Darlene Wink pleaded guilty Tuesday to two misdemeanor charges of fundraising in the courthouse for then-Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker's campaign for governor.
Her convictions were the first stemming from a secret John Doe investigation into a variety of issues from Walker's tenure as county executive. Three other former Walker courthouse aides and appointees also have been charged through the Doe probe.
Wink, 61, worked as Walker's constituent services coordinator in the county executive's office at the time, a job that paid about $41,000 a year. She was charged with working on fundraising events for Walk er's gubernatorial campaign in 2009 and 2010 while in her taxpayer-funded county job.
"What I was doing was putting together fliers that were for a fundraiser," Wink told Circuit Court Judge Daniel Konkol.
As part of a plea deal, Wink agreed to provide information to prosecutors in the ongoing Doe probe, now in its 20th month. The deal calls for Wink to serve no jail time, though the judge isn't bound by that recommendation.
Her sentencing is set for May 15. Prosecutors wanted three months to question Wink, who would have preferred a swifter sentencing, said her lawyer, Peter Wolff.
She faces a maximum of six months in jail and $1,000 fine on each of the two counts.
Wolff said Wink was eager to fully cooperate with prosecutors, particularly in connection with embezzlement charges. Wink played a role in Operation Freedom, an annual picnic for veterans and their families at the zoo that Walker hosted. Timothy Russell, another former Walker courthouse aide, and Kevin Kavanaugh, have been charged with embezzling money intended for the veterans event. At the time, Kavanaugh served on the Veterans Service Commission under appointment from Walker.
Former Walker aide pleads guilty, will cooperate with DA - JSOnline
Her convictions were the first stemming from a secret John Doe investigation into a variety of issues from Walker's tenure as county executive. Three other former Walker courthouse aides and appointees also have been charged through the Doe probe.
Wink, 61, worked as Walker's constituent services coordinator in the county executive's office at the time, a job that paid about $41,000 a year. She was charged with working on fundraising events for Walk er's gubernatorial campaign in 2009 and 2010 while in her taxpayer-funded county job.
"What I was doing was putting together fliers that were for a fundraiser," Wink told Circuit Court Judge Daniel Konkol.
As part of a plea deal, Wink agreed to provide information to prosecutors in the ongoing Doe probe, now in its 20th month. The deal calls for Wink to serve no jail time, though the judge isn't bound by that recommendation.
Her sentencing is set for May 15. Prosecutors wanted three months to question Wink, who would have preferred a swifter sentencing, said her lawyer, Peter Wolff.
She faces a maximum of six months in jail and $1,000 fine on each of the two counts.
Wolff said Wink was eager to fully cooperate with prosecutors, particularly in connection with embezzlement charges. Wink played a role in Operation Freedom, an annual picnic for veterans and their families at the zoo that Walker hosted. Timothy Russell, another former Walker courthouse aide, and Kevin Kavanaugh, have been charged with embezzling money intended for the veterans event. At the time, Kavanaugh served on the Veterans Service Commission under appointment from Walker.
Former Walker aide pleads guilty, will cooperate with DA - JSOnline
