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NOT FIRED! U.S. ATTORNEY ESTABLISHES NEW LOW FOR REPUBLICAN PROSECUTORS
INNOCENT WOMAN WRONGLY SENT TO PRISON, THEN USED AS CAMPAIGN FODDER IN G.O.P. CAMPAIGN EFFORT
By Bill Cavala
A veteran of over 30 years in Sacramento
It’s in today’s edition of the NEW YORK TIMES. The Republican U.S. Attorney for Milwaukee indicted – and convicted – an innocent woman on “corruption” charges.
The innocent woman then became the centerpiece of the $4 million dollar Republican campaign against Democratic Governor Jim Doyle.
The innocent woman was freed by an Appeals Court whose lead judge told the Republican prosecutor, “Your evidence is beyond thin”.
The innocent woman wasn’t freed before spending 4 months in prison and losing her home!
The innocent woman was a Wisconsin civil servant – hired under a Republican Governor. She wasn’t a Doyle partisan. She was responsible for putting the state’s travel account up for competitive bidding. She did. The low bidder won the contract. She was only one of 7 individuals involved in the contract award. There was no credible evidence that the woman gained personally from her actions. Like many contractors, the low bidders were also campaign contributors of the Governor – but there was no evidence that the Innocent Woman was even aware of that fact.
She was entirely innocent.
But anyone in government indicted and tried by a U.S. Attorney is likely to be found guilty. After all, why would a U.S. Attorney prosecute an innocent woman?
As was the case here?
The Republican U.S. Attorney prosecuted the Innocent Woman even though the decision to award the contract took place in Madison – outside of his jurisdiction.
The Republican U.S. Attorney informed the media of his investigation before any indictment. Justice Department guidelines say federal prosecutors can publicly discuss investigations before indictments only under extraordinary circumstances.
During the campaign, in a barrage of commercials, Mr. Doyle’s opponents created an organizational chart that linked the Innocent Woman - misleadingly called a “Doyle Aide” – to the Governor.
The Innocent Woman appeared in an unflattering picture, stamped “guilty”.
In another ad, the Innocent Woman’s name was put on a graphic of jail doors slamming shut.
But this U.S. Attorney wasn’t fired. He was obviously doing the job he was hired for by the Republicans.
Bill Cavala was Deputy Director of the Assembly Speaker’s Office of Member Services where he worked for over 30 years.
He attended undergraduate and graduate school in the 1960’s and received a doctorate in political science at UC Berkeley. He taught political science at UC Berkeley during the 1970's while he worked part-time for the State Assembly.
Cavala left teaching at UC Berkeley and went to work for Assembly Speaker Willie Brown in 1981 until his tenure as Speaker ended in 1995, and he has worked for his five successors as Speaker up to and including Speaker Fabian Nunez.
Mr. Cavala manages election campaigns for Democratic candidates.
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