A state appeals court has ruled former Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen (R-Waukesha) is entitled to a new trial.
The court said the jury was given erroneous jury instructions before they convicted Jensen of three felony counts of misconduct in public office and one count of intentional misuse of public position in 2006.
The court also said certain testimony Jensen wanted to personally offer was improperly excluded.
The original charges and convictions in the Capital Caucus scandal helped bring about ethics reform earlier this year. Now Jay Heck with Common Cause Wisconsin thinks dragging up the past in a possible new Scott Jensen trial may help get campaign financing reformed.
Heck and others have been pushing the governor to call a special legislative session to address it and Heck says this may add more urgency.
If a new trial happens, Heck thinks it could also have an impact on legislators running for re-election in 2008.
The appeals court ruling could be further appealed to the state supreme court before any new trial date is set.
