In Anoka County, Minnesota a County Judge recently pled guilty to four misdemeanor counts of “failing to file a tax return.” These are state charges that resulted in a remaining tax liability of $3179.00 according to public sources. In one news article covering the issue it stated that Judge Donald James Venne ” failed to file state tax returns from 2003 to 2006.” (GrandForksHerald.Com; June 26, 2009)
Judge Donald James Venne was represented by Attorney Doug Kelley of Kelley & Wolter, P.A. According to their website “Mr. Kelley has successfully represented both individuals and corporations in many areas including mail, wire, bank and health care fraud; RICO; breach of contract and gaming law. He also has expertise in political campaign finance reform and fair election practices.”
According to the Pioneer Press through TwinCities.Com the case was heard in Anoka by retired Judge John Oswald who “was previously chambered in St. Louis County.” (TwinCities.Com; Anoka County Judge Fined for not Filing Tax Returns; June 22, 2009)
Judge Venne’s attorney was quoted publicly in the TwinCities.Com article when referring to Judge Venne that:
“He still is on medical leave and he is seeking treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and severe depression. All of this was triggered by a traumatic family event — that is, a family member who tried to commit suicide and was almost successful. That would be a child.
“Based on that event, he concentrated all on that … He hadn’t opened his mail for years. He had a $6,300 refund check from the IRS that could have covered all of his unpaid taxes, and that wasn’t discovered until one of my investigators went to his house and discovered all of these bags of mail.”
Judge Venne’s term expires January 2013, after being last elected in 2006. Originally appointed to the bench in June 1986 by Minnesota Governor Rudy Perpich, he won subsequent elections in 1988, 1994, 2000, and 2006. He was formerly employed as partner at Jensen, Venne & Schmidt, P.A.
To see Judge Venne’s entire judicial profile, you can view it at the Minnesota Courts website at http://www.mncourts.gov/?page=JudgeBio_v2&ID=30046
