Former State Sen. Chuck Chvala, D-Madison, pled guilty to two felony charges Tuesday after a plea agreement was reached between Chvala's attorneys and Milwaukee County Assistant District Attorney David Feiss at the Dane County Courthouse.

By striking the deal with Feiss, Chvala gave up his right to have a jury trial, which had been scheduled for Oct. 31.

"I want to have a trial, Judge, but I am pleading guilty to the crimes and I understand I will not have a trial," Chvala said during the plea hearing.

Chvala originally faced 20 felony charges, which were later reduced to 19, stemming from the legislative caucus scandal that was exposed in 2002. The scandal investigation left Chvala and several other state legislators from both the Democratic and Republican parties charged with misusing their public offices.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, Chvala admitted guilt to one count of misconduct of public office for having state employees do campaign work, and also pled guilty to a second felony of fraudulently exceeding campaign-contribution limits.

"I find there is a sufficient factual basis for both those charges," Dane County Circuit Court Judge David Flanagan said in accepting the plea and finding Chvala guilty of the two felonies.

Though the prosecution did not recommend prison time, Feiss requested the court sentence Chvala to a jail term of no longer than six months, two years of probation and no more than $5,500 in fines.

However, Flanagan said the court was not "bound" by the agreement between Feiss and Chvala, adding the sentence imposed on Chvala could be more severe than Feiss' recommendation.

"If I felt that there was likely to be a substantial deviation from an agreement, I would permit a defendant who had offered a guilty plea … to withdraw that plea and have a trial," Flanagan said.

The terms of the plea agreement did not include mandatory restitution payments, Flanagan noted, who added that if restitution was required as part of Chvala's sentence, it would not warrant circumstances that would be considered a "substantial deviation." Flanagan indicated in the hearing he may order Chvala to pay restitution to the state for money paid to the state office employees he had working on campaigns.

Though 19 felony charges were brought against Chvala in total — which consisted of allegations of extortion, misconduct of public office and numerous charges relating to illegal campaign-contribution practices — 17 were dismissed. All charges were for crimes Chvala allegedly committed from 1997 to 2001, while he was a prominent Democrat in the Wisconsin State Senate.

Nine of the charges dismissed may be considered in Chvala's sentencing, though he did not admit any guilt to those charges. The remaining seven felony counts were dismissed without prejudice.

"It is my determination that the dismissals which I have just ordered are in light of the enormous amount of effort that has gone into this proceeding and they are in fact appropriate," Flanagan said.

In the investigation which led to Chvala's indictment, former Sen. Brian Burke, D-Milwaukee; former Rep. Steve Foti, R-Oconomowoc; and Rep. Scott Jensen, R-Brookfield, were also charged with misusing their public offices to further campaign work for their own or their political parties' interests.

Burke also reached a plea agreement with Dane County District Attorney Brian Blanchard Oct. 5 for charges brought forth after the investigation into the Capitol Corruption case. Similar to Chvala, Burke received a sentence recommended not to exceed six months in jail, two years probation and fines of $2,500.

Many political experts feel the corruption case has given a "black eye" to state politics.

"This was in many ways a very sad day in Wisconsin politics," Common Cause in Wisconsin Executive Director Jay Heck said. "Chuck Chvala was a dominant figure in the state for many years."

Chvala earned himself a state Assembly seat in 1982, was later elected to the state Senate and became Senate Majority leader in 1996, a position which he held until his indictment in 2002.

Heck said early in his career, Chvala had been a "bright young star in Wisconsin politics," was a "champion for the little guy" and a "reform-oriented" politician who worked against special interests.

His career took a turn, however, when Chvala gained leadership in the Senate and he and Jensen began to play "hardball politics" and "would do anything they could to win," Heck added.

Chvala's attorney, James Olson, requested a sentencing date to take place sometime in the beginning of December, which both Flanagan and Feiss agreed to.