Documents show issues with wives, child support

SignOnSanDiego

Documents show issues with wives, child support

By Caitlin Rother
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

June 2, 2006

Republican Jim Galley, who is running for Congress as a “pro-traditional family” candidate, was married to two women at the same time, defaulted on his child support payments and has been accused of abuse by one of his ex-wives.

The San Diego Union-Tribune discovered the personal history in making public-records checks on Galley, who is making his fourth run for elective office in four years. These checks are part of the newspaper's election reporting process.

Galley married his second wife, Beth, in 1982 when, unbeknownst to her, he was still married to his first wife, Terry. Beth and Galley divorced in 1990 after she sought a restraining order alleging abuse.

The child support was owed to his first wife.

Galley said the contemporaneous marriages were a mistake because he thought his first divorce had been completed. He said the child support default was only for a few months and that the abuse allegation was made only to get him out of the house.

Before launching his campaign for the 51st Congressional District seat, the San Diego water treatment operator ran unsuccessfully for the San Diego City Council in 2002 and 2004 and a state Senate seat in 2004.

Although Galley, 50, has never held elective office, his campaign Web site says he is endorsed in Tuesday's primary election by a number of current and former Republican elected officials from San Diego County.

They include former Rep. Brian Bilbray, who is running to replace imprisoned former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham in the 50th District; former Assemblyman Howard Kaloogian; El Cajon Councilman Bob McClellan; and Assemblymen George Plescia and Mark Wyland. The site says Bruce Ruff, who is challenging Sheriff Bill Kolender, has also endorsed him.

Rep. Bob Filner, who has held the 51st District seat since 1992, is running against two fellow Democrats, Assemblyman Juan Vargas and Daniel “Danny” Ramirez, a Calexico businessman.

Galley's Republican opponent is Blake Miles, a teacher from El Centro. Dan “Frodo” Litwin, a San Diego software project manager, is the sole Libertarian in the race.

The district includes southern sections of San Diego, plus Chula Vista and National City, and stretches eastward along the border to encompass all of Imperial County.

Terry and Galley had been separated for about seven months when he married Beth in February 1982.

Terry said she filed for divorce but the papers her Legal Aid attorney sent for Galley's signature weren't returned. When Galley's mother told Terry that he had remarried, Terry said she called to remind him they were still married and asked him to sign the divorce papers.

The divorce was final in July 1983, 17 months after he had married Beth. (Galley and Beth married again in a confidential ceremony in August 1984.)

Terry said she went on welfare after she separated from Galley in July 1981. She provided Michigan court records to show Galley defaulted on support payments for their two children in the 1980s, which forced the Michigan welfare system to obtain the money through legal proceedings.

When asked about the child support, Galley first said he was only in default for several months because of a back injury. He later acknowledged that money was garnisheed from his paychecks for four years but said it was because of a billing mix-up and his money was ultimately refunded.

However, Beth, who is now Beth Bradford and lives in Santee, said Galley told her he couldn't afford the support payments to Terry because he was supporting Beth's two children.

Galley said that when he married Beth, “I had honestly thought that my divorce had gone through on the first marriage.”

Galley is married to his third wife, Carol.

In addition to his “pro-traditional family” stance, Galley promotes his belief in a “strong military.”

During interviews, Galley has touted his military service as an advantage over other candidates in the congressional race, saying he was drafted by the Navy during the Vietnam War. His Web site states, “I was drafted it (sic) to the Navy, serviced my time,” and then later joined the Army.

Galley's military records, obtained by the Union-Tribune through a Freedom of Information Act request, show he started his Navy service April 29, 1974, and was discharged less than six weeks later, while in “recruit training.”

Navy spokesman Lt. William Marks said the Navy stopped the draft July 1, 1973, nine months before Galley started his Navy service.

When asked about the discrepancy, Galley insisted that he was drafted, saying he was notified partway through training camp that the Navy had a “reduction in force” and no longer needed him.

Navy officials said privacy laws prevent them from saying whether Galley was drafted or volunteered. They also said they couldn't comment on the reason for his discharge. Marks would only say that Galley's explanations are “plausible.”

After serving in the Navy, Galley's Web site states, he went to work for General Motors, and then “because of massive layoffs in the '70s I enlisted into the Army.” His records show he did not enter the Army until February 1981. He left the Army in December 1984.

His explanation for this discrepancy: “I got the dates wrong.”

In February 1988, while Galley, Beth and her two teenage children were living in Lemon Grove, court records show that she obtained a temporary restraining order against Galley. She alleged in court records that she filed for the order after he repeatedly punched and kicked her, slapped her son twice and threatened to kill a neighbor.

“He used to only hit me and now he is hitting my children. I'm very scared of what my husband is capable of,” Beth wrote.

Galley said he never saw the court records. He also said her accusations are false. He said she filed the papers just to get him removed from the house.

Beth believes voters should know how Galley's personal history contradicts the foundation of his campaign. She started trying to bring attention to her ex-husband's past to state and federal elected officials when she learned he was running for office in 2004.

“What galls me the most, one that he has the . . . (nerve) to do this, thinking that he could get away with this and he has for all these years,” she said. “(And two) that he's got people believing in him.”

Caitlin Rother: (619) 542-4567; caitlin.rother@uniontrib.com