UNION DEFENDS ACCUSED PAROLE AGENTS

Union officials say Dane County prosecutors are guilty of "an
unconscionable abuse of power " for bringing drug charges against two
state parole agents based on the claims of a convicted felon and
despite a review of their actions by the Department of Corrections
that partially cleared the two.

"There is literally no physical evidence (of drug use) whatsoever, "
said Tom Corcoran, president of American Federations of State, County
and Municipal Employees Local 2748, which represents the state 's
probation and parole agents. "They are being crucified for having made
the mistake of having too much to drink (at a party) in May 2006. "

Dane County District Attorney Brian Blanchard said he could not
comment on pending cases.

The two agents, Paul N. Marx, 27, of Waunakee and Bobbi J. Knar, 24,
of Sun Prairie, pleaded not guilty Monday at an initial appearance in
Dane County Circuit Court. They were released on signature bonds
pending further hearings on the charges of possession of cocaine and
obstructing an officer.

Both charges are misdemeanors that could land them behind bars for
nearly two years and cost them each a $15,000 fine.

According to the 11-page criminal complaint, Marx and Knar attended an
all-night party in Madison on May 25-26, 2006, during which
prosecutors say they bought and used cocaine with three men, including
one who was on probation.

John C. Bleich, a convicted felon, told police about the party in July
2006. Bleich was being held in the Dane County Jail on unrelated drug
and theft charges and asked to speak to a narcotics detective. Bleich
was on probation at the time of the party, which he hosted, and now is
in state prison.

John Dipko, spokesman for the Department of Corrections, confirmed
Tuesday that Marx and Knar received reprimands for workplace-rule
violations -- which the union is fighting -- in connection with the
party. The two agents were placed on paid leave while the review took
place from May 3 to Aug. 6, when they were reinstated.

As a result of the review, the two were reprimanded because they
failed to tell their supervisors about being at a party where criminal
offenders were present and for failing to request a "fraternization
exemption " afterward. Marx also was faulted for not reporting on his
time sheet that he took a day of sick leave on May 26, 2006.

But the DOC investigator said he could not prove illegal drug use by
the agents. DOC investigator Troy Oungst wrote in an e-mail to another
DOC official, "I asked the (agents) directly (if they took drugs at
the party) and they claimed that they did not. "

But four days after Marx and Knar were reinstated, the two were put
back on leave when the DOC reopened the investigation after reading a
criminal complaint filed Aug. 7 in Dane County Circuit Court about the
party, Dipko said. The two remain on leave pending completion of the
new review, which is now centered on Marx 's alleged admission in the
complaint of past drug use by himself and Knar, Dipko said.

The complaint says Marx told police he used cocaine once at a bar with
Knar about a month before the party and one other time about two years
ago.

Bleich said the two agents showed up for the party about 10 p.m. May
25, 2006, with Michael Bishop, who was Bleich 's friend, and another
man identified as Brian Miller in the complaint.

Bleich told police the five of them played cards, drank heavily and
smoked or snorted cocaine until 7:30 a.m. May 26. That was a work day
for the agents, who both called in sick. During the party, Bleich also
said Knar acknowledged being a probation officer and asked him whether
he was on probation, to which he answered yes, he said.

Early the next morning, while the party was still going on, Bleich
said he also heard Knar tell Marx that she was supposed to release a
client from probation that day, a Friday, but Marx replied with
something like, "(Expletive) it, he can wait until after the weekend,
" the complaint said.

Subsequent interviews with Bishop and Miller produced similar accounts
of the evening -- though Bishop told police he never actually saw the
agents use drugs. Miller, like Bleich, said he witnessed it several
times. Police also reviewed phone and bank records for Knar and Marx
that appear to support the alleged sequence of events.

In police interviews, Knar and Marx acknowledged being at the party
and drinking heavily, but said they didn 't use drugs there or see
anyone else use drugs. They also said they did not know Bleich was on
probation.