An anonymous letter that concerns the Faribault County Commissioners District 1 election race has been received by various local businesses, Blue Earth City Council members and County Commissioners and the Faribault County Register.

The letter makes references to both current commissioner John Roper and his opponent in the election, Gertrude Paschke.

It is supposedly signed by Roper’s son David, but John Roper says that is obviously not true. His son, who was traveling out of state, was shocked and upset to hear about the letter last week, commissioner Roper said.

Copies of the letters and the envelopes they came in have been turned over to the Faribault County Sheriff’s Office to investigate, commissioner Roper said.

“We are looking into it,” chief deputy Scott Adams confirmed. “But currently we do not have a lot to go on.”

Anyone with any information about the letter and the person who sent it, is asked to call the Faribault County Sheriff’s Office at 507-526-5148.

“This is a horrible thing,” Roper said. “It makes false accusations and slanders myself and Gertrude (Paschke), not to mention it harms my son’s name.”

Roper said he thought there could be charges brought against whoever did this, for fraud, election tampering and slander.

Paschke also contacted the Register and said she felt personally attacked and that she was very upset over this ‘awful’ attack on her and her family, but also she said that she knew it was not a real letter.

“This is very hurtful,” she said. “I hope we can find out who did this, and they can be arrested.”

Both Roper and Paschke said they have known each other for quite some time and that they both have respect for each other.

“This is some type of nasty politics that we just don’t need in our county,” Roper said. “I feel bad for Gertrude and I don’t know why anyone would want to slander her.”