MILWAUKEE, Feb. 16 (UPI) -- A Milwaukee court commissioner ruled five Democratic campaign staffers must stand trial on felony charges of slashing tires of vehicles rented by Republicans.
Early on Election Day, 40 tires were slashed on 25 vans and cars Republicans had planned to use to ferry Wisconsin voters to the polls Nov. 2.
The accused vandals, all Kerry-Edwards campaign staffers, include two sons of prominent Democratic politicians. Michael Pratt, 32, is the son of former Acting Milwaukee Mayor Marvin Pratt and Sowande Omokunde, 25, is the son of Rep. Gwen Moore, Wisconsin's first African-American congresswoman.
The slashed tires cost $5,300 in towing and repair charges and the defendants will be tried on felony charges, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said.
Two Democratic staffers told a preliminary hearing the group's original plan was to cover Bush-Cheney headquarters with Democratic yard signs on Election Day.
