Maria Ruskiewicz

Another woman is on the record, claiming to have been harassed by disgraced Calumet County District Attorney Ken Kratz.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Associated Press:

A law student says a Wisconsin prosecutor under fire for sending racy text messages to a domestic abuse victim sent her similar texts in 2008 after agreeing to help her seek a pardon.

Maria Ruskiewicz told The Associated Press on Tuesday that she met Calumet County District Attorney Ken Kratz in his office in 2008 to discuss a decade-old drug conviction. Afterward, she says Kratz sent her text messages that soon turned harassing, including one that asked how she would please him in bed.

An Oklahoma City University of Law administrator confirmed that Ruskiewicz was so upset by the messages that they met in 2008 to discuss how to respond. A Wisconsin prosecutor also says Ruskiewicz told him last year about Kratz's conduct.

From the Green Bay Press-Gazette:

A law student said today that a Northeastern Wisconsin prosecutor accused of abusing his power to seek relationships with two other women also sent her sexually harassing text messages in 2008 while helping her seek a pardon for a drug conviction.

Maria Ruskiewicz said she believes Calumet County District Attorney Ken Kratz wanted sexual favors after agreeing to support her pardon. She said she met Kratz in his office and that afterward he sent her texts that soon turned harassing — including one that asked how she would impress him in bed.

Ruskiewicz, an Oklahoma City University law student, is the third woman in the past week to allege that Kratz acted inappropriately as district attorney.

“The reason why I’m coming forward is he abuses his power, not only with women, but with women in certain situations who are extremely vulnerable to his authority,” Ruskiewicz, 31, an Appleton native, told The Associated Press.

...Ruskiewicz said Kratz prosecuted her in 1997 on a charge of possession of marijuana with intent to deliver. She said she was a troubled teenager then but spent the next decade turning her life around, earning two college degrees before being accepted to law school.

She went to Kratz in 2008 asking for support for her bid to wipe away her felony past and seek advice for law school. She said they met in his office, where he asked an odd question about whether a boss could have a sexual relationship with a secretary. She said she was confused but grateful for his support for the pardon.

He gave her his cell phone number, and she texted him later to thank him for the help — a move she now calls a mistake.

She said his messages soon turned suggestive. She recalled him texting while he was on vacation in Michigan with his family asking her to impress him “in between naps.” She said he later pestered her when she didn’t answer.

Ruskiewicz said she did not want to alienate Kratz, who was critical for her pardon. After discussing the matter with relatives, she told him she was not interested and he said he would stop.

She said she didn’t hear from him for months but then got a message in which he asked to meet in person to discuss “a personal matter.” At the time, she was just starting law school.

Deborah Felice, the associate dean for students at the law school, said she met with Ruskiewicz at her request on Sept. 25, 2008, to discuss how to handle the messages.

“She said she was very upset because she was pursuing a pardon and the DA she was working with was sending her these text messages that were basically stalking her,” Felice said, adding that she was shown some of the messages.

Felice said she and Ruskiewicz met with a university lawyer five days later. They decided the best course of action was to ignore Kratz and hope he would go away. Felice said she spoke with Ruskiewicz weeks later and the messages had stopped, and “that’s the last I heard of it until this morning,” when she saw a segment about Kratz on national TV.

“I heard, ’Wisconsin DA sexting’ and I nearly died,” she said. “I thought, this has to be the same guy. It’s way out of line.”

Since Kratz is unwilling to resign, Gov. Jim Doyle has to remove him from his position.

Kratz's medical leave won't solve the problem.

Kratz is not fit to be a district attorney.

That said, it does appear that state Democrats and their media mouthpieces are happy to be focusing on the story of a Republican's wrongdoing.

As usual, the double standard is in play.

Maria Ruskiewicz did an on camera interview with TMJ4.

TMJ4 Video here.

WLUK video.



Ruskiewicz seems to be enjoying her moment in the spotlight. I think it's good that she came forward, but I'm always put off with individuals rushing to get on TV.
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UPDATE, September 21, 2010: Two more women step forward, accuse Kratz

At least two more women contended Tuesday that they had received sexually suggestive communications from Calumet County District Attorney Kenneth R. Kratz, bringing to four the number of women who have accused Kratz of inappropriate conduct.

One of the women, a 31-year-old law school student, said Kratz sent her sexually worded text messages in 2008 after he agreed to support her application for a pardon from a drug conviction.

Meanwhile, a lawyer representing the woman whose sexually charged text messages from Kratz were disclosed last week said Tuesday he was investigating claims from another woman who said she had received inappropriate messages from Kratz after she became a victim of domestic abuse.

The new accusations surfaced one day after the governor's office released a letter from a woman who said Kratz discussed confidential details of an active investigation with her during a date and later invited her to watch a crime victim's autopsy.

I'm getting sick of this.

Kratz should resign and end this circus.
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UPDATE, September 23, 2010: Kenosha County DA encouraged woman to go public with Kratz allegation
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UPDATE, September 25, 2010: Fifth woman has complaint about DA
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UPDATE, September 29, 2010: Embattled DA wasn't candid in statements, board says