Ex-OCDP official’s sentencing set for Jan. 12 after plea

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Bauer

A former Oakland County Democratic Party employee will face sentencing in Circuit Court on Jan. 12, 2012 on charges that he and the former party chairman concocted a scheme to siphon off conservative vote from Republicans in close races during the 2010 election cycle.

Jason Bauer, the party’s former political director who resigned last year, will be sentenced early next year by Circuit Court Judge James Alexander after he and Michael McGuinness, the former county party chairman, both pleaded no contest to charges including forgery and perjury.

Bauer pleaded no contest on Monday, Nov. 22. McGuinness pleaded no contest on his charges last month.

Bauer’s additional charges included violations of provisions of the Michigan Notary Public Act stemming from his alleged fraudulent notarization of candidate affidavits for Aaron W. Tyler, who was running for the county Board of Commissioners 2nd District seat; Ruth A. Spearman, who was running for the Board of Commissioners 4th District seat; and Johnathon Michael Young, who was running for the state Senate’s 12th District seat.

Uttering and publishing (forgery) is a 14-year felony; perjury is a 5-year felony; and violations of the Notary Public Act are 1-year misdemeanor offenses.

The county board’s 2nd District represents Highland Township, the village of Holly, and Holly, Springfield and Rose townships. District 4 represents portions of Waterford and Independence townships, and Clarkston.

The pair stand accused of trying to run so-called “Tea Party” candidates in the 2010 election in an attempt to siphon conservative votes from Republican candidates during the 2010 mid-term election cycle.

In July 2010, a group identifying itself as the “Tea Party” submitted 59,000-plus voter signatures to the Michigan Secretary of State’s office, as well as the names of 23 candidates seeking legislative positions as Tea Party candidates.