A disgraced former legislative leader will get a new trial. The Wisconsin Supreme Court has unanimously decided to overturn two lower court rulings and grant former State Assembly speaker Scott Jensen a new trial in his home area. The town of Brookfield Republican will be retried for misconduct in office in Waukesha County stemming from 2002 charges he used state resources to run a campaign.
Justices cited a 2007 law which grants accused legislators the right to be tried in their home counties. However Mike McCabe of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign says the high court got it “horribly wrong” for applying a law that was written after Jensen was convicted.
Mike McCabe (1:08)
McCabe says the case highlights a “two tier” system of justice in Wisconsin, one for the well connected and another for the “rest of us.” He also accuses lawmakers of writing the “home county provision” with Jensen in mind.
The former Assembly speaker was originally convicted in Dane County but won a second trial on appeal.
In 2002, lawmakers from both parties were charged in a caucus scandal which led to multiple convictions.
Click here to read the court’s ruling.