Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Scott Walker, prosecutors trade pointed swipes on John Doe
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ^ | April 25, 2015 | By Patrick Marley

Posted on 04/25/2015 11:59:28 PM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife

In a swing through the crucial presidential state of Iowa this weekend,Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker took the rare step of lashing out at prosecutors who had probed his campaign by questioning whether their tactics were constitutional.

In an equally unusual turn,prosecutors fired back by calling Walker's comments inaccurate,offensive and defamatory—with Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm suggesting Walker could be criminally charged for lying. They said Walker should call for the release of sealed court records so the public could know more about the investigation and raids on people's homes,but Walker gave that notion little heed....

The state Supreme Court is now considering three pieces of litigation related to that probe. It is expected to decide this summer whether the investigation can resume or must be stopped for good.

Separately,the U.S. Supreme Court is weighing whether to accept a challenge to the probe brought by the Wisconsin Club for Growth. That lawsuit was thrown out by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago in September.

Chisholm suggested a "false propaganda push" was being made about the raids now because of the U.S. Supreme Court's consideration of that case,comparing it to reports about how his office operated that surfaced just before the federal appeals court considered the case.

At issue..is whether Walker's campaign illegally coordinated with the Wisconsin Club for Growth and other groups. The groups contend they did nothing wrong because the ads they run don't tell people how they should vote,though they do praise conservatives and attack their opponents.

Walker said groups supporting him had focused on the benefits of the limits on collective bargaining he placed on most public workers. Those limits,known as Act 10,sparked the recall effort against Walker that he ultimately won.

Talking about such issues is a matter of free speech and prosecutors ignored that,Walker said in the radio interview....

(Excerpt) Read more at jsonline.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: chisholm; freespeech; johndoe; scottwalker
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-32 last
To: Paladin2
March 2015: Wisconsin lawmakers consider bill that would curb John Doe investigations of political misconduct

"A state Senate committee heard testimony Wednesday on a bill that would alter the scope and implementation of John Doe investigations in Wisconsin. Prosecutors have recently used John Doe provisions to investigate Gov. Scott Walker's campaign twice.

The bill's authors — Sen. Tom Tiffany, R-Hazelhurst, and Rep. David Craig, R-Big Bend — say it's designed to provide additional layers of accountability and transparency to a process they say has been abused.

The state's John Doe law dates back to Wisconsin's days as a territory and is unique to the state. It allows a prosecutor, under supervision of a judge, to investigate whether a crime has been committed and, if so, who committed it. The prosecutor can compel people to testify and turn over documents.

John Doe investigations are often conducted in secrecy. Both witnesses and targets are prevented from talking about the investigation with anyone but their attorney.

This bill would limit the secrecy aspect of the law, allowing secrecy orders to be placed only on judges and prosecutors. It would also limit the length of investigations to six months. A probe could be extended for additional six-month periods, with no cap on the number of extensions, provided a majority of 10 judicial administrative district chief judges find good cause.

It would also limit the scope of crimes that can be investigated in a John Doe probe to the most severe felonies and some violent crimes......"

21 posted on 04/26/2015 3:28:21 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: Menthops

Your assumptions are wrong to begin with. You’re assuming that everybody is playing fair.

Rule #1. When you make your opposition respond do your actions, then you are currently winning.

Chisholm’s solution is “Hey, just release the documents if you’re not guilty”. Those documents will contain nothing but allegations and innuendo, things that Chisholm himself put in the report.. Raw unfiltered hate from the left and the Union operatives. If it were otherwise, is there any doubt that it would have been already leaked and machinated over or even charges filed against Scott Walker?

Chisholm is the one on trial here, not Scott Walker.

Releasing material like this is mere fodder for the Media and increased visibility at National level political campaigns. It gives all of Scott’s detractors talking points, cover for tossing accusations about while not being sourced as the instigator.

Imagine a DA charging you with Child Abuse, complete with anonymous tips and information. The DA knows the charges are wrong and has no intention of prosecuting. He’ll just let the case languish in the local media until you are so defamed, you can’t recover your reputation and livelihood back.

Then, the DA dismisses the charges after noting there was insufficient evidence to prosecute.


22 posted on 04/26/2015 3:38:12 AM PDT by Usagi_yo (Enormous wealth without God, something's bound to go wrong here.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Menthops

perhaps you and i are not reading the same article. the sentence said “THEY” called for the release. since a prosecutor is a single and therefore is not called a “THEY” i would logically assume that the “THEY” were the people Mr Walker was addressing, not the prosecutor..


23 posted on 04/26/2015 4:34:20 AM PDT by joe fonebone (a socialist is just a juvenile communist)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Menthops

Your concern underwhelms me...


24 posted on 04/26/2015 5:05:32 AM PDT by metesky (My investment program is holding steady @ $0.05 cents a can.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Menthops
It's safe to say that Chisholm is a strident democrat. His wife is/was an active union rep in the state teachers union and they both hated Walker for Act 10. That said, Walker is a strident republican.

if Chisholm thinks Walker lied...given what I stipulated above, the why didn't he just charge Walker with lying? We in Wisconsin all know John Chisholm hates Scott Walker....so if he wanted to get him, then why not charge him?

25 posted on 04/26/2015 5:52:14 AM PDT by irish guard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Menthops

Oh and Chisholm has spent four years..... F O U R years trying to get Walker.if he had something on the guy, do you think he’d sit back and simply hurl invectives at the guy without charges? He’s an educated man...where are the real charges?


26 posted on 04/26/2015 5:55:06 AM PDT by irish guard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Menthops
If Walker is certain this investigation is unwarranted, why would he not call for the unsealing of the records? Something is not right here.

What is not right is the thought that unsealing the records, even if all is good, will settle the issue. The prosecutor/witch hunter will use every trick to twist things and extend this - right now it is a ploy to stop Walker's WH run and throw our side into deeper turmoil.

27 posted on 04/26/2015 6:07:29 AM PDT by trebb (Where in the the hell has my country gone?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Menthops

I think Walker is waiting for the issue to come to greater attention around the country, not just WI, so that the horror of the similarities to pre-war Germany can be exposed to more people.


28 posted on 04/26/2015 6:15:34 AM PDT by Balding_Eagle (The Gruber Revelations are proof that God is still smiling on America.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

Chisholm needs to get tarred and feathered.


29 posted on 04/26/2015 6:19:09 AM PDT by Darren McCarty (We need a conservative electable candidate in 2016)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Menthops
But why does not Walker ask for the court to release the sealed records as the prosecutor proposes?

If the prosecutor could charge Walker with something why doesn't he do so, rather imply he could but doesn't. Maybe you're not asking the correct questions?

30 posted on 04/26/2015 6:27:33 AM PDT by WHBates
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Menthops
If Walker is certain this investigation is unwarranted, why would he not call for the unsealing of the records? Something is not right here.

The leftist lawyers and their armed Troopers collected things like member and contributor lists. If made public, even more innocent people would be exposed to harassment by lefty goon squads.

Collecting member lists of their opponents is a prime tactic of totalitarians. In the old days they would physically torture you to reveal your friends. Now they just break into you house and steal your computers.

31 posted on 04/26/2015 7:55:30 AM PDT by BigBobber (`)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Menthops

Your assumption that there’s something wrong because walker hasn’t asked for the release of the sealed court info.


32 posted on 04/26/2015 9:24:27 AM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-32 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson