I had almost forgotten about Waukesha County District Attorney Brad Schimel’s role in helping disgraced former Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen avoid multiple felony convictions for misconduct in public office as a result of Jensen’s involvement in the caucus scandal, in which multiple lawmakers from both parties used taxpayer resources to run political campaigns.
Disgraced former Speaker of the Assembly Scott Jensen reemerged into the public eye last week, showing up at the Capitol to testify in support of a deeply flawed bill in the Assembly on behalf of his secretive pro-school voucher group that has spent an estimated $4.4 million on Republican candidates since 2010.
This reemergence was only made possible by a sweetheart deal given to him by Waukesha County District Attorney Brad Schimel – the same man who wants to be the next Attorney General.
After being convicted on multiple felony counts for political corruption, Jensen tied the courts up in appeals for ten years and was granted a new trial. Jensen then got his former GOP colleagues to change state law so that his case could go back to his handpicked prosecutor – Brad Schimel.
Brad Schimel gave him a sweet heart deal, refused to prosecute him and now all of Jensen’s felony convictions have gone away.
Thanks to Republican District Attorney Schimel, fellow Republican Scott Jensen avoided any felony convictions and instead plead guilty to a misdemeanor, a fact that should insult anyone in Wisconsin who values clean government in our state.
Brad Schimel can talk all he wants about how “tough on crime” is, but when it comes to prosecuting corrupt politicians from his own party, Schimel has shown he’d rather put party ahead of prosecution.
Perfect follow up to JBH’s “it may have been illegal but wasn’t criminlal” if we do it. The GOP get out of jail free card must and shall be preserved.
I want to thank you for the post you did on Scott Jensen. A sincere thanks. We must not forget what he did to lower the bar of ethics while in state government, and what harm that adds to the general apathy that exists among the general electorate. Considering that Jensen was charged in 2002 for misconduct in public office for using tax-paid employees to do campaign work for Republican candidates on state time, and then found guilty of three felonies and one misdemeanor on March 11, 2006, only to see the court verdict thrown out on a technicality when a state appeals court ordered a new trial should be enough theatrics for a barn-burner of a book. That the public seems to want to forget and welcome him back into the arena of policy making make me want to barf.
The voters place responsibility upon the shoulders of, and entrust their faith to, a candidate at the time of election. It is a bond that then requires elected officials to act with honor while in office. When that trust is broken, as with Jensen, not only is the law violated, but the trust of the voter is shattered. When that faith from the voters is replaced with doubt and cynicism our political institutions suffer. Never once has Scott Jensen acknowledged the corrosive effect his actions had on the political process. That to me is almost as bad as the actual crimes he committed.
Sorry for being long-winded on this comment, but Jensen is the face of what is wrong with politics.
Thanks Zach, I didn’t know any of this history. Appreciate Jonathan and Gregory chiming in.