WisPolitics Budget Blog

From WisPolitics...

-- Former state Sen. Brian Burke was sentenced today to six months in jail after pleading guilty in October to one felony count of misconduct in office and one misdemeanor count of obstructing an officer.

Dane County Judge William Foust said Burke can serve the term in Milwaukee, near his home, and he is scheduled to begin serving in the next 60 days. He will have work-release privileges. Foust also ordered $75,000 in restitution, which he said could be paid by Burke's campaign fund, and fined Burke an additional $2,500. Foust did not include probation as part of the sentence.
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Perhaps the Citizens for Responsible Government should shift gears; rather than circulate recall papers on Madison Mayor Dave, CRG should begin an effort against Judge Foust.

Burke wins a work release conviction, near his home, is allowed to pay restitution from his illegally solicited and collected campaign account, and oh, ouch, must pay a $2,500 fine -- of which is likely half of what Burke collected as a monthly retainer while recently lobbying his former colleagues.

This is justice? The guy knowingly and intentionally violated his Oath of Office. Burke systematically cheated. This is the most punishment Foust could impose?

No probation? No 10,000 hours of community service?

But hey, Mrs. Burke says;

My husband is not the evil person some critics make him out to be. We have already suffered more over the last years, and will suffer more in the future, than many criminals who come before you every day. ... All I can ask of the sentence you impose is that it takes into account the whole picture and not only the one that has been advanced by Brian's most severe critics. Brian plead guilty for a number of reasons. A key one was his decision that this needed to end to let our family slip into whatever obscurity we can find to build a new future.

Look, no one would suggest that 5 years in a super max prison is an appropriate sentence; but make the guy bleed a little --

* 90 days, no work release.
** 1 year of home detention, monitored with an ankle bracelet (bracelet tenure must include at least one beach season).
*** Restitution paid with personal funds.
**** Community service for 4 years, or equal to a single term in either the WI State Senate or the office of Attorney General for which Burke aspired.
***** And TV/radio public service announcements broadcast in Milwaukee ADI, extolling the importance of filing state and federal tax returns (sqaushing any populist apeal he might invite)
****** Oh, and one last thing, community service can include lobbying his colleagues to pass legislation to keep convicted felons from holding a lobby license.