Bice: Former Assembly candidate charged with felony over forged names on nomination papers
Once touted as an up-and-coming Democratic candidate, Watertown resident Charisse Daniels has had her political career apparently come to an end without even making it onto the ballot.
Daniels, 31, was charged last week with one count of falsifying information on her nomination papers. The Class I felony carries a maximum sentence of 3½ years behind bars and a $10,000 fine.
A hearing on the case is set for Wednesday afternoon in Jefferson County court.
Neither Daniels nor her attorney returned calls.
Daniels was bounced from the ballot in June after Republican Party officials submitted statements from numerous individuals who said their signatures were forged on Daniels' nomination papers.
The state Elections Commission rejected those signatures, leaving Daniels without the required number to be placed on the ballot. That left incumbent Rep. John Jagler, a Watertown Republican, without an opponent in the fall election.
Daniels did not contest the decision.
The Journal Sentinel first reported the extensive problems with her campaign records.
Watertown police officials then began looking into the matter over the summer.
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According to the four-page criminal complaint, a Watertown Police Department detective tried to contact every person who was listed as signing Daniels' nomination papers.
Of those people, 24 signed affidavits saying they never signed Daniels' paperwork even though their names appear on her documents. Another 10 said their signatures were forged but did not want to pursue charges, according to the complaint.
In addition, Daniels' nomination papers got the names of two individuals wrong and listed another person's home address as a vacant lot.
The detective did talk to 25 people who confirmed signing her nomination papers and others who said they would have if they had been asked.
The complaint does not indicate whether the detective talked to Daniels.
Former Assistant Attorney General Roy Korte filed the criminal complaint as the special prosecutor in the case. Earlier this year, Jefferson County District Attorney Susan Happ turned over the case to Korte because of a conflict of interest.
The fraudulent signatures came to light when Jagler contacted a friend and longtime supporter who was listed as signing Daniels’ candidacy papers. When the friend said he hadn't signed her paperwork, Jagler discovered others who also said they had not done so.
Daniels was featured in a CNN story last year on women across the country who decided to run for office in light of the election of President Donald Trump.
She also was a graduate of the 70-hour training program by Emerge America for promising Democrats.
Contact Daniel Bice at (414) 224-2135 or dbice@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanielBice or on Facebook at fb.me/daniel.bice.