Support for Rusk

by Chris Hoffman, former Ravalli County Sheriff, Corvallis

I am compelled to write a letter in support of Wayne Rusk. The race has come to my attention because of the public and personal attacks leveled against Wayne. The tone of these attacks is beneath what we should all expect from political campaigns in the Bitterroot. Besides, Wayne Rusk has not tried to keep his record of nearly a decade ago a secret.

I know Wayne Rusk to be a level-headed man who measures his words. He thinks before he speaks. If you spend any time at all around Wayne, you quickly find out that he is a man of deep conviction. Wayne is well spoken and comes across as a well-read individual whose patriotism comes from careful study of this country’s foundations and our history since.

Wayne Rusk certainly went through a rough spell back in 2013 and if you ask Wayne, he’ll be the first to tell you about those incidents. More importantly, you’ll hear him take responsibility for his actions which, to my knowledge, he always has. You’ll also hear him openly talk about what he has learned about himself and the steps he has taken to ensure that he never repeats the mistakes of his past.

After a 32-year career as a peace officer, I can tell you that the way Wayne handled his problems is the way everyone involved in the public safety profession wishes people would. I, for one, will throw no rocks at a person who has acknowledged their mistakes, paid for their transgressions to the community, and come out the other side committed to serving his neighbors in meaningful ways. Wayne Rusk is such a man and I wholeheartedly support him in his bid for election to the HD 88 seat. I know that, if elected, he will make us proud in Helena.