Rosenthal deserves raves, not reprimand

This is a response to an Oct. 23 Gazette article that Eric Rosenthal had been reprimanded by the Iowa Ethics Board for his financial actions as the 2004 Linn County Republican chairman. I got to know him and his family very well during the 2004 election year. Being retired, I worked with him daily, such as picking thousands of yard signs from West Des Moines so that Rosenthal could hand deliver them to many places all over Eastern Iowa.

What I did for him was a small fraction of the things I knew he was doing without much help. I know that a lot of his expenses he paid out of his pocket.

I got involved in politics because I was inspired by Rosenthal and his passion for his principles and his integrity.

Rosenthal made a big difference in Eastern Iowa for the 2004 election but instead of kudos, he was derided by a small group of people of uninvolved people.

Kathy Potts made it her stated mission to go after Rosenthal legally. It was because of her attitude and dictatorial demeanor that I stopped attending meetings that she ran.

I was not surprised to find that it was Potts who filed the complaint with the ethics board.

Donald W. Hatfield

Cedar Rapids