Why would Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mary Burke choose someone once charged with domestic abuse to star in her latest campaign ad?

Featured in Burke's 15-second abortion spot is Erin Forrest, a Democrat active in the party. She has been the Jefferson County Democratic Party chairwoman since at least 2011 and led the recall efforts against GOP Gov. Scott Walker in her county.

But in 2013, Forrest — who then went by the name Erin Sievert — was charged with two misdemeanor counts of domestic abuse, the first for battery and the second for disorderly conduct, for a scuffle she had with her then-husband.

Jefferson County prosecutors offered Forrest a deferred prosecution agreement a month after charges were filed. Under a deferred prosecution deal, a defendant pleads guilty to the charges in exchange for having them dropped if she stays out of trouble for a certain period of time and completes other requirements.

Forrest finished the terms of her agreement in March, and prosecutors had the domestic violence charges dismissed.

Peg Lautenschlager, who was Forrest's attorney, said this was "not an unusual situation" for a young married couple in a dispute while facing troubles. Lautenschlager said the case involved no significant injuries and there was no history of abuse by either party.

In such cases, Lautenschlager said, prosecutors usually offer a first-time offender a deferred prosecution agreement.

Forrest and the Burke campaign released medical records Friday to suggest that she was also a victim of domestic abuse. The husband, however, was not arrested or charged in the matter.

Joe Zepecki, spokesman for Burke, said Friday that Forrest is a "passionate advocate for women" as well as a victim of abuse.

"Shame on anyone who believes that either of those facts mean she should not have the same rights to express herself in a campaign as anyone else," Zepecki said. "Those aware of the full circumstances made the easy decision to dismiss these charges for a reason."

Lautenschlager — a former state attorney general — sent an email late Friday saying Forrest's medical records were accurate but that her client did not inform her of these facts before entering the plea.

"Again, not atypical," Lautenschlager said. "It's embarrassing for victims."

In the ad, Forrest refers to a Journal Sentinel meeting in which Walker says he opposes abortion in all instances.

"When I heard that Scott Walker opposes a woman's right to choose even in cases of rape and incest, that was all that I needed to know," Forrest said.

Forrest, of course, has long opposed the first-term Republican governor. She is now a committee member for the state Democratic Party and has given $2,250 to Democratic candidates and committees since 2008.

According to the criminal complaint, Forrest's then-husband said the two got into a fight when he received a letter from his attorney but refused to show it to her. He said she punched him in the eye and ripped out one of his earrings.

He also said she punched him in the groin and bit him several times during the scuffle. Officer Kyle Virchow of the Waterloo Police Department said he observed several of the injuries.

"Several of the marks had broken skin," the complaint said. "There was also a similar mark on (his) left bicep as well as on his right shoulder. The bite mark on his shoulder was beginning to bruise and turn purple."

Forrest told authorities that she had bitten her husband but said she did so because he tried to cover her mouth with his arm and hand. The officer observed "some reddening" on her wrists.

The complaint said Forrest also told the Waterloo cop that her husband "had put her on the floor and she bit him in the shoulder." She acknowledged sitting on his car to prevent her husband from leaving the house.

The husband filed for divorce four days after the skirmish.

The domestic violence case was handled by the office of Jefferson County District Attorney Susan Happ, the Democratic candidate for attorney general. She is running against Republican Waukesha County District Attorney Brad Schimel.

"Susan Happ was not involved in this case," said Josh Lease, a spokesman for the Happ campaign. "It was handled by an ADA, and she did not communicate with Erin Sievert about this case."

Two months after the case closed, Forrest was one of a half-dozen hosts of a Madison fundraiser for Happ on May 29.

Lautenschlauger said that when she took the case, she asked Forrest if the district attorney was familiar with the matter. According to Lautenschlager, Forrest responded, "I hope she doesn't know about it because I'd be too embarrassed."

Lautenschlager said she didn't know Happ at the time.

Happ has come under fire in an unrelated matter because her office gave a deferred prosecution deal in a child sexual assault case to a defendant with whom Happ and her husband had previously done a real estate deal. Happ has said she had an assistant district attorney handle that case.

Contact Daniel Bice at (414) 224-2135 or dbice@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanielBice or on Facebook at fb.me/daniel.bice.