Madison, WISCONSIN

CHANGE OF VENUE FOR NEW TRIAL SOUGHT
November 11, 2009 - Scott Jensen, (R) former Wisconsin Assembly Speaker, was convicted of felony misconduct in office in 2006 but won a new trial on appeal because, the Wisconsin State Journal wrote: "Jensen was able to convince an appeals court that he should have been able to show his first jury evidence of Democratic actions similar to his." (See Resources below for actual Appeals Court decisions.)

Jensen parked state employees for months in out-state legislative districts to campaign full-time for hand-picked candidates - all on the public's dime, according to fellow workers. One top Assembly aide worked on the state clock as a full-time GOP fundraiser for years, colleagues testified.

The Wisconsin State Journal says he "can't dodge the disgrace".

COMPARE THE ABOVE coverage with this from Channel 3000: Jensen was convicted of "three felonies and one misdemeanor." He was sentenced to 15 months. They cite the reason for overturning the conviction was,

The 4th District Court ruled that a Dane County judge wrongly excluded Jensen's testimony about his understanding of the use of state resources for campaigns.

They go on to explain that Jensen was one of five former legislative leaders found guilty after a lengthy Capitol corruption investigation. Jensen's former aide, Sherry Schultz (R), was also granted a new trial based on the jury instructions. Others convicted include: Senator Former Senate Majority Leader Chuck Chvala (D), Senator Brian Burke (D), Former Assembly Majority Leader Steve Foti (R), and Assistant Majority Leader Bonnie Ladwig (R).

Schultz was given five years' probation and four months of electronic monitoring. Foti was sentenced to 60 days in jail. Ladwig was given 60 days of electronic monitoring. Former Senate Majority Leader Chuck Chvala was sentenced to two years probation and nine months in jail. Senator Brian Burke was sentenced to six months that he served under home confinement for altering subpoenaed documents and for directing aides to campaign on state time. In October 2008, he got his law license reinstated. On Sept. 18, the Supreme Court reinstated the license of former Senate Majority Leader Chuck Chvala.

OUTRAGEOUS
Tanya Bjork, (D) chief of staff to Sen. Brian Burke, pleaded no contest to charges that she altered records and illegally solicited campaign funds in the Capitol. She was ordered to pay a $250 fine and complete 50 hours of community service.

Before she worked for Burke, she worked for the Assembly Democratic Caucus.

She ran Obama's campaign. In January 2009, she was hired to lead the state's federal lobbying effort. She will earn $102,000 a year.

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Resources:
2009 WI APP 26
COURT OF APPEALS OF WISCONSIN PUBLISHED OPINION
Case No.: 2008AP552-CR

Jensen appealed from his conviction and we reversed and remanded for a new trial based on the trial court’s issuing an erroneous jury instruction and wrongfully excluding part of Jensen’s testimony. State v. Jensen, 2007 WI App 256, ¶1, 306 Wis. 2d 572, 743 N.W.2d 468.

Reversal of conviction: 2007 WI APP 256
COURT OF APPEALS OF WISCONSIN PUBLISHED OPINION
Case No.: 2006AP2095-CR