Scooter for Speaker Again?

The State Supreme Court's ruling that corruption charges against five state legislators may proceed to trial could put a slight crimp in the Scott (Scooter) Jensen for Speaker campaign.

Jensen, former Assembly Speaker, is charged with misconduct in public office and misuse of the office for personal gain. Among other things, he is charged with putting someone on the state payroll whose full-time job was to raise campaign contributions for Assembly Republicans. One of Jensen's defenses -- no kidding -- is that getting Republicans elected was part of his job, so he has done nothing wrong.

The other indicted legislators -- Chuck Chvala, Steve Foti, Brian Burke, and Bonnie Ladwig -- all have had the good sense to leave office since the charges were filed.

Jensen, on the other hand, has successfully run for reelection to his Waukesha County Assembly seat, continues to operate behind the scenes as a GOP leader in the Assembly, and was named this year to the Joint Finance Committee.

With Speaker John Gard likely to run for Congress, there has been speculation that Jensen may return to the job next session. That's assuming his little legal troubles go away, of course.

Even if charges were miraculously dropped or a jury found him not guilty (by reason of arrogance?), Assembly Republicans would have to be nuts to make him Speaker. Legal technicalities aside -- and he's rapidly running out of them -- Jensen's behavior was shameful -- and he is shameless.