August 25" 2010 ‘The Citizens of Pasadena, So many people have asked me to speak out about “ The Story behind Derek Fink and Myself”. We have been associated with Derek since he was 14. My husband and I had come to think of him as a second son. We have always supported his, desire for a political career. Over the years we have tried to introduce him to people who would help and guide him. That is how he came to know the Ehrlichs and Steve Schuh. I even cosigned for his house. It was supposed to be only for 3 years until he could get himself established. As you know even though he is now married my name is still on the deed. This is something that is really a sore point. The restaurant in Glen Burnie came about only for the benefit of Derek and his political career. Since he was working in Washington at the time he never had time for local politics. With the restaurant he could spend his evenings and weekends developing his career and making new contacts. My husband and I financed the whole operation. As a partner the arrangement was he would work and manage the business, but if he won I would take over while he was in session, Derek made a good salary for a start up business. Things started to go wrong around after about one year. I noticed he was spending less and less time at work. Since he was getting ready for his upcoming wedding I assumed it was because of that. In the meanwhile I am helping hold fundraisers and promoting him. We even held his rehearsal dinner and paid for it, at the restaurant for 50 people. I am telling you all this so you will understand how committed we were to him. My husband, Lee and I had a meeting with Derek soon after telling him that he had to spend more time on the business. At that time he was working less than 30 hours a week at the restaurant. As you know to develop a successfull business you have to work at it. His mother and I even discussed why he was never there. She told me that politics take up a lot of time. When she asked me if we could have a meeting and discuss all this with Derek I was more than willing. The meeting never took place. Later I found out why.In late November I got a call from Tom Neidert. He asked me what did I think of Derek opening a Green Turtle restaurant across the street from us at our locations on Mountain Road. He was asked about being an investor and thought we knew. Needless to say we were beyond shocked. That was the first we heard. When I called my husband he went right away to see Derek. I called his mother. She told me I knew about this. I told her I did not. Would we have continued holding fundraisers and paying Derek over 40,000 dollars to run the restaurant if we had known he was planning to leave, only to open a restaurant that would be a competitor to our main source of income? This had been in the works for over a year. Apparently, the real reason the meeting never happened with his mother and us, was because he was afraid this news would have to come out. Ihave heard from some of Derek’s supporters that he is just a kid who made a mistake. I have also heard that I should not hold a business decision against him. It has also been said I should just get over it. First of all we have over $450,000.00 invested in this mess. Would it be that easy for these people to get over it? Does anybody get it is not only about being smacked business wise but about loyalty, integrity, honesty, trust, and just in doing the right thing? Derek, to this day has never spoke to Lee and me about why he has done this, When Derek finally, turned over the paperwork of the restaurant to us, we found out how little of what he had been doing.” Our accountant had to estimate sales tax and payroll taxes because he did not keep up on this. We trusted him and will admit that we turned a blind eye on a lot, thinking that Derek was doing what it took to run the business. We made many mistakes in making things easy for him. We do admit to our part. ‘When Derek was thrown out of the restaurant he started right away to do damage control. He went to a local businessman and told him that he was not worried about Cookie and her 100 votes. Needless to say, he was told by this person to leave. My customers were very good to Derek; they paid to come to his fundraisers, put bumper stickers on their vehicles. I take great offense to them being treated with such disrespect. I am now ashamed of my part in promoting this person. So does this sound like the type of person who should be in our government? If he would do this to us, who have supported him and did what we could forhim. What will he do to the people if he is elected? Derek goes door to door and comes across as a nice young man who is interested in doing what is best for the public. Well, that is what we thought too. I just wish he had not shown us how wrong we were. Anyone has my permission to put this out there so the public can be aware of what they are getting. I am sorry this letter has been so long. I could go on and on about some of the hell we have been though. Tam not trying to ruin his career. This is one of the reasons we have taken so long to publicly tell our side. I am just letting people know of the true story of our past relationship with Derek Fink. We have no reason to lie. We have already been hurt more than I can begin to tell you. This has taken a big toll on my husband and me both financially and personally. Sincerely, Ruth “Cookie” Kiser