Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt will be fined $4,000 and will have to perform 40 hours of community service work. That’s the sentence handed down in Brown County Circuit Court on Monday, as part of a plea deal on charges he violated Wisconsin’s campaign finance laws.
Last week, Schmitt’s attorney and the special prosecutor in the case each filed a sentencing memorandum explaining what they believe is the proper punishment for the 58-year-old mayor.
Milwaukee County Assistant District Attorney Bruce Landgraf is asking Judge Mitchell Metropulos for a $4,000 fine and 40 hours of community service. Landgraf didn’t seek jail time, per the plea agreement reached by both parties ahead of charges being filed back in September.
Defense attorney Patrick Knight believes that a $1,500 fine is punishment enough for his client. He also wrote that Schmitt continues to face the added penalty of “public shaming” as the result of this case.
Schmitt is charged with these 3 misdemeanor counts: attempted false statements to an election official, attempted accepting campaign contribution funds not belonging to reported contributor and attempted accepting campaign contribution in excess of limits. They were initially felonies, according to the criminal complaint.
WTAQ obtained the investigative report conducted by the Brown County Sheriff’s Department during the 20-month probe. It’s the basis for the 34 other counts that Landgraf asked the judge to consider while deciding on his sentence.
WTAQ