DETROIT – An ex-scheduler for former Congressman Thaddeus McCotter has pleaded no contest to all of the charges she faced in a petition signature scandal.
Lorianne O'Brady, 52, of Livonia, who worked as a scheduler to the former congressman, made her plea Tuesday in Wayne County's 16th District Court before Judge Kathleen J. McCann to five counts of falsely signing a nominating petition as circulator, a misdemeanor punishable by up to 93 days in jail. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 25.
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An investigation by Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette's office in August revealed O'Brady and three others had copied or altered petitions while they worked for McCotter.
Schuette hasn't charged McCotter but said he was "asleep at the switch."
The others charged are: Deputy district director Don Dale Youchuang, district director Paul Seewald and district representative Mary Turnball.
READ: AG Office McCotter investigation report
READ: McCotter fraud examples
McCotter resigns following signature snafu
The republican turned in 2,000 signatures on May 15, but a review found many of the signatures were duplicates and out of date. Only a couple hundred appeared valid.
He needed 1,000.
After he was told he wouldn't make the August primary ballot because of the failed requirement, McCotter had initially said he would run as a write-in candidate. But he announced his resignation in July.
The Republican from Livonia had served five terms in the 11th Congressional District.