Milwaukee alderman resigns after reaching plea deal on fraud charges

AP ^ | 5-13-03 | MELISSA TRUJILLO

[Dan from Michigan]

Milwaukee alderman resigns after reaching plea deal on fraud charges; third to be charged

By MELISSA TRUJILLO
The Associated Press
5/13/03 3:14 PM

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- A Milwaukee alderman resigned Tuesday after pleading guilty to charges he misused campaign funds.

Jeff Pawlinski, who announced his resignation at a meeting of the Common Council, had pleaded innocent to three counts of mail fraud for allegedly diverting $40,000 for his personal use. A trial had been set for June 16.

In his statement to the council, Pawlinski said he had reached a plea agreement with prosecutors and acknowleged wrongdoing. Then, he apologized to his constituents and fellow aldermen.

"While the charges issued against me are serious, they pertain solely to my personal use of privately donated campaign funds," he said. He said his conduct as a council member was "always above board."

Pawlinski, 36, refused to say how he used the money.

Under the plea agreement, Pawlinski will serve some prison time, said Francia Wendelborn, spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office. She said she didn't know if the resignation was also part of the agreement.

He had faced up to 15 years in prison and $750,000 in fines if convicted on the three charges.

Pawlinski said he did not know how much time he would serve, but he hoped to put the episode behind him within a year.

He was the third Milwaukee alderman to be indicted as part of a federal corruption probe of City Hall.

Paul Henningsen was indicted in January on charges of extortion and embezzling money from his campaign funds. He has pleaded not guilty.

Rosa Cameron resigned last year after pleading guilty to misappropriating $28,900 in federal funds. She is serving eight months in prison.

[Dan from Michigan]

Sounds like Rostenkowski.

BTW - Is this guy a RAT? Most Likely since it's Milwaukee.

[martin_fierro]

Time to resignski.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

An internet search yielded a number of articles about him, none of which mentioned his political party affiliation.

That conclusively confirms that he is a Democrat. Otherwise, the headline would have read "Republican Alderman Resigns."

[damncat]

He's a demon-rat. My alderman as a matter of fact. Would never answer his mail. nor return my calls. Gave him hell for voting same sex benefits to city employees. The damage has been done.

[Dan from Michigan]

He's a demon-rat. My alderman as a matter of fact.

Thanks. AM - Can you please put that he was a RAT in the title. Thanks.

[chichipow]

There's been a bit of a shake up in Milwaukee (the tax hell that equates us to worse than the serf's position) regarding city and county politics (far from enough though). Recalls, reform, indictments, etc... concerning both Republicans and Democrats. Heck the Governor's race was a blast too... we even had documented voter fraud.

[steveegg]

Follow-on story about more shenanigans on the Milwaukee Common Council from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (paraphrased; don't feel like doing too much cutting-and-pasting) - Newly-sworn-in alderman Joe Davis appeared at the district attorney's office Tuesday to discuss a complaint of attempted 2nd-degree sexual assault. He isn't charged (yet), and other than the fact that this was refered from the Milwaukee PD, nothing else has been made public about this allegation.