Paulus apologizes to Winnebago County residents
[Editorial Note: In an open letter to the residents of Winnebago County, which was published in the Oshkosh Northwestern this morning, former District Attorney Joseph Paulus has apologized for the crimes that led a federal judge to sentence him to nearly five years for bribery and filing a false tax return. Paulus is now facing new charges, these from the state, which he will make his first court appearance on tomorrow in Winnebago County Circuit Court.
While well-written, with all the right words, a few things in Paulus' letter stood out for me as I read it.
First, he says he has been anxious to address us citizens. Really? Is that why it took him nearly two years to get his letter together? His days in a federal prison camp in Florida must be awfully full that this is the soonest he could get his letter of apology to us. Pardon me for being cynical, but I find it more than just a little ironic that one day before his court appearance on the new charges, we received the letter. His timing strikes me as orchestrated and nothing more than Joe Paulus still being opportunistic and manipulative.
And while he's busy writing a letter of apology to everyone in the county, it's too bad he hasn't been "humbled" enough by all of this to also write letters of apology to Edmund "E.J." Jelinski, Thomas Chalchoff and Ann Gollner, for the things he did to them when they blew the whistle on him four years ago. He removed Gollner from her position in the DA's office, fired Jelinski and Chalchoff from their jobs as prosecutors and basically called all three liars who he claimed were saying untrue things about him in order to smear him in a political campaign. Even though Jelinski and Chalchoff received settlements and back pay from the state, all three put up with a lot of crap from this man and his supporters. Some of them, including the Oshkosh Northwestern, have since come around. Why has Paulus not seen fit to apologize to them?
The second thing about his letter that I found interesting was how he said Judge William Griesbach made a "proper decision" when he enhanced Paulus' sentence on federal charges from 33 months to 58 months during sentencing two years ago. Really? Is that why his attorney has spent time appealing the sentence? What has that been all about if the sentence was so "proper?"
Finally, in what reads like even more self-serving commentary, Paulus felt it necessary to re-hash all the good things he did for this community during his 14 years in office instead of just apologizing for the crimes that he committed which, in some people's minds, undid what he did and made many more people question other cases which have not had any formal charges against Paulus attached to them. Why couldn't he just simply have apologized for his actions which, along with those of Milton "Mitch" Schierland, tarnished the image of criminal justice and law enforcement in Winnebago County for many years longer than he was in office and abusing his power here, and be done with it? Maybe he felt he needed to remind everyone, including Judge Dale English from Fond du Lac County who will preside over the proceedings tomorrow, of all the good things he did for this community. He did those things because that's what he was elected and paid to do, not because he was such a benevolent soul. I hope his letter does not cause Judge English to grant Paulus leniency. He should be given the maximum sentence for his crimes. No doubt that's what he would argue for if he were the prosecutor. And now, his letter...]
- Cheryl
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To The Citizens of Winnebago County:
I am writing this long-overdue letter of apology in an effort to express my thoughts and feelings about the events that have led to my prosecution and imprisonment. Regrettably, I cannot speak with each of you personally and we will not be able to look one another in the eye. Nevertheless, I have been anxious to address every citizen in Winnebago County and I am grateful to The Northwestern for providing this forum to speak with you today.
Twenty years ago in 1986, I began a career as a public servant in Winnebago County. Serving as an assistant district attorney in my home county was the fulfillment of a childhood dream and I quickly realized that I had found my true calling in life.
Over the ensuing years, I poured my heart and soul into being the best advocate for you that I could possibly be. As a result of your confidence in my abilities, I was elected District Attorney in 1988 and re-elected six times. During my 14 year tenure in office, I prosecuted thousands of criminals, including some of the most dangerous murderers, rapists, child molesters and drug traffickers ever to prey on the good people of our county.
For reasons that are difficult to articulate, I lost my moral compass in 1998 and engaged in professional misconduct with my close friend and fellow attorney, Milton Schierland. In the most fundamental way, I lost sight of the basic values that were instilled in me as a lifelong resident of the county. In the most simple terms, I succumbed to greed and jeopardized everything that I cherished.
Four years after the illegal conduct ended, I was charged in federal court and sentenced to 58 months in prison. I initially faced a sentence of 33 months, but the federal judge held me to a higher standard because of my role as a public official, and enhanced my sentence 25 months. It was a proper decision. Despite the cold reality that I would serve a long prison term, I unexpectedly felt a measure of relief. For any person with a conscience and a soul, wrongful conduct takes a profound personal toll, and I had experienced enough.
I have been imprisoned for the past two years and still must serve almost three more years on my federal sentence. I accept my punishment as just. Unlike so many of my fellow inmates, I blame no one but myself. In fact, as tragic as the situation is for me, and especially my family, I feel a personal duty and redemptive reward in serving my pennance and paying my debt to society.
Although prison life is difficult, especially for a former prosecutor, I have come to realize that my incarceration pales in comparison to the other sad realities of my misconduct. I have tarnished the reputation of the office of District Attorney and I recklessly betrayed the faith of all those who believed in me and afforded me the opportunity to serve.
Even more personally, I have disgraced my parents and dishonored my family name. I have five children, and my behavior has caused them untold heartache and grief. I have let down the one person who loves me with all my faults, my wife. I am distraught to watch her struggle on a daily basis to keep our family together. These realities haunt me every day and force me to pause and reflect on my personal failures.
Growing up in Oshkosh, I was fortunate to be surrounded by many positive influences such as teachers, coaches, clergy, scout leaders and, of course, my parents. I feel overwhelming remorse for having betrayed the spirit of the many life lessons they taught.
Likewise, I am ashamed to have betrayed the citizens of Winnebago County, each one of you. On the most personal level, I apologize for my conduct. In the most heartfelt way, I am sorry for what I have done. I will live with regret for the rest of my life.
I have been humbled by this experience and I pledge to you to find a way, however great or small, to continue paying my debt well past the day they let me walk through the prison gate and return to my family. When the day finally arrives, I intend to make the most of my second chance and lead an honest, hard-working and purposeful life as a contributing member of society. I look forward to that day.
Sincerely,
Joseph F. Paulus
-------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE AS OF AUG. 23, 2006, - 11:41 a.m.
So much for Joe Paulus being remorseful and humbled by the events of the last several years. Instead of pleading guilty to the charges this morning, Paulus requested a judicial substitution. Certainly that is his right under the law, but since he already has a deal hammered out with the state, it seems to me he could have entered a plea this morning, then requested a substitution. Or he could have requested a substitution when Judge Dale English was first assigned to this matter weeks ago.
He does not seem to be interested in keeping the wheels of justice turning. Instead, I don't think there can be any doubt that Paulus is looking for a judge with a record for leniency. But there can also be no doubt, Joseph Paulus still wants to show how in control he is and what a manipulator he can be.
Let's hope the judge who is next assigned to this case sees him for exactly what he is and gives him the sentence he deserves for what he has done in the name of "justice" in Winnebago County.
While well-written, with all the right words, a few things in Paulus' letter stood out for me as I read it.
First, he says he has been anxious to address us citizens. Really? Is that why it took him nearly two years to get his letter together? His days in a federal prison camp in Florida must be awfully full that this is the soonest he could get his letter of apology to us. Pardon me for being cynical, but I find it more than just a little ironic that one day before his court appearance on the new charges, we received the letter. His timing strikes me as orchestrated and nothing more than Joe Paulus still being opportunistic and manipulative.
And while he's busy writing a letter of apology to everyone in the county, it's too bad he hasn't been "humbled" enough by all of this to also write letters of apology to Edmund "E.J." Jelinski, Thomas Chalchoff and Ann Gollner, for the things he did to them when they blew the whistle on him four years ago. He removed Gollner from her position in the DA's office, fired Jelinski and Chalchoff from their jobs as prosecutors and basically called all three liars who he claimed were saying untrue things about him in order to smear him in a political campaign. Even though Jelinski and Chalchoff received settlements and back pay from the state, all three put up with a lot of crap from this man and his supporters. Some of them, including the Oshkosh Northwestern, have since come around. Why has Paulus not seen fit to apologize to them?
The second thing about his letter that I found interesting was how he said Judge William Griesbach made a "proper decision" when he enhanced Paulus' sentence on federal charges from 33 months to 58 months during sentencing two years ago. Really? Is that why his attorney has spent time appealing the sentence? What has that been all about if the sentence was so "proper?"
Finally, in what reads like even more self-serving commentary, Paulus felt it necessary to re-hash all the good things he did for this community during his 14 years in office instead of just apologizing for the crimes that he committed which, in some people's minds, undid what he did and made many more people question other cases which have not had any formal charges against Paulus attached to them. Why couldn't he just simply have apologized for his actions which, along with those of Milton "Mitch" Schierland, tarnished the image of criminal justice and law enforcement in Winnebago County for many years longer than he was in office and abusing his power here, and be done with it? Maybe he felt he needed to remind everyone, including Judge Dale English from Fond du Lac County who will preside over the proceedings tomorrow, of all the good things he did for this community. He did those things because that's what he was elected and paid to do, not because he was such a benevolent soul. I hope his letter does not cause Judge English to grant Paulus leniency. He should be given the maximum sentence for his crimes. No doubt that's what he would argue for if he were the prosecutor. And now, his letter...]
- Cheryl
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
To The Citizens of Winnebago County:
I am writing this long-overdue letter of apology in an effort to express my thoughts and feelings about the events that have led to my prosecution and imprisonment. Regrettably, I cannot speak with each of you personally and we will not be able to look one another in the eye. Nevertheless, I have been anxious to address every citizen in Winnebago County and I am grateful to The Northwestern for providing this forum to speak with you today.
Twenty years ago in 1986, I began a career as a public servant in Winnebago County. Serving as an assistant district attorney in my home county was the fulfillment of a childhood dream and I quickly realized that I had found my true calling in life.
Over the ensuing years, I poured my heart and soul into being the best advocate for you that I could possibly be. As a result of your confidence in my abilities, I was elected District Attorney in 1988 and re-elected six times. During my 14 year tenure in office, I prosecuted thousands of criminals, including some of the most dangerous murderers, rapists, child molesters and drug traffickers ever to prey on the good people of our county.
For reasons that are difficult to articulate, I lost my moral compass in 1998 and engaged in professional misconduct with my close friend and fellow attorney, Milton Schierland. In the most fundamental way, I lost sight of the basic values that were instilled in me as a lifelong resident of the county. In the most simple terms, I succumbed to greed and jeopardized everything that I cherished.
Four years after the illegal conduct ended, I was charged in federal court and sentenced to 58 months in prison. I initially faced a sentence of 33 months, but the federal judge held me to a higher standard because of my role as a public official, and enhanced my sentence 25 months. It was a proper decision. Despite the cold reality that I would serve a long prison term, I unexpectedly felt a measure of relief. For any person with a conscience and a soul, wrongful conduct takes a profound personal toll, and I had experienced enough.
I have been imprisoned for the past two years and still must serve almost three more years on my federal sentence. I accept my punishment as just. Unlike so many of my fellow inmates, I blame no one but myself. In fact, as tragic as the situation is for me, and especially my family, I feel a personal duty and redemptive reward in serving my pennance and paying my debt to society.
Although prison life is difficult, especially for a former prosecutor, I have come to realize that my incarceration pales in comparison to the other sad realities of my misconduct. I have tarnished the reputation of the office of District Attorney and I recklessly betrayed the faith of all those who believed in me and afforded me the opportunity to serve.
Even more personally, I have disgraced my parents and dishonored my family name. I have five children, and my behavior has caused them untold heartache and grief. I have let down the one person who loves me with all my faults, my wife. I am distraught to watch her struggle on a daily basis to keep our family together. These realities haunt me every day and force me to pause and reflect on my personal failures.
Growing up in Oshkosh, I was fortunate to be surrounded by many positive influences such as teachers, coaches, clergy, scout leaders and, of course, my parents. I feel overwhelming remorse for having betrayed the spirit of the many life lessons they taught.
Likewise, I am ashamed to have betrayed the citizens of Winnebago County, each one of you. On the most personal level, I apologize for my conduct. In the most heartfelt way, I am sorry for what I have done. I will live with regret for the rest of my life.
I have been humbled by this experience and I pledge to you to find a way, however great or small, to continue paying my debt well past the day they let me walk through the prison gate and return to my family. When the day finally arrives, I intend to make the most of my second chance and lead an honest, hard-working and purposeful life as a contributing member of society. I look forward to that day.
Sincerely,
Joseph F. Paulus
-------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE AS OF AUG. 23, 2006, - 11:41 a.m.
So much for Joe Paulus being remorseful and humbled by the events of the last several years. Instead of pleading guilty to the charges this morning, Paulus requested a judicial substitution. Certainly that is his right under the law, but since he already has a deal hammered out with the state, it seems to me he could have entered a plea this morning, then requested a substitution. Or he could have requested a substitution when Judge Dale English was first assigned to this matter weeks ago.
He does not seem to be interested in keeping the wheels of justice turning. Instead, I don't think there can be any doubt that Paulus is looking for a judge with a record for leniency. But there can also be no doubt, Joseph Paulus still wants to show how in control he is and what a manipulator he can be.
Let's hope the judge who is next assigned to this case sees him for exactly what he is and gives him the sentence he deserves for what he has done in the name of "justice" in Winnebago County.
posted by Cheryl Hentz at 7:02 AM
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