Embattled Milwaukee County Supervisor Johnny L. Thomas Jr. is expected to fight his bribery and misconduct charges in a preliminary hearing next week. The 43-year-old one-term county supervisor recently had these criminal charges filed against him, which caused him to suspend his campaign for city comptroller. Thomas was also removed from two county board committee positions and from his role as finance committee chairman by County Board Chairman Lee Holloway.

Thomas faces the bribery and misconduct charges after an undercover investigation in which authorities say they caught Thomas accepting a $500 cash payment under the belief that it was a payoff for awarding a county contract to a Chicago-based firm. Thomas allegedly accepted the money and also accepted a promise for another $500 campaign donation in exchange for helping the firm get the contract. The conversation in which the bribe allegedly took place was recorded although it is unclear why a county official who expose himself to bribery charges for such a relatively small sum of money.

The firm involved was allegedly unaware of the sting operation before it occurred. It is unclear what role, if any, the alleged bribery had on the county's choice of the firm, which has been awarded more than $1 million in contracts from the county since 2006. The firm was awarded the contract at issue in the bribery investigation unanimously by the board's finance committee.

Thomas could face up to six years in jail and $10,000 in fines if he is convicted of his bribery charges and over three years in jail and another $10,000 fine for his misconduct charges.

Source: Milwaukee-Journal Sentinel, "Supervisor Thomas will contest bribery, misconduct chargees," Steve Schultze, Feb. 8, 2012