Harmless fun or judgment unbecoming a potential judge?

That’s a question voters may ponder when voting in the Fresno County Judicial race.

At issue is a Christmas card sent by Fresno County senior deputy district attorney Steven Ueltzen in which he and family members are shown giving the middle finger to the camera.

Ueltzen is running for an open spot on the bench against public defender Deidre Adams and Ashley Paulson, a former DA’s prosecutor who is the city of Fresno’s chief assistant attorney and chief prosecutor.

“If a picture is worth a thousand words, I will let the picture do the talking,” Paulson said in a statement. “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.”

Adams weighed in a the card, too.

“The role of a judge requires professionalism, restraint, and respect for the public we serve,” Adams said in a statement. “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.”

Ueltzen’s Response

Ueltzen told GV Wire that the card is real and one of the versions of the holiday card he gives out every year.

“Friends get that version, other people get a card without that picture,” Ueltzen explained. “At the DA’s Office, we deal with very serious issues and that picture is meant to be a moment of levity.

“I understand why somebody could see it as being out of step. But, candidly, it’s not lost on me that it’s coming out at the 11th hour before the election on Tuesday. This is an attempt to distract from the fact that I’ve spent my career working hard to prosecute serious cases.”

The card became the talk of the legal community, multiple sources told GV Wire, as it was sent to DA’s Office attorneys as well as defense attorneys in 2024.

“The first time I became aware of it was seeing it in a judge’s chambers,” said an attorney who asked not to be identified because of the sensitive nature of the subject.

A prosecutor who asked not to be identified out of fear of retaliation said that the card was posted on cubicles in the DA’s office.

“The photo (showing family members giving the middle finger) was on the back of the card,” the prosecutor said. “That’s the side people posted on their cubicles. Some were OK with it. Others thought it was totally inappropriate.”

DA Smittcamp Heard About the Card

Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp told GV Wire that she was aware of the card.

“I didn’t see the card, but I heard about it,” Smittcamp said. “There were no complaints made, so no investigative action was taken.”

Smittcamp hasn’t endorsed in the race, but a sign backing Paulson for judge is visible in the yard at the DA’s home.