A History Of Legal And Ethical Troubles For Wilkerson

State Sen. Dianne Wilkerson's has faced history of legal and ethical problems during her 13 years in the legislature:

- Oct. 28: Wilkerson is charged with accepting $23,500 in bribes in exchange for favors to undercover agents posing as local business.

- Oct. 24: The state Bar Counsel accuses Wilkerson of lying under oath in an effort to overturn her nephew's manslaughter conviction.

- Sept. 16: Wilkerson loses the Democratic primary to Sonia Chang-Diaz. She begins a write-in campaign for the Nov. 4 election.

- Aug. 1: Wilkerson says she will pay a $10,000 fine and forego about $30,000 in debts she said her political committee owed her to settle allegations of campaign finance problems.

- 2001: Wilkerson is fined $1,000 by the State Ethics Commission for failing to properly report that a bank she lobbied for as a senator was paying her more than $20,000 a year as a consultant.

- 1999: Wilkerson is suspended from practicing law for one year after a tax evasion conviction.

- 1998: Wilkerson agrees to pay back all unaccounted expenditures and to pay civil penalties totaling $11,500 to settle allegations of unexplained expenditures and undisclosed political action committee contributions.

- 1997: Wilkerson is sentenced to house arrest after pleading guilty to failing to pay $51,000 in federal income taxes in the early 1990s.