An appeal of a conviction on two counts of mail fraud and one count of money laundering was lost last week by former State Rep. Loren Jennings, Harris. The U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Jennings’ claims of insufficient evidence to convict him, alleging that mistakes were made during the trial and in saying Jennings should forfeit his personal gain from the scheme. Jennings is currently incarcerated in Kansas. Jennings was convicted July 26, 2005 and sentenced March 20, 2006 to four years in prison and ordered to make restitution and forfeiture of funds totaling nearly $569,000. He was acquitted on four other counts including conspiracy charges to commit mail fraud and to commit money laundering. He was accused of using his position in the House of Representatives to pass legislation that made it possible for ratepayers’ conservation funds to be spent on a utility pole recycling company, Northern Pole Inc. Jennings’ companies loaned about $670,000 to Northern Pole. Jennings’ lobbying of Minnesota Power and Northern States Power Co. (now Xcel Energy) resulted in payments of $650,000 to Northern Pole from conservation funds. More than $284,000 was said to have made payments on Jennings’ loans.

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