Hertzberg/LSP/mike1st/mark2nd

Robert Hertzberg

Assemblyman

California Assemby

Age: 42

When Robert Hertzberg was a child, he would hear about the causes that his father, a constitutional attorney, had taken on, including defending doctors who wanted to practice acupuncture in California and Native Americans who wanted to open gaming facilities.

Those cases and the conversations that ensued instilled in Hertzberg a love of the law, and prompted him to follow in his father’s footsteps. He practiced for 17 years, mostly focusing on real estate law.

During that time, Hertzberg became increasingly interested in crafting rather than simply upholding the law. Naturally, that led to politics.

Last November, Hertzberg was elected to the California Assembly. A Democrat representing Van Nuys, Hertzberg heads up the Public Safety Committee, a position that includes the kind of law and order issues he has been associated with.

Based on Hertzberg’s activism, election to the Assembly seemed to be only a matter of time.

He had been involved in any number of campaigns well over 100, by his estimate. “I’ve always been one of those people who has been quietly behind the scenes working on campaigns,” says Hertzberg.

He pushed for a bond issue that would correct the 911 system, a property tax assessment to increase the size of the LAPD and statewide campaign finance reform.

Now that Hertzberg has landed in the Assembly, he is primarily interested in public safety issues, particularly juvenile justice.

Hertzberg’s current job is racking up a lot of frequent flier miles he flies to Sacramento on Monday morning, flies back home Tuesday night, flies up again Wednesday morning and flies back home Thursday afternoon. “It works surprisingly well,” says Hertzberg.

Lisa Steen Proctor