Saturday, October 25, 2008

No Honor Among Thieves

From the Iola Herald, which of course, doesn't have a link, is a story by Bob Cloud:
Waupaca - Judge Philip Kirk ordered a former Republican campaign official to pay $348 in fines and court costs and $324 in restitution to a Manawa bar Wednesday, Oct. 8.

David F. Asman, 61, Manawa, entered no contest pleas to misdemeanor theft and unlawful disbursement of campaign funds. He had been charged in January with 11 counts of theft and one felony count of violating campaign finance laws.

Asmand served as the campaign treasurer for Hyde Murray, who ran unsuccessfully in the Republican primary for the 40th District Assembly seat in 2006.

[...]

On Dec. 22, 2006, {Manawa Police Chief Jerold} Schuetz spoke with Barb Mohne, owner of the Thunder'N Bar, who said she did not believe Asman had been using the checks for campaign purposes. She said, "They were cashed so he could drink," according to the criminal complaint.

On July 20, 2007, Murray contacted Schuetz. He reportedly said that he first noticed that the campaign funds had been misused when Asman failed to file the appropriate financial records and determined that 26 checks in the amount of $50 each had been written to the Thunder'N Bar.

Murray fired Asman in early August and closed the campaign account. Asman allegedly continued to write checks on the account after it was closed and the checks were returned for insufficient funds.

Schuetz estimated that Asman spent about $1,200 from Murray's coampaign fund for his personal use.

The court dismissed 10 of the misdemeanor counts against Asman but read them into the court record. The felony charge was amended to an ordinance violation.

At first, I was going to make some snarky remark about Republicans stealing from each other.

Then, upon further contemplation, I realized that Asman probably has a serious case of alcoholism. While this is not to justify his actions, I do understand that alcoholism is a sickness.

The thing that made me share this, is the sad fact of how bad alcoholism can be. Not only were these two men friends, but Mr. Murray is quite elderly (I believe in his 70s) and in not good health. In fact, it was his health that caused him to lose the primary, when his opponent used it against him.

I also find it sad that the judge let him off so light. He will not learn anything from this.

All in all, it is too sad of a story for snark.

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