Posted on 06/12/2006 11:12:02 PM PDT by MediaMole
Official convicted in travel deal
She acted on own, Doyle says, but case may be election issue
By STEVE SCHULTZE
sschultze@journalsentienl.com
Posted: June 12, 2006
A federal jury on Monday convicted a state procurement official of fixing a travel contract for a contributor to Gov. Jim Doyle's campaign, adding a potentially explosive issue to the race for governor this fall.
Doyle and his top aides stressed that the two felony convictions represented an isolated instance.
"It is clear that Georgia Thompson acted on her own, and that no other state employee was involved," Doyle said in a statement.
"As I have stated before, I have zero tolerance for ethical lapses in government. When public servants abuse the public's trust, they forfeit their rights to continue in the state's employ."
Thompson will likely be fired, pending a required review of her case, Doyle officials said.
U.S. Attorney Steven Biskupic said after the verdict that the case was about "Georgia Thompson and Georgia Thompson alone." She was found guilty of manipulating the travel bidding to "cause political advantage for her supervisors" and bolster her own job security.
Biskupic said the team that investigated the case, which included him, Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager and Dane County District Attorney Brian Blanchard, would meet soon to discuss matters.
He declined to say whether any other Doyle administration officials or others would now be targeted.
"I don't want people to read too much into it, other than we are trying to be careful in what we do," said Biskupic, an appointee of President Bush's.
Like Doyle, Lautenschlager and Blanchard are Democrats.
(Excerpt) Read more at jsonline.com ...
BUMP
I would understand this if it involved travel OUT of wisconsin.
Not buying that Gov. even with the prosecutor's statement.
But wait. Only Republicans are corrupt, according to howard dean, pelosi, and the MSM.
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