MILWAUKEE, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- Trial began Monday for five Kerry-Edwards campaign workers accused of slashing the tires of cars rented by Republican operatives in Milwaukee.
The defendants include Michael Pratt, son of former acting Milwaukee Mayor Marvin Pratt, and Sowande Omokunde, son of U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Wis.
The nature of the charges, the political ties of some defendants and the possibility that people like Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill, and John Sweeney, president of the AFL-CIO, could be witnesses mean a large jury pool, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported.
The five face prison sentences of up to 3 ½ years and $10,000 fines if they are convicted.
The vandalism took place on the eve of the 2004 presidential election in the early morning hours of Nov. 2. No one saw the tire-slashing, which cost the Republicans $4,192.35 in damage and $1,125 in towing charges.
Some of the defendants allegedly talked in the weeks before the election of what they called "Operation Elephant Takeover," plans to do mischief to the opposition, and allegedly boasted about the damage afterwards.
