“The Shawano-Menominee County District Attorney’s office threatened a political opponent with felony charges in open court Tuesday morning, according to court records. Aaron Damrau, a 31-year-old criminal defense attorney, is running as an independent to unseat incumbent District Attorney Greg Parker, a Republican, in the November election” reports the Wisconsin Examiner.

“Damrau is being threatened with a charge of felony bail jumping as party to a crime because of a case involving one of his former clients. Parker has been district attorney for 14 years and hasn’t faced a challenger since 2008. When he was elected in 2006 he won by one vote. Damrau is currently outraising Parker by a 7 to 1 margin, campaign finance records show. Damrau had withdrawn from the case — and all other cases tied to the office — to avoid conflicts of interest relating to his campaign. Damrau’s former client, a 29-year-old doctorate student at UW-Madison, is charged with battery to a law enforcement officer, possession of THC, possession of drug paraphernalia and disorderly conduct from an incident in December. In February, an extradition waiver that would allow the defendant to leave the state was filed with the court. On June 26 the defendant changed his address on file with the court from a Madison residence to one in Georgia. Damrau withdrew from the case July 31. At a preliminary hearing Tuesday morning, Assistant District Attorney Lauren Nelson, who reports to Parker, said the defendant moving back to Georgia was a violation of his bond and that Damrau, by not requesting permission for his client to leave Wisconsin, was a party to that crime. “