March 26, 2014

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RECORDERdaily at www.therecorder.com Judge Boots Google Lawyer Off Ballot By Cheryl Miller

ACRAMENTO — A Sacramento judge on Wednesday disqualified Google attorney Vinesh Singh Rathore as a candidate for the hotly contested 17th Congressional SDistrict, saying the late-filing Republican had failed to submit enough valid nominating signatures. In a hastily arranged hearing—held one day before the secretary of state is slated to publish a list of certified candidates for the June primary election—Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Allen Sumner rejected two Rathore signatories whose names and addresses appeared to be written in the same handwriting of two other petition signers. Because Rathore submitted only the minimum number of qualifying Doiy Jason signatures, 40, the disqualification of Democratic candidate two names triggered his removal from the ballot. one 17th District resident who signed Neither Rathore nor Vanlandingham Jeffrey Wald, a member of the Alameda election documents for Khanna also attended Wednesday’s hearing, telling County Republican Central Committee, circulated a petition on behalf of the court via email that they were only sued to kick the names of Rathore and Vanlandingham. alerted to the proceedings on Tuesday Joel Vanlandingham, a tech recruiter, off “It’s disingenuous,” said Wald and could not make arrangements to be the ballot. The two relatively unknown attorney Patricia McCoy Smith. “If that there. Both men denied being recruited Republicans registered to run in the person is supporting one candidate, to join the race. South Bay’s 17th District in the final days why are they circulating a petition for Khanna, a former Wilson Sonsini of the filing period. That fueled another candidate?” Goodrich & Rosati associate, made speculation that Democrat Ro Khanna Smith is a partner with Dhillon & political waves when he announced had recruited the two men in an attempt Smith in San Francisco. Fellow partner last year that he would challenge to dilute the vote among three GOP Harmeet Dhillon is vice chairwoman of Honda, who has served seven terms in candidates—Fremont Republican the Republican Party. a district that includes Sunnyvale, Vanila Singh had already filed—so that Other registered voters who signed Cupertino, parts of San Jose and he could advance in California’s top-two papers for Khanna also signed Fremont. A favorite of Valley tech primary election. Incumbent Democrat Vanlandingham’s nominating petition, executives, Khanna has outpaced is expected to secure one the lawyers said. Honda in fundraising and recently of those spots. But Sumner said he could find released his first television ad. Khanna spokesman Tyler Law said in nothing in California’s election laws an email before Wednesday’s hearing barring the type of cross-candidate Contact the reporter at [email protected]. that Khanna “had nothing to do with support cited, and he refused to anyone entering this race.” disqualify Vanlandingham. Reprinted with permission from the March 26, 2014 edition But some of Khanna’s supporters may “If I’m going to exclude someone from of THE RECORDER © 2015 ALM Media Properties, LLC. have, according to evidence submitted the ballot, I want more than just public All rights reserved. Further duplication without permission is prohibited. For information, contact 877-257-3382 or to the court. Wald’s attorneys noted that policy arguments,” the judge said. [email protected]. # 501-02-15-04