Audit rips California's state bar for shady finances and bloated salaries

The L.A. Times reports:

The agency charged with regulating California’s attorneys has failed to give a transparent view of its finances while its top tier of executives have enjoyed more generous salaries than the governor and attorney general, according to a scathing state audit released Thursday.

The review of the State Bar of California also questioned the spending by a special non-profit set up under a previous state bar executive, and the audit faulted the agency’s leadership for a years-long delay in the program that compensates those who are swindled by corrupt and dishonest lawyers.

At the end of 2015, the review found, the state bar had about 5,500 pending claims by the victims of attorney theft – with an estimated $16-million shortfall for the payments. Some victims of misconduct could wait up to five years before receiving reimbursement, the review stated.

Imagine that.