Exactly what does my private life have to do with a public elected officials PUBLIC record and PUBLIC life that he willingly got himself voted into? Nothing. Exactly what does my personal issues have to with his when I am not the one asking to be held to a higher standard by sitting in a position his constituents depend upon him for? Nothing. Exactly how does MY personal life (or my husbands) affect anyone else in this district? Not at all! But Commissioner Ruben's personal problem has surely affected the life of a constituent very personally now! Answer any of those questions regarding Commissioner Ruben and yes, as an elected official in charge of making decisions that affect a multitude of people dependent upon his GOOD CHARACTER, SOUND DECISION MAKING, and INTEGRITY and I think he fails miserably. There's no slander in that when it's obvious in his PUBLIC record. However, there is huge slander in dragging my husband into this and my personal history out for everyone to judge. Especially when those hiding behind this "John 8:32" scripture have very public histories that are nothing to be proud of. It's deflection at it's worst. Is that how the Southern Manatee Fire Department operates now? Deflect everything so no one can see anything for all the smoke and mirrors? Is that how the firefighters want it to work? Is that what the Union is promoting? Just how dirty do you want to get John 8:32???? Once again, it's so obvious I've struck a nerve with the last post about Commissioner Ruben. So much so that the firefighters would DEFEND his actions by attacking my public record which is intertwined with at least two other Deborah Willis' (Deborah L., and Deborah J.) in this county (one of which has a very criminal record that I've oft come up against). So, while "slinging the mud" back at me, facts are screwed up and assumptions made without knowing what they're talking about. Feathers in the wind again- you are so good at throwing out the feathers you cannot collect! Worst yet, you are dredging up history over 20 years old on my husband who's had nothing whatsoever to do with any of this. What a cheap, despicable shot!
As for my husband, don't even remotely suggest anyone should be glad no one was near him on a bicycle! What a disgusting and disrespectful thing to insinuate in light of a horrendous tragedy! Those charges are over 20 years old and was a very costly, expensive lesson of a stop with a much younger man (mid twenties). Yes, it DID involve fleeing the police, a "concealed" weapon (his sheath knife from hunting was in the car) and careless driving that he pled GUILTY to because he took responsibility for his actions at the time and then probation and paid his dues for his offense. At least Doug owned up immediately to his actions and didn't try to weasel out of it like Commissioner Ruben has on everything he's done up to this point! So just leave my husband out of this! You're playing with fire on this one.
But it does make a difference if I'm in charge of it and my own finances aren't, such as Commissioner Ruben's weren't for most of the past couple of years! I didn't do the things Ruben has done and then try to get out of my consequences. I only listed his accidents. Had I really wanted to dredge up dirt I could have gone way overboard and been very inappropriate in mentioning a lot of personal issues in detail. Do you really want to pursue this foreclosure business in depth? It's practically a story by itself and with enough research, I've no doubt my list would show I'm not alone in these difficulties. NO ONE is escaping that very much these days. Those who accuse are usually the guilty parties of what they're accusing. I'm not the one throwing stones and living in a glass house.
