By Mike Harris Monday, September 8th, 2025

Former congressman Elton Gallegly, R-Simi Valley, and California Lutheran University announced Sept. 8 that they have resolved Gallegly’s 2021 breach of contract lawsuit against the school.

“Through open dialogue, the Gallegly’s and CLU have resolved their differences and are focused on the shared values that originally brought them together to create the University’s Elton and Janice Gallegly Center for Public Service and Civic Engagement,” the parties said in a press release.

Gallegly’s wife Janice was also a plaintiff in the suit.

“Both parties are united in their belief in the vital mission of the University and the role of the University’s Gallegly Center in shaping future generations of leaders, thinkers, and changemakers,” the release says.

Elton Gallegly said in a statement that he and his wife “are grateful for the honest conversations and mutual goodwill that brought us to this resolution.

“We have confidence in CLU’s leadership, its stewardship of philanthropic contributions, and its ongoing dedication to civic engagement and educating the next generation of public servants and leaders,” he said.

Cal Lutheran President John Nunes said “we’re excited about the renewed energy and focus around CLU’s Gallegly Center.

“The Center has the potential to provide a much-needed forum that fosters civil discourse and encourages the exploration of differing viewpoints where students, faculty, and the CLU community can engage in thoughtful, respectful dialogue on a wide range of topics, including socially, politically, and culturally sensitive issues,” Nunes said.

The Gallegly’s lawsuit alleged Cal Lutheran failed to fully establish on its Thousand Oaks campus the Elton and Janice Gallegly Center for Public Service and Civic Engagement with 26 years’ worth of congressional archives.

Gallegly is Ventura County’s longest-serving member of Congress – from 1987 through 2013 – and was the first elected mayor of Simi Valley, which incorporated in 1969. 

The lawsuit, which also alleged breach of fiduciary duty, sought a full accounting of how the university has used the more than $1 million raised by the Gallegly’s to support the center.