Leawood ? Going from a rising young star of the Republican party to an ex-convict has been humbling for Adam Taff, but he is vowing to rebuild his life and reputation.

Taff, 42, whose political future seemed bright after narrowly losing congressional races in 2002 and 2004, had that future taken away when he was sentenced in 2006 to 15 months in federal prison for using campaign funds to get a home loan.

Prosecutors said he withdrew $300,000 from his campaign account, represented it as a down payment for a $1.2 million home in Lake Quivira, then returned the money to his campaign.

He served part of the sentence at the federal minimum-security prison camp at Yankton, S.D., then moved to a Leavenworth halfway house. On Feb. 28, he went to work for Customer Discovery, an Internet marketing firm in Leawood. He was formally released from federal custody April 20.

Taff and his wife, Beth, are living with another family in Leawood while they rebuild their finances. Legal bills took Taff’s savings and, as things stand now, he’s lost the pension from his 18-year military career because of his conviction.

“I took what happened extremely hard,” Taff told The Kansas City Star. “I was very disappointed that I would allow myself to get into that situation. It pained me beyond description knowing I had let down good people who believed in me.”

Taff won’t discuss the details of the illegal mortgage transaction but said it was never his intention for it to take place the way it did.

“But at the 11th hour, it was my decision. I didn’t have to make it happen that way, and I did. And that’s why things played out this past year.”

Taff acknowledges that he’s embarrassed by the conviction. But he said he’s also determined to continue his life in the Kansas City area, remain active in public life and make prison reform a personal crusade.

“For those people who want to work with me in the future, I’m the same energetic, purpose-driven person I’ve always been,” he said.