Rabello: No legal basis to overturn State Comptroller election

Michael Rabello, who was elected as Israel's next state comptroller, has formally responded to the High Court of Justice, arguing there is no legal ground to cancel the Knesset vote that selected him. Rabello, who serves as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's personal attorney, was elected on June 3 amidst a contentious vote.

Opposition members of Knesset alleged that coalition lawmakers were instructed to photograph their ballots, violating the secret ballot requirement for electing the state comptroller. This controversy followed a close first round of voting where neither candidate secured the necessary 61 votes. Rabello ultimately defeated retired Supreme Court justice Yosef Elron 61-57 in a restarted second round.

In his preliminary response, filed through attorney Ofek Bruck, Rabello presented two main arguments: that no personal disqualification prevents him from serving, and that the voting procedure, despite controversy, was not unlawful enough to warrant judicial intervention. He stated he accepts the role with "a deep sense of responsibility and full commitment to all citizens of Israel" and rejected claims of political dependence.

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At the outset, he “accepts the role to which he was elected with a deep sense of responsibility and full commitment to all citizens of Israel.

Rabello contended that the petitions wrongly attempt to transform criticism of his professional history into a legal barrier. He emphasized that the law grants Knesset members the discretion to choose the comptroller, and they elected him with his professional background fully known. He highlighted his three decades as a private sector attorney, representing diverse clients, and stated he left a "comfortable and quiet" private life to contribute to the state.

His response asserts that it should be presumed he will act with "integrity, fairness, and backbone" for all citizens. Rabello acknowledged the requirement for independence but argued that existing legal provisions already address this, and the Knesset members made their choice based on the available information.

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It should be presumed that the respondent will act for all citizens of the state in the role of state comptroller to which he was lawfully elected.