Two Dane County politicians have been arrested in connection with an e-mail smear campaign during the 2004 County Board elections, according to The Capital Times.
The complaint states former Supervisor Patrick DePula faces one count of felony identity theft after he allegedly used District 23 Supervisor Don Eggert's name in e-mails to County Executive Kathleen Falk in which he asked for an appointment to the Zoo Commission and portrayed Eggert as a sexual deviant interested in animals.
The complaint also said Dane County Board Chair Kevin Kesterson faces an obstruction of justice charge for allegedly misleading an officer during the investigation of DePula. Kesterson said he will not resign from the County Board despite the charge. Both men will be arraigned Feb. 3.
Wisconsin's unemployment rate of 4.2 percent made 2004 the first year since 2001 during which the state's average monthly unemployment rate was below 5 percent, according to new figures released last week by the Department of Workforce Development.
The 2004 average monthly rate of 4.9 percent markedly improved upon 2002 and 2003, when the rate was 5.6 and 5.5 percent, respectively.
Overall the DWD figures show the state gained more than 63,000 jobs since December 2003.
Baghdad, Iraq
Eight days before Iraqis go to the polls, the government detailed sweeping plans Saturday to close borders, ban driving, shut down the country's major airport and institute a broad curfew in an attempt to maintain security on election day.
Officials vowed to do everything possible to protect civilians and polling places from insurgent attacks in a nation where guerrilla war has cost thousands of lives, stymied infrastructure and left many fearful of voting.
All leaves and vacations for Iraqi security personnel will be canceled, the minister said. Jan. 29 to 31 has been declared a period of national holiday. During that period, most vehicular traffic will be prohibited, an 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew will be in effect, the country's borders will be shut down, Baghdad International Airport will be closed and civilians will be barred from carrying weapons.
Banning driving and imposing a curfew are clearly aimed at thwarting insurgents' ability to move around and deploy suicide car bombs, the insurgents' most effective device. Rumors have swept Baghdad that scores of such bombs are primed and ready to be set off on election day.
