Free Republic

Even though federal authorities say Bert Fingerhut cheated bank investors out of millions of dollars, many in the Aspen community have shown support for him. Pitkin County Sheriff Bob Braudis is among them. Braudis, who had never met Fingerhut until recently, wrote a letter to the federal judge who sentenced Finger­hut to two years in federal prison Friday. Braudis’ letter spoke highly of Fingerhut. It also surprised federal authorities. “That struck us that a sheriff would write a letter sup­porting a criminal,” said Assistant U. S. Attorney Karl Buch. “And he wrote it on his professional letterhead.” Fingerhut, 63, also...