Posted on 03/10/2012 1:57:32 AM PST by iowamark
Democrat operative Zach Edwards changed his initial not guilty plea to guilty and received a light sentence for stealing Secretary of State Matt Schultzs identity. The plea was officially filed by Iowa Courts on Thursday. He pled guilty to identity theft, a simple misdemeanor.
Edwards received a deferred sentence of one year probation, 20 hours of community service within 120 days and a $65 fine. If he completes probation successfully, the simple misdemeanor charge is dismissed without a conviction being entered on his record. Edwards was originally charged with an aggravated misdemeanor and faced a maximum of two years in prison and a $6,250 fine. He was represented by prominent Republican attorney Matt Whitaker.
Zach Edwards was the Iowa Director of New Media for Barack Obamas 2008 presidential campaign. At the time of his arrest, he served in a similar capacity for Link Strategies, a Democrat consultant group closely aligned with Iowa Senator Tom Harkin and several prominent Democrats around the country.
The Iowa Department of Public Safety said Edwards tried to use the identities of Secretary of State Matt Schultz, and/or his brother Thomas, with the intent to falsely implicate Secretary Schultz in illegal or unethical behavior. The Secretary of States office discovered the crime and reported it to authorities. Edwards was fired from his position at Link Strategies following the arrest.
Zach Edwards crime took place in the midst of a coordinated effort by the Iowa Democratic Party to tear down the Republican Secretary of State. On June 24, the same day he tried to steal Schultz identity, a blog connected to Iowa Democrats launched a three-part series of articles critical of Matt Schultz. That same month, the Iowa Democratic Party filed an ethics complaint against Schultz. The Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board dismissed the complaint on July 19.
UPDATE: The story has been revised to note that Edwards was originally charged with an aggravated misdemeanor, but the charges were revised to a simple misdemeanor.
Evil is all around us, seeking to subvert all that we stand for.
Yeah, and never getting punished for it...as long as it’s Democrat evil, of course.
This is wrong. Identity Theft should be a felony.
You can do 25 to life or spend ten minutes in the same room with the person whos life you screwed up. They get a baseball bat.
The level of the charge caught my eye as well. What is this,a game? He meant well but went about it the wrong way? There should be a real and substantial penalty for this but in a monetary and time sense.
This is a political thing that amazes me. No one really wants to pass a law that make ID theft a serious crime with a decade in prison. The media will carry one good story every month on this....but no will make it a top ten priority to change the laws.
but should read as both.
typoing in the dark.
Evil is all around us, seeking to subvert all that we stand for.
BUMP-TO-THE-TRUTH!
Here's one example. Democrat/socialist/totalitarian CRIME SYNDICATE ALERT!
"Everything about socialism is sham and affectation." - 23.11 Ch23 Evil; Economic Harmonies; Frederic Bastiat 1801-1850
Many criminals do not stop unless they are incarcerated or eliminated.
People get worse than that for not cleaning up when their dog poops on the sidewalk.
Get more than that for a speeding ticket.
Another example of what’s wrong with our legal system. Letting this guy plea down to such a trivial sentence is an insult to the entire population.
Bump
Not in the Dim world - they will criminalize saying you are someone else while chatting on line, but actual crimes are nothing to worry about.
JUSTUS system ALERT!
So what? Leave him alone. Move along. There is nothing to see here. Get to work and pay your taxes. /s/
...to steal an election. He’s a traitor!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.