A Christmas card sent by Fresno County senior deputy district attorney and judicial candidate Steven Ueltzen is drawing criticism and sparking discussion about professionalism on the bench.
The card and image, which has circulated legal circles, was first reported by GV Wire.
Driving the news: Ueltzen sent out the Christmas card in 2024 to colleagues in the District Attorney’s Office and others.
The card shows Ueltzen and his family, including his young children, giving the middle finger to the camera.
What they’re saying: The card has drawn criticism from Ashley Paulson and Deidre Adams, the two candidates running against Ueltzen.
“If a picture is worth a thousand words, I will let the picture do the talking,” Paulson told GV Wire. “I am proud of the record I built at the District Attorney’s Office, the temperament I bring to my job, and my ability to work with my colleagues and opposing counsel. Suffice to say, this position is too important to leave to candidates who fail to live up to the standards and exercise the good judgment we expect from judges on the bench.”
“The role of a judge requires professionalism, restraint, and respect for the public we serve,” Adams told GV Wire. “Campaigns come and go, but character, temperament, and judgment matter long after Election Day. I remain focused on what truly matters to Fresno County voters: experience, fairness, integrity, and equal application of the law.”
Another prosecutor told GV Wire that the back of the Christmas card, which featured Ueltzen and his family flipping off the camera, was displayed on cubicles around the District Attorney’s Office.