Gardner solicited contributions from his employees to give to Walker's campaign and used company money to reimburse them. It's illegal in Wisconsin to give corporate money to political candidates.
It gets better. Walker's campaign then reimbursed Gardner and seven railroad workers to the tune of $43,800.
Each of the two counts carries a maximum penalty of 3 ½ years of combined prison and extended supervision and a $10,000 fine.
Since Gardner was remorseful, it looks like he'll pretty much get off the hook without going to jail. This continues the pattern of CEOS never doing the time.
In a statement, Gardner claims he didn't know he was doing anything illegal.
Gardner's contributions history is a tangled, sordid tale. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports:
Gardner continued to solicit employees for such donations even after a former friend informed him she had reported the situation to the Government Accountability Board.
Gardner had tried to keep the scheme quiet. He sent an email to Dale Thomas, the chief mechanical officer for railroad cars, telling him to donate $4,900 to Walker once he received the same amount from the railroad.
Thomas agreed, and Gardner wrote him back: "And let's not blab this around." Responded Thomas: "I kinda figure that, my lips are sealed."
Gardner's attorneys told investigators Gardner didn't want it out because he didn't want employees thinking lavish payments were being made at a time when wages were being cut.We'd just love it if the state got Gardner to testify against Walker. While we're not holding our collective breath, it would only bolster efforts to recall Walker once he is eligible in 265 days.
Already, petitions with enough signatures to recall Sen. Dan Hanky-Kapanke and randy Sen. Randy Hopper have been filed, with more expected to follow. Growing public mobilization against Walker and the senators may mount a serious challenge to their anti-worker agenda, as Huffington Post reports:
At first, the recall efforts were a sideshow to the larger political battle unfolding in Madison. But depending on how many recall elections take place and how many incumbents, if any, are kicked out, the process could profoundly affect Walker's agenda.
Wisconsinites, find out how to recall your senator here!If Republicans lose just three seats, they would give up their 19-14 majority and with it the power that allowed them to aggressively push the legislation through despite ear-splitting protests that drew tens of thousands of protesters to the Capitol.
