Gallegos, 52, announced last November that he was not going to run for a fourth term. The decision was multifaceted, Gallegos said.
“I saw that the job as a district attorney is to make tough decisions all the time,” Gallegos said. “To make tough decisions on behalf of the community, and to protect the individual from the community and to protect the community from the individual.”
Over the years, Gallegos launched a controversial and ultimately unsuccessful lawsuit against the Pacific Lumber Company, survived the resulting recall attempt, was re-elected twice, saw many of his experienced prosecutors leave, and was criticized for his office’s charging decisions in several cases, but along the way he persistently maintained that his No. 1 priority was equal access to government for all of the citizens of Humboldt County.
Gallegos said he prefers not to dwell on the past 12 years, and that it is time for him to move on.
This realization was spurred by his oldest son — who wasn’t even in elementary school when Gallegos took office — leaving for college.
“Because the community had entrusted me with this position, I felt that my priority needed to be the community,” he said. “Twelve years later, my kid is getting ready to go to college and I was confronted with all the things I wanted to do with him that I hadn’t done. I am not going to let that happen with my other kids, I won’t get to undo those things, but I’m going to be there for my kids.”
Gallegos also has a daughter in high school and a son who is 12.
He plans to return to working with his wife at the private law firm they started together and take the time to surf, hike and climb mountains with his kids. He said his wife tells him almost every day how happy she is about his decision.
Sunday, January 04, 2015
Fleming to make Humboldt DA history on Monday
◼ Paul Gallegos prepares to leave office after 12 years as Humboldt County district attorney. - Juniper Rose, Eureka Times-Standard 01/03/15, 10:09 PM PST
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When he wasn't losing cases and being called "seriously ill-prepared and inept" by jurors, he was "surf[ing], hik[ing] and climb[ing] mountains with his kids." So this is just a bunch of BS. His wife is a hard-working attorney who will be upset that she has to support the family while this a'hole is out goofing around.
ReplyDeleteHis wife is a heatless attorney who cares about making money, not the horrible debt she leaves her clients or the awful agreements she talks them into. Families of Humboldt County would be for the better if she would retire with him.
ReplyDeleteAre you speaking about Rosemarie or Joan Gallegos?
DeleteOf course Joan thanks him for his decision. Now he can be an embarassment semi-privately.
ReplyDeleteWho cares what pretty boy Paulie is up to? He is gone. Maggie Fleming has her hands full with the mess he left.
Maggie is facing 70 frozen positions just with the DA, Public Defender, Sheriff, Corrections, and Probation that she will need for the criminal justice system to work. Measure Z won't be enough. It has been covered in detail that the COH underfunds the DA's office compared to other Counties. Perhaps the mud would have stuck onto Paul if you found a link between his decisions and campaign contributions. Now, today, Monday, there is no reason for this blog whatsoever. Few bought your arguments against Paul—hence he got reelected until he chose his exit.Take care of that nerve.
ReplyDeleteHe got re-elected Dickie from all that grow money and losers like his buddy attorneys who ripped off growers.
DeleteSo Salzshit and you Dickie trolls, go sell your soul a bit more.
Fuck you Richard. Wish it was you that was leaving.
ReplyDelete