http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-08-31-congresswoman-husband_x.htm

   Congresswoman's husband pleads guilty to two felonies
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   CHICAGO  (AP)  --  The  husband  of  an Illinois congresswoman pleaded
   guilty  Wednesday  to tax violations and bank fraud for writing rubber
   checks and failing to collect withholding tax from an employee.

   Robert  Creamer, a political consultant married to four-term U.S. Rep.
   Jan  Schakowsky,  could  face  four  years in prison on the two felony
   counts when he is sentenced Dec. 21.

   "In  my  heart,  I  know that these mistakes do not define or diminish
   this  good  man,  or  the  good work that he has done over the last 40
   years  or  that  he  will  do in the future," Schakowsky, D-Ill., said
   after her husband's court hearing.

   Schakowsky has not been accused of any wrongdoing

   Creamer,  58, a prominent Chicago political consultant, was accused of
   swindling  nine  financial institutions of at least $2.3 million while
   he ran a public interest group in the 1990s.

   Creamer told reporters Wednesday there was "no doubt that my actions a
   decade  ago  were  very  foolish  and  placed  myself,  my family, the
   organization  and  many  of  those  who worked with me at considerable
   risk."

   He  offered  a  "sincere apology to anyone who has been affected by my
   conduct."

   The  indictment  alleged  Creamer  caused  a  series of insufficiently
   funded checks and wire transfers to be drawn on accounts he controlled
   as executive director of the Illinois Public Action Fund. According to
   the  indictment,  he  allegedly then used the inflated balances to pay
   the group's expenses and own salary.

   Creamer  pleaded guilty to one count each of bank fraud and failure to
   collect withholding tax. In exchange for his plea, prosecutors dropped
   several other counts.

   His  lawyer,  Theodore  Poulos, said he hopes Creamer can avoid prison
   and  serve  whatever  sentence he receives in a halfway house or under
   house arrest.

   Schakowsky,  who  lives  in  the  Chicago suburb of Evanston, said she
   doesn't think her husband's plea would prompt a primary challenge next
   year in her heavily Democratic district.