Lofchie

The issue presented in this case is whether a University of California faculty member may be criminally prosecuted under Government Code section 1090 for participating in a decision to hire his wife as a program assistant for a four-week summer study abroad course. We conclude that he may not, and for reasons we discuss affirm the trial court’s order dismissing the information under Penal Code section 995.

BACKGROUND

Defendant Michael Lofchie (Lofchie) has been a faculty member at the University of California at Los Angeles since 1964. He was chairman of the political science department in 2008. In July 2008, Lofchie taught a four-week summer session abroad course and participated in a decision to hire his wife, Kelly Comras Lofchie (Comras), as a program assistant for the 2008 summer session. Comras was hired by the University’s Office of Summer Sessions and was paid $3,100 plus a per diem for her expenses.

Richard Anderson, another professor in the political science department, also taught a class in the University’s 2008 summer session. When Anderson learned that Comras had been hired as a program assistant, he objected, first to Lofchie, and then to the person who…