A defense fund has been started on behalf of Georgia Thompson, former aide to Gov. Jim Doyle.
Thompson just began her 18-month prison sentence last Monday in Pekin prison, a minimum-security facility near Peoria, Illinois.
On July 12, Thompson was convicted on two felony counts for steering a $750,000 federal contract to Adelman Travel Group, who later donated $20,000 to Doyle's re-election campaign.
She was charged with federal counts of causing misapplication of funds and participating in a scheme to defraud the state of Wisconsin of the right to honest services.
The defense fund, founded by ""Friends Of Georgia Thompson,"" was started in an effort to help Thompson appeal her conviction because the group claims Thompson has lost everything and needs money to appeal her charges.
""We are concerned for Georgia's welfare and the effect all of this has had on her life. Georgia has lost her home, her savings, her job and her freedom fighting to prove her innocence. She intends to appeal her conviction, but the cost is enormous,"" the group said in a statement.
The group also said many of her fellow state workers are ""stunned"" Thompson is serving jail time and are helping in the effort.
