On Friday April 6, 2012, the West Branch Times reported, 

“Robert F. ‘Bobby’ Kaufmann, Republican candidate for state representative, in District 73, pleaded guilty in late February to public intoxication but has not been convicted on the simple misdemeanor charge. Instead he has received a ‘deferred judgment.’

The deferred judgment means that the 26-year-old will serve a year on probation and, if he breaks no further laws, the case will be removed from his record.

Kaufmann said that he initially pleaded guilty to the charge ‘not knowing his legal rights,’ but his attorney helped him see that he could plead guilty yet avoid conviction under a deferred judgment.

Kaufmann had to pay a civil penalty and court costs of $195 and undergo a substance abuse evaluation.”

So this candidate will be on probation while he is trying to get elected to public office.  Has that ever happened?

BFIA went to the online court records at www.iowacourts.gov and found that Kaufmann has received 17 convictions over the span of 10 years.  We’ve reposted the information below but anyone can go and look it up.  It’s public information.

While it is understood that a mishap here and there can happen to anyone, and we all have gotten the occasional speeding ticket,  this is quite an impressive list of legal run-ins by any standard.   Except for the public intoxication incident,  running the stop/yield sign, and speeding 16-20 miles over the limit a couple of times, most of these are minor traffic violations.  But still.  It seems to us that a person would really have to be trying to have this many citations.

The point is, is this the track record of someone who is prepared to handle the pressures and responsibilities of holding public office?  Just sayin’.