Jury finds Wis. state rep. guilty (more corruption)

[MaineDem]

MADISON, Wis. --A former speaker of the Wisconsin Assembly was convicted Saturday of using state employees as campaign workers, rejecting his claims that it was common practice and that he thought the workers were off the state clock.

State Rep. Scott Jensen was found guilty of three felony counts of misconduct in office and a misdemeanor count of using his public position to benefit the Republican Assembly Campaign Committee.

Once one of Wisconsin's most powerful lawmakers with hopes of one day becoming governor, Jensen now faces up to 15 years in prison and $35,000 in fines. Jurors had deliberated for about 17 hours over three days.

Jensen was one of five lawmakers charged in 2002 in a secret investigation into Capitol corruption. The investigation was sparked by reports in the Wisconsin State Journal newspaper alleging that state workers were campaigning on state time with state equipment. He was the only one to stand trial; the others -- two Republicans and two Democrats -- reached plea deals.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/03/11/jury_finds_wis_state_rep_guilty/?rss_id=Boston.com+%2F+News

[htuttle]

1. The arrogant SOB thought he could convince a jury....

... that he didn't know that paying campaign workers with state funds was 'wrong'.

His whole stupid defense boiled down to "gosh, I didn't know we couldn't do that." Incredibly enough, he though he could get away with this AFTER three other officials all plead out their own similar charges.

:rofl:

[buddysmellgood]

2. Slimy. Unfortunately, Chvala, a democrat was convicted before him for

being just as slimy. Worse actually.

[htuttle]

3. That's what made Jensen's defense strategy even more ridiculous

Chvala had a high-profile case all over the state. The jury already knew that a top Democrat had been sent up the river for the same sort of crap. There's no way Jensen's lawyers were going to convince them that what Scott did was somehow 'just a mistake'. I think he was really hoping to get off completely free so he could still run for governor someday. Delusional!

[buddysmellgood]

4. Indeed. Justice Prosser really stepped in it as well. What kind of judge

says that it's ok to break the law if everyone else is doing it?
What crap.

[badgerpup]

5. "Ignorance is no excuse..."

"Garsh, I didn't know we weren't allowed to do that!" almost never flies as a defense...
You'd think at least his lawyer would know that...
:nopity:

Yes, I'm glad he's been busted. I'm afraid it's gotten to the point in my mind where ALL Republicans are being tarred with the neocon brush...
and I'm sure there's at least a few out there who aren't utter Bushbot yes-monkeys...:shrug:

[NanceGreggs]

6. Will any Republican who is NOT guilty of something ...

... please come to the front of the classroom?

Class?

Anyone?

Bueller?

[rodeodance]

7. good, this is finally done, been listening to it in Madtown for years now

[rodeodance]

8. mainly he was conducting campaign stuff on state time *=(and using his

staff to do it). what an idiot

....Jensen used his position as Assembly speaker to direct his staff and other state employees to work on his campaign and those of vulnerable GOP Assembly candidates from 1998 through 2001, prosecutors said.

A member of Jensen's Capitol staff, Carrie Richard, testified she doubled as Jensen's personal campaign manager. She said she received campaign contributions at the office, met with Jensen and lobbyists in the office to solicit donations and worked on more than two dozen fundraisers on state time.

Jensen testified that it was tradition in the Assembly to use legislative employees to campaign and said he performed political work while a legislative employee himself. He also said he believed the state workers under his watch were off the state clock when they did campaign work.

[rodeodance]

9. good that this is an AP story also