ER - Educate yourself before voting

Educate yourself before voting
by Nancy Comer, 5/12/2006

Anyone who is considering voting for Paul Gallegos on June 6, needs to educate themselves, as I did, by reading the 2004-2005 Grand Jury Report. There, beginning on page 31 is a review of the Child Abuse Services Team. Beginning on page 34 is an investigation of the District Attorney Criminal Division.

I strongly urge you to take the time and go to: www.co.humboldt.ca.us/grandjury.com and learn about how Mr. Gallegos has destroyed his office from within and decimated critical programs. These programs include CAST, the Sexual Abuse Response Team, the Victim/Witness Program and Domestic Violence Program. The CAST program is currently running on a shoestring, with approximately 70 percent of the program having been slashed away by Gallegos. Yet somehow, he has the audacity to claim that he cares about child and adult victims of sexual and other violent crimes.

Gallegos initiated an economic crimes unit, headed by Tim Stoen, (who is thankfully gone, after the failed PALCO and Debi August cases). It is my understanding that this unit either failed to file cases, or charges were reduced, or the cases were just outright dismissed. These cases involved delinquent hotel bed taxes, money laundering and fraudulent worker’s compensation claims. While these are serious matters, the unit was ineffective, a waste of time, and at the expense of crucial services to the victims of crime. What will Gallegos dabble in next, while ignoring what his top priorities should be?

It is very disturbing to me that Gallegos chooses to distance himself from local law enforcement, when it is his absolute responsibility to work closely with them. While it is very heartening that Worth Dikeman, candidate for the DA’s office, has received 100 percent full support from every local law enforcement agency, I believe it is very telling; Gallegos does not have the trust or the confidence of law enforcement.

We are not talking about the “good ole boy” network here. We are talking about the men and women who are willing to serve us each day, often with great danger to their lives. I met many of these fine people during the fifteen years I worked for the Superior Court. They are dedicated, hard-working people. There has been an absolute alienation of law enforcement by the District Attorney, the very people who work for him. Gallegos has a badge just as they do; he is law enforcement!

I voted for Paul Gallegos in 2002, and for that I truly apologize to this community. The best I can do now is to help educate my fellow citizens, so that we do not have to endure four more years of an incompetent District Attorney.

Worth Dikeman is a man with integrity, credibility, accountability and character. He truly cares about the law and the victims of crime. He is looking to restore confidence in the DA’s office, with its employees, law enforcement and the public. He understands just how critical the victims programs are. Please join me in voting for Worth Dikeman on June 6.

(Nancy Comer is a Eureka resident)

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