Judge Rules Montana Legislator Can Remain in Office

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Judge Rules Montana Legislator Can Remain in Office

By MATT VOLZ, ASSOCIATED PRESS ANACONDA, Mont. — Jun 17, 2016, 7:39 PM ET

A Montana legislator can stay in office after a jury found he took illegal corporate contributions from an anti-union organization during his 2010 primary election campaign, a judge ruled Friday.

Instead, Republican Rep. Art Wittich of Bozeman was ordered to pay a $68,232 fine, plus court costs, for a total between $80,000 and $90,000.

District Judge Ray Dayton stressed that he is only imposing the will of the Legislature through its laws and that he must be cautious with any discretion he has in interpreting the statute.

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Wittich has only about six months left in his two-year term after losing his re-election bid in this month's primary. He has steadfastly denied any wrongdoing, even after the jury's April ruling.

Wittich lost to challenger Bruce Grubbs after jurors found the lawmaker took $19,599 in illegal and unreported in-kind contributions from the National Right to Work Committee and its affiliates. The contributions included campaign consulting, voter data, opposition research and website design, along with attack mailers against his primary opponent.

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Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/judge-penalize-lawmaker-illegal-contributions-39944120

[merrily]

1. Several Americas. In one of them, you do not get charged.

The actors who brought down the economy in 2008, for example--not to mention the bailout, including--wait for it--performance bonuses-- and the settlement that saved them from their own negligence when issuing mortgages as fast and cheaply as they could.

In another America, you may get charged, but you don't get convicted.

In another America, you get charged and convicted of losing $57 million of other people's money, but you basically get probation.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-hedgefund-fraud-li-idUSKCN0YZ20C

In another America, you get charged and convicted, but you fined and allowed to serve out your term, still getting paid by taxpayers.

In another America, you get charged, convicted and your a$$ nailed to the wall.

In which America do you live?

[Omaha Steve]

2. ^^^ THIS ^^^