State Representative Nathan Cooper (R-Cape Girardeau) has pled guilty to fraud for his part in a scheme to import immigrants as truck drivers. From the Post-Dispatch:
As a lawyer, Cooper specialized in immigration law. Prosecutors say he relied on a provision of a federal law that allows seasonal workers to come into this country. But he used it to provide drivers for short-handed trucking companies — a type of job outside the scope of the law, prosecutors say.
Prosecutors say Cooper bent the law by setting up shell companies, issuing bogus letters and buying visas.
In 2004-05, he took in $50,000 from trucking companies, prosecutors say. As part of his plea, he’ll forfeit the money.
Rep. Cooper has a long trail of stink behind him, as Fired Up Missouri has reported in the past.
He’s committed fraud to bring in immigrants to take American jobs. Of all the sins that could royally piss off his constituents, Cooper could hardly have chosen better. Okay, child rape would make them madder.
IOKIYAR!
(it’s okay if you’re a republican!)
He’s could receive up to 15 years and a $500,000 fine. I don’t know if a first offender will actually have to do jail time–though to my mind, being a Republican legislator means he isn’t a first time offender. If he gets probation, is it possible he could still run for reelection? One hopes he will try, because such arrogance would give the Dems a decent shot at taking the district.