To the Editor:
I read with interest Ms. Ruocco's recent letter that she did not knowingly take Kolker for Judge's campaign slogan and social media posts. She also claimed she did not use the Kolker for Judge slogan of "Raising the Bar."
First, the slogan was prominently displayed on both her Facebook page and campaign website. It was only put there after the Kolker for Judge campaign first used it. As Ronald Reagan famously said, "facts are stubborn things."
Second, Ruocco claims she did not realize she was stealing a post from Kolker for Judge’s Facebook page that was created by his campaign team. The problem with this explanation is that it was created for Kolker's campaign and taken from the campaign’s Facebook page.
Third, Ruocco purposefully copied various posts from Kolker for Judge's Facebook page and claimed them as hers. To share something on social media gives credit to its origin. To copy it does not.
Finally, Ruocco's claims that she never ran with embattled Judge Ron Duebbert is just not true. However, there is a picture that shows them campaigning together in a parade with Ruocco's quote that they were having post parade "fun.” Currently, Duebbert faces felony sex abuse charges. Not politics. Facts.
While these matters are all trivial in the grand scheme of things, we believe that they speak to character and judgment.
The Kolker campaign set out to, and has thus far been successful at, establishing a prominent and well-run campaign. Judge Kolker has nearly five years of judicial experience on his side, not to mention some of the highest Bar ratings in the county. He is known to be fair, thoughtful and well-reasoned in his proceedings. To call into question Judge Kolker’s ethics is laughable at best.
As we have mentioned, we are flattered that Ruocco endorses Judge Kolker's campaign ideas to "Raise the Bar" so we have better judges. Judge Kolker chose that slogan because he already practices what he preaches. Besides his community outreach, educational outreach, charitable giving and mentoring, Kolker also voluntary drug tests regularly. He knows that there is a negative perception of the judiciary and he has been working to change that. His slogan has been his credo since he was appointed to serve the residents of St. Clair County.
Todd Mathews
Campaign chairman, Kolker for Judge