​San Francisco, CA ​ September 13, 2017-  State Bar Employees tried to contain an out of control dumpster fire after Vanessa Houlton tried to burn evidence related to the Bar’s improper release of social security numbers, home addresses and confidential information of private citizens and sitting Superior Court Judges.​Ironically, as can be seen in the Bar’s own email noted above , James Towery, former Chief Trial  Counsel of the State Bar was among the victims of the Bar’s  wreckless handling of private and confidential information. Towery appears to be the only victim who was directly called by the Bar. Other victims have had their personal information released by the Bar, as early as 2015 , but have never been contacted or informed their private information had been compromised.

​Several victims claim to have experienced fraud and identity theft ever since providing personal and confidential information  to the Bar when complaining about attorney misconduct.

​In addition to compromising private and confidential   information of persons and businesses victimized by bad lawyers. The State  Bar also appears to have released internal emails that show employees of the Bar  attempted to commit fraud on the State Auditor , Elaine Howle during a 2015 audit.

​Since James Towery was Chief Trail Counsel at the Bar from 2010 -2011,  policies and procedures appear to have been in place that allowed  lawyers to continue to harm the public. As far back as 2010 ,  the Bar has reportedly hired thugs to  stalk, harass and intimidate people who have filed complaints against California lawyers .

Employees and lawyers at the Bar are  additionally aware of millions of dollars bad lawyers have stolen through trust account abuse, which the Bar never investigated or prosecuted.  Bar staff are also reported to have pressured prosecutors in Santa Clara , Contra Costa,  Napa, Sacramento and Orange County to ignore judge and lawyer crimes, in return for immunity from investigations of DA offices.

​The Bar also appears to have tried to conceal that James Towery never lawfully reported his financial interests on his form 700. One Bar employee reports the Bar’s top brass  told employees not to worry about Towery’s failure to lawfully disclose as he acted in the Bar’s most powerful position, and where he was later appointed to the Santa Clara County bench by Governor Brown in 2011.

​A private investigation of Towery’s finances obtained after the Bar released his home address and social security number shows an alarming connection  to lawyers whose complaints were buried and ignored by the Bar, including  complaints against:
Steve Wagstaffe
​Tony Rackauckas
​Carmen Ponce
​Mark Cameron

• • John Bridges
  • Dennis McCarthy
  • Christopher Panetta
  • David Sweigert
  • Sara Boyns
  • Brian Call
  • Troy Kingshaven
  • John Kesecker
  • Elizabeth Leitzinger

• Sharilyn Payne
• Carol Hilburn
• Christina Baggett
• Kenneth Kleinkopf
• Derric Oliver
• Laura Franklin
• Evan Allen
• Andrew Kreeft
• Alex Lorca

​Sarah  Overton
​James Mc Manis
​Lisa Herrick
​Valerie Houghton
Bradford Baugh
John Conway
Walter Hammon
Rebekah Frye,
Debra Crawford
​Katherine Dorset
Heather Allan
Nat Hales
James Cox
Catherine Gallagher
Marilyn Moreno
​Lynne Yates- Carter
Hector Moreno
Garrett Dailey
​Nancy Perkovich
​Tom Tuttle
Mark Erickson
Matt Erickson
Elise Mitchell
Bob Blevans
John Chase
​Jeff Rosen
​Karen Sinunu Towery
​Diana Richmond
David Weinberg

​Firms that were found to be overcharging clients included Towery’s former firm; Hoge Fenton, which later became Hoge Keller, and which appears to be involved in fraud , tax evasion , mail fraud and activity that connects attorney  Bradford Baugh  to  RICO activity involving Facebook,  Dole Food Company, Tanimura  and Antle, Incotec, California Seed Production, California Seeds, Pacific Valley Bank  and other big California ag companies in the Salinas valley,  where Towery continues to draw income and kickbacks in addition to income he earns from tax payers as a  judge in Santa Clara County Family Court.

​Additionally, Towery’s expense  reports confirm allegations  that Towery used his time employed with the Bar to engage in illicit sexual relationships, with Bar employees, and with victims of attorney crimes.

Towery was additionally  reported to have obtained sexual favors as a kickback , after helping crooked and corrupt lawyers get out of Bar complaints. Nat Hales, an attorney whom Towery intervened on a complaint that allowed Hales to get out of stealing over $100,000 from a child support account. Hales  reportedly sent his former mistress, “Bunny”, to provide sex acts for Towery,  as Towery’s  wife was out fundraising for the Santa Clara University Innocent Project. Towery later  assured additional funds for his wife’s pet  project came from State Bar membership dues, and donations .

​Most insidious is Towery’s misconduct in harming children as he deprived children of lawful child support payments while he worked to protect lawyers who are outright criminals.