Doyle Donor Troubles

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's JSOnline's DayWatch reports:

Indicted lawyers gave $10,000 to Doyle


Gov. Jim Doyle received $10,000 two years ago from lawyers at a firm that was recently indicted, a campaign watchdog group said today.

This month, a federal grand jury in Los Angeles indicted the firm Milberg Weiss Bershad & Schulman and two of its partners on charges of paying kickbacks to people for agreeing to be plaintiffs in class-action lawsuits.

Two years ago, 10 attorneys with the firm - including the two who were named personally in the indictments - gave Doyle a combined $10,000, according to the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign. The donations were made on June 29 and 30, 2004.

Partner David J. Bershad gave Doyle $2,100 and partner Steven G. Schulman gave him $1,800. The two were named in the indictment.

Other lawyers with the New York City-based firm gave Doyle between $300 and $2,700 each. None of the 10 gave money to Doyle or other candidates for statewide office before or since, the Democracy Campaign said.

The 20-count indictment charges the firm and partners with obstruction of justice, perjury, bribery and fraud. Prosecutors allege the firm and the partners secretly paid people off to be plaintiffs or have their relatives be plaintiffs in class-action lawsuits, and then lied about the arrangements in court documents.