A University, A Congressman & A President
This is an interactive timeline. It tracks the decade-plus events associated with the lawsuit and media campaign launched by the former US Congressman, Elton Gallegly, and his supporters against California Lutheran University. Citing a host of primary documents, this tool provides a fact-based account of the activities and decisions that undergird the public campaign and litigation processes that are ongoing.
1. Exploring Possibilities & Laying the Groundwork
Initial conversations and agreements between Gallegly and CLU begin. The concept for the Gallegly Center is born through personal meetings, formal agreements, and early fundraising efforts.
Key Events:
- The Galleglys host the first documented meeting with CLU. (Nov 20, 2012)
- Gallegly and CLU sign Deposit Agreement. (Dec 2012/Jan 2013)
- CLU hosts “Salute to Service” Gala. (Oct 3, 2013)
- Gallegly’s archives arrive at CLU. (circa 2013)
Relevant Documents:
2. Fundraising Challenges & Fellowship Deficits
CLU efforts to create and sustain fellowships and raise funds for other programs hit roadblocks. Financial gaps to fund the first fellowships emerge. To get the fellowships and other programs off the ground, CLU “fronts” fellowship start-up money and applies for grants to launch other Gallegly-related programs.
Key Events:
- CLU shares that Gala proceeds fall short of funding fellowships.
- Early fundraising reports show only modest gift income is generated; no endowment funds are raised.
- CLU writes and submits grant applications to fund center-related programs; proposals are rejected.
Relevant Documents:
3. Agreements Formalized, Center Greenlit
In 2017, CLU and Gallegly sign second written agreement (“Gift Agreement”) and board votes on a resolution. The latter permits campus administrators to move forward with the design and construction of a library annex to serve as the "Gallegly Center.” The official resolution language does not require a replica office or digitization of archives. In 2018, Gallegly sends third written agreement (Personal Property Letter) to CLU. Despite language of 2017 signed Gift Agreement, this document states the office furniture is a loan not a gift.
Key Events:
- Gallegly and CLU sign Gift Agreement. (Oct 2017)
- Gallegly writes, sends, and signs Personal Property Letter. (April 2017)
- CLU Board votes on resolution that green lights the design and construction of the library annex for the Gallegly Center. (Oct 2017)
- CLU completes library annex construction; the University open the Gallegly Center, displaying office furniture in the space; Gallegly’s files remain boxed and in storage (Early 2018)
Relevant Documents:
4. Barrage of Internal and External Challenges to CLU
Covid challenges dominate campus life and begin to intersect with the racial tensions affecting the campus and the country. President Kimball announces his forthcoming resignation, and the Board of Regents launches a national search for his replacement. Gallegly is growing more frustrated that his papers are still in storage and have not been archived. He begins to work with an attorney (the first of five to be involved in this case) to draft and send a tolling agreement to California Lutheran University.
Key Events:
- The impacts of Covid begin to emerge, and the CLU campus goes in remote teaching and learning mode. (March 2020)
- President Kimball hosts a zoom program on racial sensitivities during which a few faculty and staff send critical comments re: the Gallegly Center to the “e-chat room.” (May 2020)
- The Galleglys’ attorney sends first and second iterations of Tolling Agreements to CLU. (respectively, July and September 2020)
- Gallegly’s papers are still in storage (2020)
- Dr. Lori Varlotta becomes CLU president (Sept 1, 2020)
- Final tolling agreement sent to President Varlotta (September 20, 2020)
Relevant Documents:
5. Presidential Transition and Heightened Scrutiny
The Galleglys insist on meeting face-to-face with new president early in her tenure; she is focused on opening the campus after the pandemic lockdown. After several requests, President Varlotta hosts an in-person meeting with the Galleglys. The meeting goes well and ends on a high note with the Galleglys giving verbal “thank yous” and gratitude embraces. Within several months, however, the Galleglys become agitated when their requests for detailed financial records and donor gift histories are not provided at the level they desire.
Key Events:
- The Galleglys send final version of tolling agreement to Varlotta during her first month in office. (Sept, 2020)
- Amidst pressing pandemic challenges and receipt of tolling agreement, the new president meets twice with the Galleglys in her first semester. (Nov–Dec 2020)
- Initial meetings go well, but the Galleglys expand and escalate their requests.
- CLU cannot and does not approve all requests as articulated.
- The Galleglys become agitated that they are not being given the level of financial detail they request. They begin to organize AG complaints, PR firm engagement, and media campaign. (Summer 2021)
Relevant Documents:
6. Lawsuit & Coordinated Media Campaign
In November, the Galleglys file suit against CLU and launch an aggressive, ongoing media campaign targeting the university in general and then-President Varlotta specifically. At the very same time, President Varlotta becomes the CLU official who is
wiling and able to contract with professional archivists. At Varlotta’s instruction, these professionals get the former Congressman’s papers catalogued, preserved, and made accessible as called for in the written agreements.
By yearend 2021, all the Gallegly files are archived per contractual requirements that call CLU to “arrange, preserve, and catalogue according to generally accepted principles of archival administration and practice.”
No written agreement calls for any digitization, let alone full digitalization which is a highly extreme bar.
Key Events:
- The Galleglys file a lawsuit. (Nov 15, 2021)
- The Galleglys mobilize both a volunteer and paid operative to amplify public narrative to harm CLU and its president. (mid-late 2021)
- The Galleglys and associates ghostwrite and/or edit letters and op-eds for others to sign and to submit to local papers. (late 2021)
- Local papers publish many letters; all of them cast a negative light on CLU and its president. (late 2021)
- President Varlotta’s contracted archivists approach the completion of the archive project, readying it for display at the beginning of the next year.
Relevant Documents:
7. “The Plan” to Sabotage Varlotta’s Inauguration
Email records show the Galleglys, their volunteer Associates, and contracted PR firms collectively join efforts to intensify letter-writing and escalate media outreach to the national press. They have deliberately chosen the late December 2021-February 2022 time frame as the specific window for these robustly coordinated efforts. These are the exact weeks leading up to the President’s Inauguration. And the following emails confirm they choose this time period and these strategies to damage Varlotta and generate enough negative press to pressure the Board of Regents into canceling President Varlotta’s inauguration.
While the Galleglys and Associates are working behind the scenes to damage Varlotta, she is
working front and center to get the former Congressman’s files out of storage where they have been for years. As she pledged her November meeting with Gallegly, she is aiming to get the files into a professionally arranged library archive.
In early 2022, Varlotta becomes the CLU president who opens the University’s first archival collection, and the institution proudly makes it accessible to the public.
Key Events:
- New Year’s Eve 2021 text exchange where Elton instructs his contracted PR consultant, Rob Stutzman, to “turn up heat” on Varlotta.
- David Shechter and the Galleglys get friends and allies to send templated letters (critical of Varlotta) out to all CLU regents.
- The Galleglys and Associates amp up negative letter-writing campaign just before Varlotta’s inauguration in hopes to damage the event.
- Janice Gallegly admits, during her sworn deposition, that the goal of the late 2021-early 2022 PR efforts and letter writing campaigns was to convince the Board of Regents not to move forward with the inauguration of President Varlotta.
- The inauguration proceeds despite attempts to derail it.
Relevant Documents:
8. Renewed Public Attacks Pre-Trial
As Phase One of the trial approaches, the Galleglys and their Associates revive their letter-writing and media tactics, continuing to circulate false narratives about CLU and its presidential leadership.
Key Events:
- Shechter organizes another letter wave. (Spring-Summer 2023).
- The Galleglys, Shectner, and other allies continue providing templates for letters that will spread misinformation meant to harm CLU and its president.
Relevant Documents:
9. Phase One of Trial & Dramatic Reversal
Phase One of the Trial took place July-August 2024 with a Statement of Intended Decision Decision—in the Galleglys’ favor—coming out in early Fall 2024. A few months later, the Court’s final Statement of Decision goes in a completely different direction, handing a decisive and critical win to CLU.
Key Events:
- Phase one of the Trial takes place. (July 15 – Aug 7, 2024)
- A Statement of Intended Decision Decision, in the Galleglys’ favor, is issued. (Sept 18, 2024)
- A complete reversal of the Statement of Intended Decision comes out in the Statement of Decision; this final decision hands a critical win to CLU. (Dec 13, 2024)
Relevant Documents:
10. Judge Transitions, Legal Team Changes
Judge Walsh retires. The case sees a new judge who asks to be removed due to a conflict. A third judge is appointed and then dismissed on appeal. A fourth judge is appointed and presides at the time of this writing. The Galleglys secure a new team of attorneys, the fifth team to work on his case. In the meantime, the national media for higher education is learning about the many dimensions of this case. A key industry newspaper, The Chronicle of Higher Education, publishes a detailed article on the case on May 7, 2025.
Key Events:
- New judge assigned (Jan 2025)
- The Galleglys’ 4th attorney files a motion to be released from his duties as their attorney. (Jan 2025)
- UMK LLP steps in as new counsel (April 2025)
- US Higher Education press covers the case with detailed article (May 2025)