"Guilty as hell, Free as a bird"

The Milwaukee five, accused of slashing tires on Election Day 2004, have accepted a plea deal and walked away from their crime with few consequences.

After a two-week felony trial culminating with notes from a conflicted jury, four Kerry-Edwards campaign workers - including the sons of U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) and former Acting Mayor Marvin Pratt - had their charges in the Election Day 2004 tire-slashing reduced to misdemeanors and accepted the deal.

The fifth Democratic staffer accused of crippling Republican vans won a jury acquittal by sticking with a fight against the felony charge.

"Any other case like this, they would have made the offer (to reduce charges) right away, but for the people involved," said Adam Essling, attorney for Lavelle Mohammed, one of the four men who made no-contest pleas Friday afternoon.

If they pay a collective $5,317.45 restitution by their April 26 sentencing, Assistant District Attorney David Feiss will recommend all four get probation. Misdemeanor property damage carries a possible maximum penalty of nine months in jail and a $10,000 fine.

This sends a terrible message: attempt to disenfranchise voters and receive a slap on the wrist. It's stories such as this one that make me indifferent to the constant wailing of Democrats about "stolen elections." This was a case where there was solid evidence against these guys, and their purpose was to take votes away from the president. And yet the same Democrats who scream and create elaborate conspiracy theories to explain their election losses stay silent in the face of misbehavior by people who share their party affiliation.

The Democrats' outrage at 'vote supression' would be a lot more convincing if they were not so tolerant of it within their ranks.

posted by Slublog at 04:56 PM

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