The verdict

I really am surprised that the jury found Georgia Thompson guilty. Not because I'm a Democrat or was hoping that this would go the other way because of the hay the Republicans will make from it this fall, but because there seemed to be ample doubt presented.

At the end of the day I just couldn't get over that this woman was on trial for getting a better deal for the state with a Wisconsin based company because other people around her THOUGHT she had political motivations even though she couldn't be fired from her job. I didn't think a jury could convicted someone facing up to 20 years in prison with the evidence that was presented.

I was wrong. It appears that Georgia Thompson paid the price for the fact that the general public has a bad opinion of government and politicians right now. That and the fact that many of the people involved in the bidding process didn't under stand how the "best and final" aspect worked.

The prosecution didn't have any evidence that Thompson even knew of the donations from Adelman. Normal people don't read campaign finance reports or go through the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign on a regular basis. That didn't matter to the jury and it sure won't matter to the Republicans this fall when they start running commercials against Doyle trying to link this trial to the governor.

I'll be interested to read the reaction from the right in the blogs today since it would be nuts to think that this will not be used by the Republicans. That's how politics works. It's a rough sport.

But if they really think about it, there should be no cause for celebration that this woman is facing up to 20 years in prison for getting us a better deal from a Wisconsin based company.