Fresno City Council names prosecutor Andrew Janz as new city attorney

Andrew Janz has been appointed as Fresno’s new city attorney.

The Fresno City Council voted Tuesday evening to confirm the prosecutor and Democratic politician to the job after emerging from an all-day, closed session meeting.

Councilmember Mike Karbassi motioned to appoint Janz. Karbassi, Miguel Arias, Nelson Esparza and Tyler Maxwell voted in favor. Councilmember Garry Bredefeld voted no, and Councilmembers Luis Chavez and Esmeralda Soria were absent.

Janz confirmed the appointment to The Bee late Tuesday.

“For the last eight years, it has been a true honor to represent the People of the State of California as a prosecutor,” Janz said in a statement. “Working under District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp, we were successful in seeking justice for the many victims of violent crime, including the most vulnerable victims.

“I’m humbled by the Fresno City Council’s trust in me to lead the office of the city attorney, and I look forward to this challenging opportunity to serve the People in a new capacity,” Janz said.

Janz earned his bachelor’s degree from California State University, Stanislaus and his law degree from Southwestern Law School. He’s worked as a prosecutor for the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office since 2014, where he’s tried some of the county’s most violent crimes.

Arias, Esparza and Maxwell all pointed to Janz’s professional experience as a prosecutor as a qualification for continuing in a role as a public servant. They also said Janz’s knowledge and engagement on local community issues made him highly qualified for the job.

They also pointed to Janz as a leader for the younger generation of Fresnans.

“I know he will be the bold leader our city needs as we navigate the next generation of issues facing Fresno,” Maxwell said in a news release.

“Andrew represents a new generation of local leaders that will serve our diverse city residents into the future,” Arias said.

Esparza and Maxwell in a news release on behalf of the council thanked interim City Attorney Rina Gonzalez for her work. She’s served in that role since June after former city attorney Doug Sloan resigned to take another job.

“Throughout the interim period, Gonzalez has proven to be an invaluable asset to the city of Fresno,” the council statement said,” and the Fresno City Council appreciates all that she has done to lead our city attorney’s office.”

Janz and Fresno politics

Current Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer, a Republican, and Janz, a Democrat, faced off in 2020 in a high-profile race for mayor. Dyer secured a solid win in the March primary, shortly before the city was thrust into the global coronavirus pandemic.

Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer in a statement congratulated Janz, wished him the best in his new role and said he looks forward to working with him.

Dyer led Fresno Police Department for nearly two decades before running for mayor. Dyer in that role worked closely with Janz’s current boss, Fresno District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp, also a Republican.

Fresno County’s Democratic Party recently criticized Smittcamp and accused her of inappropriately using her office to target local elected Democrats.

Smittcamp’s office currently is trying Esparza, the Fresno City Council president, for attempted extortion. The main witness in the case is Sloan, the former city attorney. Sloan testified that Esparza’s extortion attempt ultimately led him to seek a new job. Esparza left the preliminary hearing in the case Tuesday to attend the city council’s special meeting in which they hired Janz.

Smittcamp praisede Janz’s tenure with the district attorney’s office in a statement released Wednesday morning.

“During his time with out office, he has maintained an excellent reputation as a prosecutor and demonstrated his superior trial advocacy skills when fighting for justice on behalf of others,” Smittcamp said. “He will be missed by his DA family.”

Smittcamp said she’s confident Janz will lead the city attorney’s office well. She also said she hopes under Janz’s leadership, the relationship will improve between her office and the city attorney’s office.

“I am also hopeful that Andrew’s extensive knowledge of criminal law and procedure will help guide the city staff and council as we start a new year,” she said.

Earlier this year, Smittcamp’s office announced no charges would be filed against Fresno City Councilmembers after a yearlong investigation into alleged Brown Act violations. Smittcamp also briefly and publicly clashed with Sloan when he asked her to clarify comments she made during a television news interview about the Brown Act investigation.

Janz’s political past

Janz previously ran for public office twice, losing both races but proving himself to be an effective fundraiser.

His first political bid was against former Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Tulare. Janz out fundraised Nunes and gained national notoriety. Though he wasn’t successful in beating Nunes, he did come closer than any of Nunes’ previous challengers.

Janz’s second run for office was against Dyer for Fresno mayor. Councilmembers Arias, Esparza, Maxwell and Soria all supported him.

Janz used his national profile to found the Voter Protection Project, a political action committee that raises money to “fight back against Republicans’ attacks on our right to vote by leading the charge to make sure every American has the right to cast a ballot.”

It’s because of his local political involvement that Bredefeld said he opposed Janz as the new city attorney.

“While I personally like Andrew and greatly respect his experience as a criminal prosecutor, I opposed him becoming the city attorney because he has no municipal legal experience, and has ongoing political ambitions having run for office twice,” Bredefeld said. “He also maintains a PAC, and despite being offered the position, he was not required by those councilmembers that supported him to separate himself from the PAC, raising all kinds of potential conflicts.”

The city council will negotiate the terms of Janz’s contract during a special closed session meeting on Thursday. The contract will go to an open-session vote during the first regular meeting in December.