Just Today:
* Wisconsin – State Senate Majority Leader pleads guilty to two felonies
* Illinois – 5 convicted election leaders have sentencing postponed until January
* Alabama – Former Governor indicted on federal racketeering charges
* Texas – Contractors Association pleads guilty to two counts of illegal donations to Democrats
Senate Majority Leader Democrat Chuck Chvala of Wisconsin said he did not believe he was breaking the law when pleading guilty to two felonies today but fellow Democrat Douglas Burnett disagreed saying both he and Chvala were fighting to keep Chvala as Majority Leader the Capital Times reported today.
“In our zeal to win elections Senator Chvala and I know we crossed the line and we broke the law,” Burnett said in a statement to the court before sentencing. “We knew we were crossing the line and we did it anyway because we thought the ends justify the means,” Burnett added. “I’ve learned the ends never justify the means.”
“It is a failure I will have to live with for the rest of my life,” he said.
Earlier in the day Chvala entered guilty pleas to two felony counts, including one involving the activity Burnett was part of, using a so-called independent campaign fund to collect money from lobbyists and give it to Democrats who were in serious election fights to retain their seats.
Without those Democrats winning, Chvala would lose his reign as majority leader in the Senate and all the power that position has.
Chvala won back control of the Senate from Republicans in 1996 and held onto it until he was charged with 19 felonies in 2002, using the post to stymie Republicans who controlled the Assembly and governor’s office during that period. Many of the Democrats defeated in 2002 were targeted because of their links to Chvala.
Texas Contractors today pled guilty to illegal campaign donations to Democrats in Texas:
The U.S. Hispanic Contractors Association has pleaded guilty to two counts of giving illegal corporate donations to Democratic candidates during the 2002 election.
The association, facing a maximum fine of $20,000 per count, agreed to pay $3,000 for each donation.
“Texas law is very clear in prohibiting campaign contributions by corporations and labor unions,” Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle said.
The contractors were charged with contributing money collected from businesses to political candidates. John Sharp, running for lieutenant governor, received $1,000 from the contractors, and Sam Guzman, running for state representative from Austin, got $2,000.
In the case of DeLay’s committee, Texans for a Republican Majority, the Republicans spent $600,000 of corporate money on consultants, fundraisers, phone banks, pollsters and made a $190,000 transfer to the Republican National Committee, which then gave $190,000 to Texas candidates during the 2002 elections. But DeLay’s committee apparently did not give corporate money directly to candidates, as the contractors did. The Texas Association of Business spent $1.7 million on direct mail either touting or criticizing legislative candidates but also did not give money directly to candidates.
The sentencing hearings for former City Council member Charles Powell Jr. and four other Democratic Party leaders convicted of vote buying have been rescheduled for January and February.
U.S. District Chief Judge G. Patrick Murphy, who had presided over their four-week trial in June and will mete out their sentences, on Wednesday set the following schedule of sentencings:
• Sheila Thomas — 8 a.m., Jan. 30
• Yvette Johnson — 9 a.m., Jan. 30
• Kelvin Ellis — 8 a.m., Feb. 6
• Jesse Lewis — 9 a.m., Feb. 6
• Charlie Powell — 8 a.m., Feb. 13Murphy originally had scheduled the hearings for Oct. 3, but postponed them until after he had ruled on the defendants’ post-conviction motions seeking either new trials or vacated sentences. Murphy issued an order Oct. 17 upholding the convictions.
But, Democrats are howling that Congressional hopeful Jim Feldkamp is rejecting calls to return $10,000 he received from “indicted” House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas.
And, finally, Powerline today mentioned that Alabama’s former Democratic Governor, Donald Siegelman, was indicted yesterday on federal charges of racketeering, fraud, bribery, extortion and obstruction of justice. Siegelman is alleged to have taken bribes while governor.
For previous news on the Democratic Culture of Corruption:
West Virginia – At least 6 Convictions of Voter Fraud this Year
West Virginia Democrats Charged with Vote Buying
Senator Byrd Loses Support
Another One Bites the Dust from the “Culture of Corruption” Party
St. Louis – (Missouri and Illinois) 16 convictions of voter fraud, election violations, and attempted murder of a federal voter fraud witness
East St. Louis makes Voter Fraud a Business
$5 for Non-Racists; Racists are $10
ESL Prosecution Witness Falters
Damning Tapes in East St. Louis Voter Fraud Trial
Witness Grilled at ESL Vote Fraud Trial
How to Buy Votes at ESL Vote Fraud Trial
“Showing Appreciation” at ESL Voter Fraud Trial
Democratic Vote Buyers May Get Pass
ESL Vote
Fraud Trial Gets Nasty
Ugly Politics, Ugly Trial in ESL
Closing Arguments Wrap Up in ESL Voter Fraud Trial
“Guilty” Verdict in ESL Voter Fraud Trial
Convicting Democrats is New St. Louis Pastime
Another One Bites the Dust from the “Culture of Corruption” Party
Area Democrat Pleads Guilty of Plotting to Murder Federal Voter Fraud Case Witness!
More Democrats to be Indicted in East St. Louis
North Carolina- Fraud
U.S. Representative sentenced to four years for fraud
New Jersey & Ohio- Accusations of Voter Fraud
Dead People Voting in New Jersey
Quick, Somebody Call Ohio!
