STATE BOARD OF ED NOMINEE WITHDRAWS: Jerry Brown's choice for the California Board of Education, Bill Honig, was among the new governor's most controversial early appointments

By Anthony York, Los Angeles Times Reporting from Sacramento | http://lat.ms/gfRdqI

Bill Honig said there were “some complications” with his nomination, but he refused to elaborate. (Associated Press / January 11, 2011)

January 11, 2011 - Less than one week after being named to the state Board of Education, Bill Honig has withdrawn his name from consideration, according to the governor's office.

Honig, who served on the state board during Jerry Brown's first tenure as governor and went on to be elected state superintendent of public instruction three times, was among the new governor's most controversial early appointments.

Honig resigned as state superintendent in 1993 after being convicted of conflict-of-interest charges involving state education payments received by his wife's nonprofit organization.

Honig said there were "some complications" with his nomination, but he refused to elaborate.

Brown spokeswoman Elizabeth Ashford did not offer an explanation for Honig's decision but said "the governor has encouraged him to stay involved with state education policy."

In Honig's place, Brown on Monday appointed Ilene Straus, an assistant superintendent in the Beverly Hills Unified School District, to the state Board of Education.