Chief Deputy City Attorney Heather Ferbert and Assemblyman Brian Maienschein will square off Tuesday to become San Diego’s next city attorney in a race that has involved an ongoing debate over the candidates’ experience in practicing law and public service.
Ferbert and Maienschein, both Democrats, are vying to replace Mara Elliott, who has termed out. Ferbert has the endorsement of her superior, who called Ferbert “the most qualified candidate for city attorney.” She also has the backing of the Deputy City Attorneys Association of San Diego and several past presidents of the San Diego County Bar Association.
Maienschein’s endorsements include the San Diego County Democratic Party and a host of other elected officials, including Mayor Todd Gloria and the majority of the San Diego City Council.
Much of Ferbert’s campaign materials have focused on her work in the City Attorney’s Office and her qualifications as an attorney, with intentional contrast placed between her law experience and that of Maienschein.
Maienschein previously served two terms on the San Diego City Council and has spent more than a decade in the state assembly, where he currently serves North County’s 76th assembly district.
Maienschein has been a licensed attorney for nearly three decades, but his time in the political sphere has dwarfed his legal career.
Ferbert’s campaign contends Maienschein isn’t qualified due to a lack of legal experience, while Maienschein has noted that he teaches law at the University of San Diego. He’s also said he has the benefit of his years of experience as an elected official — something Ferbert lacks — giving him the upper hand in qualifications on how to handle public office.
Ferbert says her work in the City Attorney’s Office has already led to tangible results for San Diegans, including her role in the city’s homeless encampment ban and uncovering of “corrupt real estate deals” and “financial waste and mismanagement.”
Maienschein has pointed to his legislative record, his experience in both practicing and writing laws, and said that unlike Ferbert, he is an outsider to the City Attorney’s Office, which he said “needs change.”
–City News Service
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