[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 39 (Thursday, March 5, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E566]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     IN TRIBUTE TO CHRISTIE STANLEY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELTON GALLEGLY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 5, 2009

  Mr. GALLEGLY. Madam Speaker, I rise in tribute to my friend Christie 
Stanley, District Attorney for the County of Santa Barbara, California.
  Christie Stanley joined the District Attorney's Office in 1980 and 
quickly moved into supervisory positions, including 15 years as 
Assistant District Attorney for the North County, where she was 
responsible for the day-to-day operations of all the District 
Attorney's Office's business north of the Gaviota Pass.
  The hundreds of cases she prosecuted include two Crips gang members 
who came from Los Angeles and ambushed a Lompoc police officer as he 
responded to their call for help. The shooter is serving a life 
sentence for attempted murder.
  Many murder cases she prosecuted were domestic violence cases, a 
cause she deeply believes in. The cases include a triple murder in 
which the defendant is serving three consecutive life sentences, two 
without the possibility of parole.
  Christie Stanley's outstanding career led to her election as District 
Attorney in June 2006. With a nearly perfect conviction rate, Santa 
Barbara voters gave her an overwhelming vote of confidence with 70 
percent of the vote.
  She has not let them down.
  As District Attorney, Mrs. Stanley supervises 52 prosecuting 
attorneys, 24 investigators, and victims advocates and support staff 
with offices in Santa Barbara, Santa Maria and Lompoc. She has earned 
their loyalty. They share her vision of upholding the law with a 
combination of fairness and firmness.
  District Attorney Stanley traces her career as a prosecuting attorney 
to a favorite uncle who was murdered in a small town in Kansas. Her 
uncle's killer was caught and brought through the town square where the 
townspeople were bent on vengeance. In Christie's words:
  ``The officers who had him in custody, friends and colleagues of my 
uncle, brought the killer in safely so he could be prosecuted. I was 
and am consistently impressed by law enforcement professionals who do 
the right thing, even when it is the hard thing to do.''
  That attitude has earned District Attorney Stanley the respect and 
cooperation of law enforcement officers at every level, the respect and 
gratitude of crime victims, and animosity from criminals of every 
stripe.
  Madam Speaker, tomorrow California State Senator Tony Strickland will 
honor Christie Stanley as the 19th Senate District Woman of the Year. 
It is a well deserved honor for a tough and respected prosecutor. I 
know my colleagues will join me in congratulating District Attorney 
Christie Stanley and in thanking her for dedicated and unflagging 
service to the people of Santa Barbara County.

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