cannabisnews.com: Lawyer May Run Against Kamena 





Lawyer May Run Against Kamena 
Posted by FoM on March 06, 2001 at 12:41:31 PT
By Richard Halstead
Source: Marin Independent Journal
An attorney identified as a brother of the woman whose child custody case sparked a recall against Marin County District Attorney Paula Kamena took out nomination papers yesterday to oppose Kamena in a May 22 special election.Thomas Van Zandt, a patent lawyer who works for the Sunnyvale firm of Blakely, Sokoloff, Taylor and Zafman, paid a $1,435 non-refundable fee and took out nomination papers at the Marin County Civic Center.
Recall supporters said Van Zandt, who could not be reached for comment, is the brother of Carol Mardeusz of Novato, whose court battle prompted the recall against Kamena. Marin family law court critics cited her case and others when they targeted four Marin County Superior Court judges for recall last year.The recall petition against Kamena accused her of acting in a criminal conspiracy by prosecuting Mardeusz for attempting to abduct her own daughter and committing perjury. In July, a Marin jury convicted Mardeusz of five felonies and two misdemeanors after deliberating for less than a day. She has been serving a nine-month sentence in the Marin County Jail.Van Zandt has until 5 p.m. Thursday, the deadline for all candidates filing, to supply the signatures of 20 registered Marin voters who support his candidacy, said Marin County elections clerk Yvonne Guenza. Van Zandt is the first person, so far, to consider putting his name on the recall ballot. But recall leader Ron Mazzaferro said, "I was told there is somebody else that is going to be filing by Thursday. But I don't know the person's name."Voters will vote either "yes" or "no" on the recall; then if there is more than one alternative candidate listed, they will choose among them. If no one runs against Kamena and the recall succeeds, the Board of Supervisors is required to appoint a replacement.Lynnette Shaw, founding director of the Marin Alliance for Medical Marijuana in Fairfax, said Van Zandt would make a viable candidate. "He handles these large accounts and many details. He is a very capable man," she said.Although family law critics initiated the recall against Kamena, Shaw led a move for recall by medical marijuana advocates critical of Kamena's enforcement of marijuana laws."I know he would be taking a big step down in his salary to take a DA's job," Shaw said of Van Zandt. "He's interested in doing the right thing on behalf of the people of Marin."Shaw, however, stopped short of endorsing Van Zandt."He's doing this independently," she said.Kamena was ill yesterday and could not be reached for comment.Thursday is also the deadline for signatures to be submitted in the effort to recall Superior Court Judge Verna Adams. The same recall group previously was unable to collect sufficient signatures to recall Marin County judges Michael Dufficy, Lynn Duryee and Terrence Boren.Mazzaferro said yesterday, "There is nobody going out collecting signatures on Verna Adams."Contact Richard Halstead via e-mail at: rhalstead marinij.com Source: Marin Independent Journal (CA)Author: Richard HalsteadPublished: March 6, 2001Copyright: 2001 Marin Independent JournalAddress: 150 Alameda del Prado, Novato, CA 94949Contact: opinion marinij.comWebsite: http://www.marinij.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Marin Alliance for Medical Marijuana http://www.cbcmarin.com/Kamena Recall Supporters Gather Near Civic Center http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8816.shtmlMarin D.A. Calls Foes Thuggishhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8603.shtml
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