He settled in Los Angeles in 1896 and studied law while clerking for United States District Attorney Frank Putnam Flint, later being admitted to the California bar in 1899.

In 1910, he ran against Fredericks for District Attorney of Los Angeles County and was endorsed by the Good Government Organization, Democrats, union leaders, and some Republicans including United States Senator Frank Putnam Flint.

[9][10] He served a two-year term due to a change in election years for the office, and during his tenure helped create three new departments of the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors, convicted a number of arsonists, and prosecuted against police chief Charles E. Sebastian.

In his second term, he went after wholesale bakers who conspired to raise bread prices during World War I, with his efforts lauded by the United States Department of Justice.

[4] In 1918, he ran for governor on the Democratic ticket but lost the primary to Francis J. Heney and Republican James Rolph, who cross-filed but was unable to participate in the election due to not winning his own party's nomination.

[12] In 1922, he announced that he was running in the 1922 California gubernatorial election and won the Democrat primary, being supported by Charlie Chaplin, Tom Mix, and Thomas H. Ince as well as some Republican organizations.