Baldwin calls on Congress to look into prosecution of worker
(Published Tuesday, April 10, 2007 10:20:38 AM CST)
A d v e r t i s e m e n t
By Frederic J. Frommer Associated Press
WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin called on Congress Monday to investigate the prosecution of former state worker Georgia Thompson, whose bid-rigging conviction was overturned last week by a federal appeals court that ordered her immediately freed from prison.
Thompson was accused of favoring a company with ties to Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle, and her conviction became an issue last year in his campaign for re-election when his opponents used it to slam him in television ads.
Baldwin, D-Wis., noted that Congress is already investigating the firings of eight U.S. attorneys for what Democrats have called political reasons.
"Congress should also look into whether partisan politics influenced, or even dictated, the investigations conducted by the U.S. attorneys' offices in order to stay in the (Bush) administration's good graces," she said in a statement. "The 7th Circuit acquittal of Georgia Thompson, after a widely publicized pre-election prosecution, certainly raises serious questions about the integrity and motivation of the prosecutor."
Baldwin's spokeswoman Jerilyn Goodman confirmed the congresswoman was specifically calling for an investigation into the Thompson case.
Wisconsin Democrats have long questioned whether the decision by U.S. Attorney Steven Biskupic to prosecute Thompson was an attempt to go after Doyle, who faced a tough run against then-U.S. Rep. Republican Mark Green. Biskupic was appointed by President Bush.
The U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago took the rare step of acquitting Thompson on the spot, saying the charges against her were not backed up by evidence.
Michelle Jacobs, a top aide to Biskupic, said her office would welcome a review because Biskupic received no pressure from anyone in the White House, the U.S. Department of Justice or the state Republican Party to bring the case.
"There was no communication that would have in any way encouraged or forced us to charge that case," she said. "That was this office's decision based on the evidence we had."
Jacobs noted Biskupic and other U.S. attorneys in the region met with Attorney General Alberto Gonzales in Chicago last month to register their displeasure with the handling of the firing of their colleagues and the perception that politics were involved.
"They were very frank and up front with the attorney general about how this was affecting their individual offices, how it's affecting the department and how the handling of this has affected career people in the department," Jacobs said.
She said Biskupic was out of the office and unavailable for comment.
Andy Gussert, president of AFT-Wisconsin, a union that represents state employees, also called Monday for congressional committees to look into the case. He said public servants should "not become political footballs to be kicked around."
"This prosecution raises additional questions that resonate with concerns about the recent firings of U.S. attorneys," he said. "If people are to have faith in our judicial system, those questions will need answers."
Thompson told the state Monday she's interested in returning to work "as soon as possible," said Patrick Henderson, executive assistant at the Department of Administration. He said that might be by the end of the month.
Thompson expressed interest in returning to a job in the same division where she previously worked, but not as a procurement supervisor, Henderson said.
"She's looking for an opportunity where it isn't very high-profile right now," he said.
Henderson said the department will be supportive of paying her $68,000 in back pay, which would have to be approved by both the state claims board and Legislature.
Associated Press Reporter Ryan Foley in Madison, Wis., contributed to this story
