Jeffrey Karnitz charged for defacing recall petitions

WEST BEND -- Jeffrey Karnitz was charged with election fraud Thursday morning in connection with the defacing petitions incident in West Bend.

According to Washington County recall organizer Waring Fincke, when recall volunteers were gathering signatures last weekend, Karnitz crossed the line by crossing out names on the petition. Fincke said Karnitz drove up and was given two clipboards - one for Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, and one for Gov. Scott Walker, and instead of signing the petitions, he scribbled across names that were already there. A petitioner gathering signatures recorded his license plate number, and turned it into police.

Karnitz is due in court on Friday, January 6th. If convicted, Karnitz could face up to three-and-a-half years in prison and a $10,000 fine.