Talk of voter suppression in America usually comes in the form of vague Democratic allegations of Republicans trying to prevent African-Americans from getting to the polls. But this week, a Wisconsin prosecutor charged five Kerry-Edwards campaign staffers in Milwaukee with felonies for having slashed the tires of 25 vehicles that Republicans had rented for get-out-the-vote efforts. According to reports in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the Capital Times, the men charged included Michael Pratt, who is the son of a former acting mayor of Milwaukee, and Sowande Omokunde, who is the son of a Democratic congresswoman, Gwen Moore.

The case isn’t proven, and the accused will have a chance to enter pleas at a hearing February 1. But if the facts are as they seem here, it is not to early to remark that it is a wonderful thing that young Americans – all five of those charged are 35 or younger – are so passionate about politics. Too bad they didn’t channel all their Election Day energy into making sure their side voted, rather than into trying to prevent the other side from getting to the polls. It will be a specific case to remember the next time a Democrat starts making vague allegations of voter suppression.