San Diego Lawyer to Head Watchdog Commission

San Diego attorney James M. Hall, a law school classmate of Gov. Pete Wilson, was appointed chairman of the state Fair Political Practices Commission on Thursday by the governor.

Hall also served in the Ronald Reagan gubernatorial administration.

“Jim’s tenure with two state agencies, his deep sense of integrity and high ethical standards make him exceptionally qualified to serve as chairman of the Fair Political Practices Commission,” Wilson said.

Hall, a 63-year-old Republican who has a private law practice and is president of Hall-Fish Investments, will assume his role on the commission Oct. 1.

Hall was the governor’s classmate at the UC Berkeley School of Law. Another law school classmate, John Davies of San Diego, serves as Wilson’s judicial appointments secretary and is a Wilson appointee to the UC Board of Regents.

Hall will replace Ravi Mehta, 37, who resigned after being criticized for comments he made to a gathering of lobbyists about Proposition 208, in which he apologized for the campaign reform measure. Mehta also suggested that the proposition was unconstitutional--at the same time he was defending it in court.

The FPPC is the state politics watchdog, interpreting and enforcing California’s political and campaign laws.

Hall’s appointment does not require Senate confirmation. He will receive an annual salary of $103,178.

Under Reagan, Hall was superintendent of banks; secretary of business, transportation and housing; and secretary of human relations.

He is vice president of the San Diego County Taxpayers Assn., former chairman of the San Diego Transportation Management Assn. and a vice president of the Downtown San Diego Partnership. He also served on the Commission on the Future of the Legal Profession and the State Bar from 1993 to 1995.

Hall received his bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley in 1955 and his law degree in 1962.

Times staff writer Tony Perry in San Diego contributed to this story.