Former Assembly candidate gets probation for fake signatures

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JEFFERSON, Wis. (AP) — A former Democratic state Assembly candidate has been sentenced to a year’s worth of probation after pleading guilty to faking signatures on her nomination papers.

WKOW-TV reports that Charisse Daniels, of Watertown, entered the plea on Wednesday in Jefferson County Circuit Court. She could have faced up to three-and-a-half years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

The 31-year-old Daniels planned to run in the 37th Assembly District against the incumbent Rep. John Jagler, a Republican.

Daniels’ attorney says she became “completely overwhelmed” by the amount of time she had to spend running for office and, with the deadline approaching to submit her papers, made “terrible decisions” that she regrets.

She wasn’t allowed on the ballot after the state Elections Commission found about two dozen people whose names were on her nomination papers in fact had not signed them.

Jagler was re-elected after running unopposed.