In 1996, this congresswoman’s husband pleaded guilty to writing a quarter million dollars in bad checks to finance her campaign. What was her name?

The congresswoman whose husband pleaded guilty in 1996 to financing her campaign with a quarter million dollars in bad checks was Enid Waldholtz. She was a rising star in the Republican Party, elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Utah in 1994, even becoming the first freshman in 70 years to win a seat on the powerful Rules Committee. However, her promising political career was dramatically cut short by a major financial scandal involving her then-husband, Joseph "Joe" Waldholtz.

Joe Waldholtz, who served as her campaign manager, was at the center of a scheme involving hundreds of thousands of dollars in worthless checks and falsified campaign spending reports. In 1996, he pleaded guilty to charges including bank fraud and making false statements to the Federal Election Commission, admitting he provided incorrect information about the source of over $1.8 million spent on her 1994 House race. This included writing $250,000 in bad checks and creating "ghost" contributors for her campaign. The money was also tied to a larger check-kiting scheme and funds embezzled from her father.

Enid Waldholtz maintained she was unaware of her husband's illegal financial dealings, publicly stating she was an "innocent dupe" who had been tricked. Despite her claims, the scandal led to intense pressure for her resignation, and she ultimately chose not to seek re-election in 1996. The couple divorced, and Joe Waldholtz was sentenced to prison for his crimes, which also included continued check fraud and heroin use while awaiting sentencing. Enid Waldholtz and her father later paid a combined $100,000 fine to the Federal Election Commission related to the illegal campaign contributions.