Pung-Leschke admits she’s a quitter

Pung-Leschke admits she’s a quitter

During televised debate, Julie Pung-Leschke admits she didn’t realize government service was “going to be that much work”

OSHKOSH – During Monday night’s televised Eye on Oshkosh debate, Republican Candidate for the 54th Assembly Julie Pung-Leschke admitted that when she was on the Winnebago County Board she quit on her constituents because she didn’t realize that it was a lot of hard work. Pung-Leschke resigned four months before her term was up, leaving her constituents unrepresented.

“I can’t believe she said it!” said the stunned Winnebago County Democratic Party Chair Jef Hall. “She actually said she didn’t realize how much work it was going to be, all the while asking us to vote her into the State Assembly, a role even more time consuming than the County Board.”

During last night’s televised debate, Leschke was asked why she quit the county board. Leschke responded, “I didn’t know that it was going to be that much work.”

“When you take your oath of office, you don’t have your fingers crossed. There are no take-backs in public service,” said Hall. “When you make a commitment to your constituents, you don’t just quit on them when things get too tough for you.”

According to the Oshkosh Northwestern Managing Editor Jim Fitzhenry’s January 17, 2006 blog posting, Leschke didn’t quit to spend time with her family, a common excuse for politicians when things get tough. Rather, she quit because she failed in her efforts to reduce the size of the board. Fitzhenry’s stated in his blog: “Leschke left the county board tired and frustrated by former board Chairman Joe Maehl. Could she stand up to the much bigger bosses in Madison?”

What wasn’t discussed during the televised debate is Pung-Leschke’s history of quitting jobs. A few years ago, she quit her job as the Oshkosh Symphony Director after just six weeks, but she brags about the role on her literature.

“I’m baffled as to why she even put the symphony on her literature,” said Hall. “Was the Oshkosh Symphony just a resume builder for her? Six weeks? You can’t even grow corn in six weeks!”