Vakili
Demanded: $500
Agreed: $425
Anaheim Outside Counsel Rates
Marguerite Mary Leoni: $530
Jame Parrinello: $530
Christoper Skinnell: $415
Hilary Jones Gibson: $250
Jay Carson: $250
David A. Soldani: $235-350
Irma Rodriguez Moisa: $275-400
Warren S. Kinsler: $325-400
Peter Schaffert: $195
Christine Diaz-Herrara: $300
Amber M. Solano: $350
And if I might point out, Latinos are clearly underrepresented on the plaintiffs’ legal team (especially compared to the city’s team) – possibly the result of racially-polarized lawyering.
Well deserved Robert Rubin! Carry on!
It is incredible the amount of money this absurd spectacle cost us! Jose Moreno and his lawyers should be ashamed of themselves.
Jose Moreno is the most selfish man. He is turn the Anaheim City School District into Jose Moreno School District and the superintendent is to scared to do anything.