Posted on 04/26/2015 4:36:19 PM PDT by markomalley
If a prosecutor wants to assure the public he’s not out of control, perhaps he shouldn’t suggest that critics could be prosecuted. On Saturday, Wisconsin governor Scott Walker commented on Milwaukee District Attorney John Chisholm’s use of armed, pre-dawned raids against conservative targets of his extraordinarily expansive “John Doe” investigations:
“I said even if you’re a liberal Democrat, you should look at (the raids) and be frightened to think that if the government can do that against people of one political persuasion, they can do it against anybody, and more often than not we need protection against the government itself,” Walker told the radio station.
“As [National Review] pointed out, there were real questions about the constitutionality of much of what they did, but it was really about people trying to intimidate people…” Walker said.
“They were looking for just about anything. As I pointed out at the time, it was largely a political witch hunt.”
As public criticism goes, this statement is mild — especially when the criticized conduct included officers swarming into homes, taunting, yelling, denying access to lawyers, barging into sleeping kids’ rooms, threatening to batter down doors, and then demanding silence from the victims. And keep in mind that not one of the women who came forward to describe these raids has ever been charged with any crimes (#WarOnWomen?) In fact, Walker’s critique is milder even than Heather Digby Parton’s at the very left Salon. She called the raids “intimidation, pure and simple.”
But Walker’s comment was apparently too much for Chisholm, who broke his own (official) silence about the John Doe investigations with this remarkable statement:
“As to defamatory remarks, I strongly suspect the Iowa criminal code, like Wisconsin’s, has provisions for intentionally making false statements intended to harm the reputation of others,” Chisholm said in a statement Saturday responding to Walker’s comments.
Francis Schmitz — a “self-described” Republican who acted as a special prosecutor in the second John Doe investigation said this:
“His description of the investigation as a ‘political witch hunt’ is offensive when he knows that the investigation was authorized by a bipartisan group of judges and is directed by a Republican special prosecutor appointed at the request of a bipartisan group of district attorneys,” Schmitz’s statement said.
He called Walker’s comments inaccurate but didn’t detail why.
“I invite the governor to join me in seeking judicial approval to lawfully release information now under seal which would be responsive to the allegations that have been made,” his statement said. “Such information, when lawfully released, will show that these recent allegations are patently false.” (Emphasis added.)
Considering it was the prosecution that launched years-long secret investigations and then placed gag orders — on pain of criminal punishment — on the targets, Schmitz’s call to “release information” is almost comical. Chisholm’s response, however, is especially revealing. The excesses of the John Doe investigations raise concerns that Wisconsin prosecutors are trying to criminalize political speech, and in response the lead prosecutor . . . threatens to criminalize political speech. As my friend Ken White at Popehat tweeted:
Exactly so. Yet if Chisholm thinks threats can deter future comment or further investigation of his actions and motivations, he’s sadly mistaken.
Yes, its an on-going concern. It doesn’t help your argument to wave the injured baby around, that is a liberal tactic. I’m all in favor of removing the immunity of police for this kind of error or malicious behavior. Well aware of the baby and prefer to argue on the basis of facts and about this case.
Methodically selecting political opponents rather than violent crime suspects for this treatment is a big step away from democracy and if you identified as a conservative you feel like a target and would understand this more than you do.
Thanks!
Still hard to understand why Gov. Walker has not led the charge against the John Doe law, though. He is, after all, the Governor.
The law actually can “gag” the Governor?
PS
What is the position of the Wisconsin Attorney General in this matter.
He is the chief law enforcement officer of the state, is he not?
5.56mm
I agree about the political vs criminal. But, when they’re allowed to burst into the home of anyone they suspect is a criminal based on testimony of KNOWN criminals then it’s only a matter of time before they can come after their political adversaries. And it looks like that’s what the DA is doing in Wisconsin. Walker complained publicly but the guy is still doing it and apparently no effort is being made to stop him.
He wasn't running for President, but Tom Delay sure got the runaround from that Ft. Worth DA.
This is a late ping with more information on the out of control Milwaukee DA, John Chisholm, and his John Doe investigations.
FReep mail me if you want on, or off, this Wisconsin interest ping list.
Him and Nifong should go into retirement together
What is Nifong up to lately? He shoot himself yet?
“...and more often than not we need protection against the government itself...and more often than not we need protection against the government itself...and more often than not we need protection against the government itself...and more often than not we need protection against the government itself...and more often than not we need protection against the government itself...and more often than not we need protection against the government itself...and more often than not we need protection against the government itself...”
WHO doesn’t GET THIS by now?
Love My Gov!
Another great meme! :)
Chisolm needs the Harry Reid treatment.
If you are the governor, and you are told you are subject to investigation in Wisconsin’s John Doe, then yes, you can be gagged. Listening carefully to Walker throughout, you could tell he was getting legal advice every step of the way.
Does protesting too much under these leaked investigation innuendoes make you look guilty???….
———the “John Doe” investigation – so-named because the prosecutors, under a unique feature of Wisconsin law, can swear everyone involved to secrecy, preventing the targets from defending themselves to the public – was quite effective. It’s undoubtedly one of the reasons Walker’s re-election race is so close.
http://humanevents.com/2014/09/10/was-the-walker-witch-hunt-a-union-operation/
The court-sanctioned dragnet has subpoenaed more than 100 conservative and free-market activists. Though gagged by provisions of the subpoenas, several sources have told Wisconsin Reporter the manifold legal attack on nonprofit political organizations has included pre-dawn raids on homes and offices; confiscated equipment and files; and demands for phone, email and other records.
The sources have asked to remain anonymous due to their proximity to the investigation or to people connected to it.
http://www.rightwisconsin.com/dailytakes/236202501.html
The previous AG was Republican but was a useless crapweasel and should have found some legal way to corral this. Perhaps he was a target too.
The new AG was only elected in Nov.
(Thanks!!)
Is he a Republican?
Does he possess the intestinal fortitude necessary to go after the John Doe law?
Sounds like a WW II Nazi operation?
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