A former state senator, who was recalled from office and convicted of a felony, wants to run for Congress.
Democrat Gary George filed nomination papers Monday with the state Government Accountability Board to run for Wisconsin’s Fourth Congressional District. The seat is currently held by U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI), setting up a potential August 12 primary if George submitted enough signatures to land on the ballot.
George served in the Wisconsin Senate alongside Moore until 2003, when voters in his Milwaukee district recalled him. A year later, he was convicted of conspiring to commit public fraud and spent four years in prison for accepting illegal kickbacks from a social services agency.
In a statement, George says he is running “because public service is my calling…and Milwaukee desperately needs the results-oriented leadership that I can provide.”
While Wisconsin law does prevent convicted felons from running for state office, the prohibition does not apply to Congressional offices. State election officials are still reviewing thousands of signatures on nomination papers submitted before Monday’s deadline, which they are expected to certify next week.