Election trial begins

The trial of Jack Seward Jr. began this afternoon in the Washington County Courthouse. Seward is charged with one count of Unlawful Receipt of a Monetary or In-Kind Campaign Contribution from a Corporation, a serious misdemeanor. The jury pool gathered at the courthouse at 9:30 a.m. The jury was chosen just before lunchtime and the trial began at 1:15 p.m.

Seward is represented by attorney Barbara Edmondson of Honohan, Epley, Braddock and Brenneman L.L.P. of Iowa City. Edmondson motioned to dismiss the trial on Sept. 14 but that motion was denied by Justice James Blomgren. On Sept. 10, Edmondson motioned to compel discovery, but that motion was denied.

Seward?s charge is based on the alleged receipt of an in-kind campaign contribution from Custom Impressions on or about May 11 in the amount of $75.

The trial of Bob Yoder is scheduled to begin Wednesday. The jury selection for his trial will begin at 9:30 a.m. that day. He is charged with Unlawful Transfer of Campaign Funds, a serious misdemeanor, based on the alleged transfer of campaign funds on or about May 24 in the amount of $1,400 to Iowa Political Action Committee Free County.

Yoder is also represented by Edmondson. Just as in Seward?s case, Edmondson filed a motion to dismiss the trial on Sept. 14, which was denied. She filed a motion to compel discovery in Yoder?s trial but that motion was denied, too.

A final pretrial conference for both cases took place Friday afternoon. The pretrial conference was a hearing on all pending motions, including motions in limine, which pertain to rulings about the inclusion or exclusion of evidence in the trial.

Seward and Yoder are running for office to become members of the Washington County Board of Supervisors. Seward won the Republican primary for the District 1 seat in June. Yoder won the Republican primary for the District 2 seat.

Seward and Yoder were both charged with campaign violations on July 27.