I did some digging on Napolitano years ago when I was working on Natural Resource issues. I wrote the following in an article about how our past influences decisions that we make in the present.
While parts of it are a little out of context I am posting it for the background information that I dug up on Napolitano.
Governor Janet Napolitano will have the opportunity to demonstrate what her previous life lessons have taught as Arizona faces yet another critical fire season. June 2003 brought the Aspen fire to the community of Summerhaven, after losing hundreds of homes and over four hundred and fifty thousand acres in the 2002 Rodeo Chediski blaze. June 2004 brings the Willow fire to Payson, AZ and as I write this we wait to see if the fire whips the town or if the fire fighters manage to spare another community from a wall of red-hot devastation.
Arizonans are asking, what were Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano’s life experiences that will influence her perception of the current forest conditions as we face the fire season of 2004 and future fire seasons? Does Governor Napolitano understand that Arizona is in a crisis?
Janet was born in New York City but traveled with her family to Albuquerque, New Mexico at the age of six where she had a terrific childhood, graduating from high school in 1975. She left New Mexico to attend college in California at Santa Clara University. Janet chose political science as her major and gained additional knowledge studying in London for a semester.
Janet spent time on Capital Hill, working as an analyst for a short time, but she chose to leave Washington, D.C. to obtain her law degree. She remained in the East, attending the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.
During this time in the early eighties Janet resided at Broom Hollow, a 300 acre country estate near Charlottesville. She must have gained fabulous knowledge during this time spent with her roommates in a beautiful upscale home that the owner rented to the fortunate students, reportedly “for nominal rent,” although how much of her knowledge gained will apply to Arizona forests remains to be seen.
Amazingly both Janet and her roommate Kent Alexander and fellow UVA student were both chosen by the Clinton administration for the positions of US Attorney, in the early nineties.
Prior to the Clinton appointment, Napolitano chose to head west and work as a clerk for Judge Mary Schroeder of the ninth circuit court. Napolitano has stated that she didn’t know anyone in Arizona when she packed all of her belongings in her car and headed west.
Mary Schroeder would prove to be a friend and a mentor to Janet Napolitano and she is an interesting person in her own right.
Schroeder became Phoenix’s first female law partner while working for the prestigious Lewis and Roca firm. Schroeder and Napolitano have many things in common, as Lewis and Roca recruited Napolitano along with her friend and fellow clerk Karen Carter. Karen Carter is now Karen Carter Owens following her marriage to Steve Owens, (Napolitano’s pick for the Department of Environmental Quality.)
Another commonality that Napolitano shares with Judge Schroeder is a fellow mentor, John P. Frank. Mr. Frank is known for his work with Miranda v. Arizona and the now famous “right to legal counsel of suspected criminals,” as well as the nomination hearing for Clarence Thomas, representing Anita Hill in this case assisted by Janet Napolitano.
“Mr. Frank is credited with helping break down gender barriers that prevented women lawyers from becoming partners in major law firms in Phoenix. Under his tutelage, Chief Judge Schroeder became Phoenix’s first female law partner just three years after joining Lewis and Roca.
He also mentored another of the firm’s female partners, Janet Napolitano, former attorney general and now governor of Arizona,” states a press release following his death. “He was influential in the selection of state and federal judges, serving on the Arizona Appellate Court Nominating Committee, 1972-84, and as chairman of the nomination commission for the Southern Division of the Ninth Circuit, Court of Appeals, 1977-80, ” states the release.
Mr. Frank is the author of numerous books, including, American Law: The Case for Radical Reform. Janet has stated that she . Frank is the author of numerous books, including, American Law: The Case for Radical Reform.
Janet has stated, that she began to understand how to combine private practice with public service after she joined Lewis and Roca and worked with Mr. Frank. Such an influential man probably taught Janet Napolitano a great deal, as did Mary Schroeder.
Schroeder gained notoriety while writing for the ninth circuit court during the spotted owl suits of the 90’s, “The endangered species list is not a list of animals to be written off. It is a mandate for all agencies involved to take aggressive steps to avoid a species extinction and preserve its viability,” wrote Schroeder.
Environmental groups called the courts decision “another significant victory for the spotted owl.”
Timber companies and foresters along with the communities affected by these decisions were devastated and said the court decision would lead to the demise of timber harvesting companies across the US.
I have believed for a very long time that Napolitano is being groomed for future responsibility in the Dem party. Would anyone care to dig up information on “Broom hollow”? I always wondered what/who the connection was there.
This woman needs to be fired and never allowed back into government. Calling people that believe in states' rights, right wing extremists is damn dangerous. Janet Napolitano is the extremist IMHO. I assume my membership in the NRA/USPSA/IPSC/GOP brands me as a right wing militant. 
