GAB approves convicted felon Gary George for congressional run

MADISON (AP) — Convicted felon and former state Sen. Gary George will be allowed on the ballot to challenge fellow Democrat U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore for Congress.

The Government Accountability Board voted unanimously Tuesday to certify George and other candidates for the Aug. 12 ballot.

Milwaukee labor leader Sheila Cochran had challenged nearly 1,000 of the signatures George collected on his nomination papers, saying they were collected by convicted felons.

Board the elections board determined the circulators were off probation and therefore signatures they collected could be counted. The board found that George submitted 1,391 valid signatures. He needed 1,000 to make the ballot.

George was recalled from office as a state senator in 2003 and convicted of a felony count of conspiring to defraud the government in 2004.