Former Walker aide's plea deal includes recommended jail time

[hue]

http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/former-walker-aides-plea-deal-includes-recommended-jail-time-q676911-173509461.html

Kelly M. Rindfleisch's plea deal to charges she conducted campaign work while working as an aide to Gov. Scott Walker while he was Milwaukee County executive includes no fine and only a recommendation - not a requirement - of jail time by prosecutors, according to a letter outlining the deal.

Rindfleisch, 42, was charged with four felony misconduct counts for working to raise money for the Republican lieutenant governor campaign of Brett Davis, who is now state Medicaid director, and other campaign activity. Prosecutors unearthed hundreds of emails between Rindfleisch and Davis and other party officials and aides to Walker, according to a criminal complaint.

The plea deal, as outlined in a letter from Assistant District Attorney Bruce Landgraf, also acknowledges she has the right to appeal pretrial motions that were rejected by Circuit Court Judge David Hansher.

[yourout]

1. Anyone else think she is going to get some big $ from Walker(Koch) to take the bullet?

Otherwise why would she take the deal.

[mojowork_n]

2. Ms. "Beef" (Rindfleisch in German is another way to say, "heifer") may not have easy options.

Taking the money is certainly one choice. For a Republican, that part of the decision-making process is, like,
governed and operated through autonomic (reptile-brain) response.

But the problem is, by agreeing to that plea deal, she has to agree to the actual charges. The foremost of
which is campaigning, on the state's dime -- for Scott Walker.

Which is why the prosecution brought in Der Wanker, himself, to explain how this remarkable coincidence
could have possibly occurred. While he "knew NOTHING, NOTHING."



That appears to be Charley Pierce's take on it, in Esquire:

http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/scott-walker-subpoena-13541370#ixzz28pojhwJY

[hocki5]

3. Rindfleisch

The question really is, "Why would the DA offer such a lame deal?" Either they have limited evidence, thought she was going to win on appeal regarding the email submission, or she's agreed to talk- which is looking unlikely as it isn't stipulated in the agreement. Agreeing to a felony, most likely no jail time and no fine is a walk in the park. She's free, employable and essentially unscathed. If this case is so weak that the DA doesn't force a deal that includes future testimony, expect to kiss this investigation goodbye. It's done.

[hue]

4. Kelly Rindfleisch exchanged her claim of innocence for a guilty plea with lesser charges.

Now she will not go to trial but will have to give DA John Chisholm (the prosecutor) something in return--most likely evidence or testimony against "John Doe" or probably Scott Wanker.
They did not exclude jail time for her but did say she could be on a work program if she did get jail time. She will always have the federal offense on her record so she would not be employable at some venues such as the federal government or hospitals etc.
Rindfleisch's change of plea is similar to what Darlene Wink did and this is not good news for Wanker.

[hocki5]

5. rindfleisch

For people like you and I, a felony on our record would involve days on the couch crying. For this crew, it's like eating day old bread. Very little suffering involved. Furthermore, she is absolutely employable, perhaps more so now. Why do you think Walker hired her in the first place? Those with little moral fortitude and a proven record of such, are able to circumvent laws that apply to the rest of us without batting an eye.

Most depressing, her plea agreement is nothing like Darlene Wink's. Darlene's stipulated she MUST cooperate to avoid prosecution. There is absolutely nothing in Kelly's that even hints at her cooperation. Unless everything was done under the table, which would be unlikely, unusual and dumb for the defense, she's essentially done with her role in this investigation.

[hue]

7. Welcome to DU and thanks for sharing...

Your thoughts, concerns & knowledge.
I sometimes imagine that it would not be so hard for Rindfleisch if she took the bullet for Wanker as she may be paid off big time--for life--by the Kochs & their ilk.
But Rindfleisch's plea deal makes me wonder what is really taking place. Personally I don't care if Walker testifies for or against her. (I know everyone wants to see Wanker in court but not as a witness.)
Rindfleisch may have already given a written statement or information that DA Chisholm and possibly even the FBI needs to catch the "bigger fish".
I just couldn't make the assumption of underestimating John Chisholm. I don't think he would let Rindfleisch go without getting something valuable for the indictment of the real John Doe. This investigation has been going on for about 3 yrs. now and I believe DA Chisholm and the DOJ are committed to indictment. The FBI--who rarely say anything--would also be committed to their goal! Perhaps some of those FBI investigators are indeed the very same ones who sent Blagojevich to the federal prison in CO.
From the Wisc. State Journal: "The agreement calls for Rindfleisch to continue cooperating with the prosecution handling her case but doesn't mention whether she would testify in other current or possible future cases."
IMHO it looks like Rindfleisch may have collaborated with other witnesses or provided something, unknown to the public, of value to the prosecutors to reach her deal. We'll know more today when she appears in court and as time goes by.

Don't lose hope and once again welcome to DU!!

Read more: http://host.madison.com/news/local/crime_and_courts/ex-walker-aide-kelly-rindfleisch-agrees-to-plea-deal-in/article_4d985188-125e-11e2-af72-001a4bcf887a.html#ixzz28zmIWyzm







http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/crime_and_courts/ex-walker-aide-kelly-rindfleisch-agrees-to-plea-deal-in/article_4d985188-125e-11e2-af72-001a4bcf887a.html

[midnight]

6. Her Plea deal helps prevent Walker from testifying...