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RE: Press Democrat on Gallegos Recall
Michael Twombly
May 20, 2003 12:06 PDT
From Michael Shellenberger:
This article really pissed me off. I called Mike to ask him why he
didn’t refer to yesterday’s ruling which changes everything! I haven’t
heard back from him yet. If doesn’t write about the ruling for tomorrow
I’d like to ask people to swamp the PD with letters to the editor.
Michael Twombly wrote:
May 20, 2003
By MIKE GENIELLA
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
EUREKA -- Only five months in office, Humboldt County District Attorney
Paul Gallegos finds himself at the center of the biggest political storm
to lash the county since the tumultuous days of the 1990 "Redwood
Summer" of anti-logging protests.
His critics include local business, civic and timber industry leaders,
and on Monday, a 40-member committee followed up on recall threats by
formally launching a petition drive.
The campaign needs 11,000 signatures of registered county voters by
October to force an election, perhaps as early as November.
The recall campaign blames Gallegos for a multitude of wrongs: the
filing of a civil fraud case against Pacific Lumber Co., the region's
biggest private employer; his pro-medical marijuana stance; and his "too
soft" handling of a criminal case involving two men charged in a Eureka
drive-by shooting spree.
Pacific Lumber President Robert Manne has denounced Gallegos.
"Unfortunately, the district attorney demonstrates a signficiant
misunderstanding of the facts surrounding the Headwaters agreeement and
its approval and implemention," he said. "In fact, the D.A.'s most
recent press release misstates the true contents of the frivolous
complaint he has filed against our company."
Gallegos and his supporters blame "shady political operatives" for
mounting the recall effort on behalf of the "rich and powerful."
Gallegos, a surfing Southern California attorney who moved to Eureka 10
years ago, staunchly defends filing the contentious civil case against
Pacific Lumber. He accused the company of committing fraud by falsifying
data during negotiations for public purchase of Headwaters Forest in
1998.
"It's truly frightening to see a tiny group telling lies in a recall
campaign to thwart our prosecution of Pacific Lumber," Gallegos said.
His supporters lauded a Humboldt County Superior Court decision issued
Monday that concluded state approval of Pacific Lumber's long-term
timber management plans was flawed -- a contention Gallegos made in his
fraud case.
Gallegos' public declarations are combative, but away from the local TV
cameras and news media microphones his demeanor is more subtle.
Soft-spoken and affable, the 40-year-old Gallegos admitted that despite
his apparent bravado, he's an amateur when it comes to the
rough-and-tumble politics typical of the North Coast, and especially in
big timber country.
He has never held public office before, nor has he been involved in
political campaigns or community activism at any level.
"I've never joined a local chamber of commerce or a Rotary Club, and
until now, I've never been involved in environmental law or related
issues," he said.
Gallegos and his supporters see that as a sign of virtue.
But the new district attorney's dearth of experience has some people
predicting his new political career may be short-lived.
On April 25, the Eureka Times Standard newspaper editorialized that
Gallegos could be recalled before his first term is over.
It noted Gallegos, during his short time in office, "has managed to
monopolize the front page of this newspaper as no other politician in
recent memory. He may have gotten more ink in a few weeks than his
predecessor received in years of service to the people of Humboldt
County."
Gallegos scoffed at such criticism.
He said the editorial reflects the shock Humboldt's political
establishment is still feeling after his unexpected victory last year by
a 52 precent to 48 percent margin over 20-year District Attorney Terry
Farmer.
"After the election, the feeling was palpable. The establishment was
badly shaken," Gallegos said.
He denied he ran for district attorney on an anti-Farmer, or for that
matter, an "anti-establishment" platform, in an appeal for votes from
the county's environmental community. He makes clear, however, that he
considers himself an outsider looking in.
Gallegos said he suspected he might have a fight on his hands when he
took office in January.
"I was cognizant that once knocked to its knees, the establishment would
work hard to get back up and take some swings," he said.
For now, Gallegos is settled into his fourth-floor courthouse corner
office, which offers sweeping views of Humboldt Bay, including the ocean
surf that still beckons him despite a recent serious surfing injury.
Gallegos warmly welcomes visitors and happily shows them multiple photos
of his wife, Joan, and their three young children -- two girls and a
baby boy.
Gallegos grew up far from the California coast, on a small farm adjacent
to the historic Bull Run Battle Field near Washington. His father worked
at the Pentagon and his mother owned a private school offering
Montessori teaching methods.
Gallegos, the third youngest of 11 children, described his family life
as "blessed."
He recalls a happy childhood, including helping his older brothers
during summers bale hay on the Civil War battlefield that adjoined the
family farm. In high school, Gallegos was a wrestling star. Later, while
attending the University of Southern California, he was a competitive
swimmer and a fledgling surfer.
Gallegos and his wife met when they were both law students at the
University of LaVerne in Los Angeles County.
They moved to Eureka 10 years ago and opened the Gallegos Gallegos law
office in Old Town.
Gallegos decided to run for district attorney at the urging of his wife
and a group of close friends.
"We knew we had to think out of the box, and we did," he said.
Since his election, Gallegos has found a new political mentor --
Mendocino County District Attorney Norman Vroman.
"Norm's been very helpful. He's been through some of this," Gallegos
said.
Vroman, in fact, was the target of a recall effort soon after he took
office five years ago, but it faltered and the he easily won re-election
in 2002.
"I just tell Paul to keep his head down and keep moving straight ahead,"
Vroman said. "That's about all you can do. Things will take care of
themselves."
Gallegos has circulated to local newspapers a letter of support from
Vroman. The letter concludes, "It's important for the people of Humboldt
County to know that other district attorneys applaud your efforts."
Working at Gallegos' side is Tim Stoen, one of Vroman's former
prosecutors and now Gallegos' chief deputy.
Stoen, with Gallegos' blessing, on Feb. 24 filed the controversial case
against Pacific Lumber, a lawsuit pulled together in less than two
months. Stoen accused Pacific Lumber of hatching a "bait-and-switch
scheme" involving falsified environmental data.
Stoen said the alleged scheme allowed the company to obtain more
favorable logging volumes from state and federal agencies as part of the
$480 million public acquisition of Headwaters Forest in 1998.
Pacific Lumber and government agencies deny the allegations, arguing
Gallegos and Stoen simply misunderstand the facts surrounding the
Headwaters agreement.
A few weeks after the lawsuit was filed, Humboldt County supervisors
delivered a stinging rebuke to Gallegos by voting 4-1 against providing
his office with additional money to retain outside legal counsel to
assist in the case.
Now, Pacific Lumber lawyers have moved to have a Humboldt County
Superior Court dismiss the case and requested that sanctions be imposed
on Gallegos for filing a "frivolous" lawsuit. A hearing is set Friday.
Despite pressure from unhappy timber industry representatives, Pacific
Lumber workers and local vendors, Gallegos said he's determined to
pursue the fraud case.
"My response is that if you're complying with the law, there's no reason
to feel angry," he said.
As for Stoen's role in the case, Gallegos professed not to understand
why that may have raised eyebrows in some Humboldt quarters.
Under Vroman, Stoen engaged in litigation targeting some timber harvest
operators. He successfully won a $150,000 settlement in a case completed
after he went to work for Gallegos.
In addition, Stoen nearly three decades ago was chief counsel to cult
leader Jim Jones. Stoen eventually turned against Jones and led a
well-publicized but unsuccessful effort to retrieve his 6-year-old son
from Jonestown before the boy and more than 900 followers died in the
jungles of Guyana.
"Tim Stoen is a fine attorney. I feel the criticism of him is unfair,"
Gallegos said.
Gallegos is unrepentant about his or Stoen's conduct since taking
office.
"When I was sworn in last January, I promised to put the interests of
the community over my own personal interests," he said. "I'm doing that.
I'm not embarrassed by anything I've done."
You can reach Staff Writer Mike Geniella at 462-6470 or
mgeni-@pressdemocrat.com.
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