Former Alaska State Trooper Sues Alaska Gov. Fred Galle over Sexual Harassment

Alaska governor candidate faces sexual harassment lawsuit

Republican candidate Fred Galle on Thursday pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges filed by a former Alaska state trooper.

Former Alaska State Trooper Gary Ritter is suing Alaska governor candidate Fred Galle over sexual harassment allegations he made in his 2004 political campaign, according to a lawsuit obtained by the Associated Press.

Galle, a former state trooper, was sentenced to a year of probation after he admitted guilt in the sexual harassment charge.

His attorney, John MacDougall, said Galle’s wife, Cindy, was on the campaign trail and witnessed some of the harassment.

MacDougall said they’re confident that an outside investigation will confirm the allegations against his client, who was the Republican nominee for governor in 2004.

Alaska State Trooper Mark Chudy and another trooper, Steven McCandless, were indicted by a grand jury in April.

Galle was the only candidate on the ballot during the 2004 election, which was dominated by the scandal over a scandal involving Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

In the suit, McCandless described Galle as “a serial sexual harasser and predator,” with “a propensity for violence, and for making harassing and lewd comments about female members of the campaign team, as well as female members of the public and even female state troopers.”

Galle’s attorney, Mark Ziegenbein, said his client denies the allegations in the civil suit, and would contest them via an appeal.

“We will go to trial,” Ziegenbein said.

The Associated Press obtained a copy of the suit on Tuesday.

Galle’s accuser in the case, Trooper Chudy, said he was trying to report another incident of harassment between himself and Galle.

“I believed and still believe that Mr. Galle engaged in conduct that is outrageous and intolerable in a person holding

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