Galanis calls it a career
Magistrate insists he is retiring, not resigning

By Bill Donovan
Staff Writer

GALLUP — George Galanis stepped down Friday as a magistrate judge.

The action took place less than a month after the Judicial Standards Commission asked the state's Supreme Court to temporarily suspend him.

In an interview Friday night at Ranch Kitchen, a restaurant owned by Galanis, he stressed that he did not resign.

"I'm 63 years old," he said. "I simply retired."

Galanis, a former mayor of Gallup and a long-time politician in this area, said his decision to retire will allow him to spend more time with his businesses, which also includes an arts and crafts store located within the restaurant.

The state Supreme Court has declined to give out any details of the allegations, placing them under seal, but several sources have said that the charges against Galanis deal with allegations he failed to perform his administrative duties properly, coming in late and leaving early so he could attend to his business affairs.

There were also allegations that he conducted court business at the Ranch Kitchen.

Galanis denied the allegations, saying that if he had fought the charges, he would have won, but decided that the cost to fight would have been too expensive.

"I think I have been an excellent judge," he said, adding that he never missed a docket or failed to perform his judicial duties.

There were many times, he said, when police would call on him three or four times a night to sign arrest warrants.

"I probably signed more warrants than the other two judges combined," Galanis said, adding that it was not uncommon for him to be awakened at night with two or three calls after midnight asking him to sign warrants since the other two magistrate judges lived more than 20 miles from the city.

He said he also feels he was a popular judge because he always tried to be fair to those who came before him.

"I wasn't really interested in playing meaningless games," he said. "I was into providing justice and making sure everyone who came before me received a fair trial and due process."

Galanis' political career goes back more than 30 years and 23 elections, including primaries. He won 21 of them, losing only his first race and his more recent attempt to get elected to the Public Regulatory Commission.

He said he continues to get a lot of support from a wide range of friends, relatives and supporters, many of whom sent him letters after the news became public that he was under investigation.

He dismisses the allegations against him, saying he feels they were politically motivated and without substance. There are no allegations, he stressed, that he used his position in any way for personal gain.

"I hope with my retirement that this ends the matter," he said.

Karen Janes, head of the Magistrate division in the Administrative Office of the Courts, said the search for Galanis' successor will probably begin next week.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.