irv weintraubThe Jewish Journal is quoting sources as saying that Irv Weintraub is a “late addition” to a 3-way race to become the next president of the Los Angeles Jewish Federation. According to yesterday’s article, he’s now No. 4 on the short list. The paper explained that the former William Morris COO and board member is under consideration because ‘He has industry connections,’ said someone familiar with the process. ‘He ran a big corporation, and he’s been very involved in the Federation as a lay leader.’” Not much has been heard from Weintraub by Hollywood since the takeover of the Morris office by Endeavor last spring. Back then, he was prevented from joining the WME Entertainment board to make way for Morris music division head Peter Grosslight, and then pushed out of the newly combined agency altogether. (WME toppers saw Weintraub as a divisive figure and wanted no part of him. His June separation was never formally announced or even publicly acknowledged. First, Irv was supposedly on a vacation. Then he just wasn’t in the office.) The reason for all the secrecy was that he threatened a lawsuit against his old Morris partners and the new WME board, which in turn promised to take a hardline and put everything he did at Morris under a microscope. (See my previous, WMA COO Irv Weintraub Battles His Ouster.) Interesting that the Jewish Federation wants him for his Hollywood friends.

Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.