CourtTV, Welcome to Milwaukee

While it is ridiculous that all these guys were charged with was felony vandalism, at least the trial is finally set to begin.

While much of the country will be focused this week on the highly partisan battles expected during the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito, five Milwaukee Democratic activists will be fighting their own battle: They are going to trial for allegedly slashing tires outside a Republican Party office during the 2004 presidential election.

The sons of a first-term congresswoman and Milwaukee's former acting mayor are among the five charged with slashing the tires of vans rented by Republicans to drive voters and monitors to the polls on Election Day.

Sowande Omokunde, son of Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Wis., and Michael Pratt, the son of former Milwaukee acting mayor Marvin Pratt, are among those charged with criminal damage to property, a felony that carries a maximum sentence of 3 1/2 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

The two-week trial is expected to begin Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning in Milwaukee, after jury
selection.

I personally welcome CourtTV's crew to the city. If anyone from the channel stumbles across this post, send me an email, I'll buy you a pint at Mo's and give you some colorful background...