Posted on 07/25/2015 11:13:38 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
Now that the Wisconsin Supreme Court has forcefully terminated the John Doe investigations in Wisconsin, the targets of those probes can now speak openly of their experiences at the hands of politically motivated prosecutors. Some of those experiences began leaking out a few months ago, courtesy of David French and his mainly unnamed victims of the Government Accountability Board’s jeremiad against Scott Walker supporters. The court decision offers a few more description of the nighttime and dawn raids on homes and the prosecutors’ abuse of the rights of those targets, but now with the case at an end, the victims can finally speak openly to what happened.
The WSJ’s Collin Levy interviews Eric O’Keefe, the Wisconsin Club for Growth official who found himself at the center of an attack that he couldn’t have dreamed possible in his state — or in America:
John Doe Judge Neal Nettesheim compelled Mr. Johnson’s attorney to disclose what emails they had reviewed together and told him that attorney-client privilege didn’t apply. “When we sat down for our interview, I was told my attorney couldn’t speak, couldn’t object. I was asked how does my business operate, who are my contacts, how do I make money, what are my percentages, who are my clients? If I didn’t answer I would be in contempt.”
At the end of that conversation, Milwaukee Assistant District Attorney Bruce Landgrafasked a question, Mr. Johnson recalls: “ ‘Is there any reason at the end of the campaign you deleted all of your emails?’ So I knew then I had been tracked all the way through, that they had been reading my emails. . . . They knew what they were looking for all along, but I didn’t know anything again until they showed up at my door.”
Once news of the subpoenas was leaked to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, a favorite venue for prosecutors, his business was in the cross hairs. While many of his longtime contacts were supportive, Mr. Johnson says, some business calls went unreturned, and he had to pass up an opportunity in another state because he could have been a liability for the clients. “Even if they hadn’t heard about the Doe” investigation, he says, “it would have been unethical for me to bring them in blind. So I had to turn down business on that account.”
At least O’Keefe knew his home had been raided. His business partner tells Levy that prosecutors took business records without notifying either of them, and still have not accounted for what was seized:
His business partner, Deborah Jordahl, says that while her own home was being searched and her children were roused in the dark by law enforcement, prosecutors were searching her office without her knowledge. “Earlier this year I learned . . . David Budde,the lead investigator for Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm, was searching our office in Madison. My partner and I were never notified of the search of our office,” Ms. Jordahl says, “and the prosecutors never provided us with a copy of the warrant or an inventory of what was taken.” (Mr. Budde did not respond to a request for comment.)
The raid on O’Keefe’s home took place while his 16-year-old son was home alone. Law enforcement told the minor that he could not call his parents during the raid — or a lawyer:
Mr. Johnson was on a plane when the raids happened, and his 16-year-old son woke up at home to find six law-enforcement agents with guns and a warrant. “He was told he couldn’t move, that he couldn’t call a lawyer, that he couldn’t call his parents. He was a minor and he was isolated by law enforcement,” Mr. Johnson says.
Thanks to David French, the rough outlines of the abuses suffered by politically active conservatives in Wisconsin have already been known, but are still shocking to the conscience. What possible rational reason would a state government have to conduct raids on residences in the middle of the night to seize records, while denying these citizens — and especially a minor — resort to legal counsel and the consultation of his parents? The GAB in Wisconsin, the prosecutors, and the judges involved perpetrated an abuse that one normally sees in banana republics rather than an American community.
Let’s keep telling these stories, and make it clear that we will not tolerate this kind of oppression and abuse of power in the future.
Well yea of course, but still not something I would take laying down.
But I’m sure they went along with it, just like 99% of the populace would. The legal bearing of the State is pretty difficult to fight, and most people don’t have the balls to risk everything and disobey an illegal order like that.
I don’t have a set of “balls”, for which my Husband is very grateful, but I am one of the “LEO boot lickers” posting just because you think you are cocky.
Usually anti cop types have either ran afoul of the law or they are Alex Jones deciples. I can imagine that you are both.
Now that you got my response to your post daring us to come forward, go play in traffic, moron.
No lady...I’m a certified CCW instructor...I have not run afowl of the law...nor am I an Alex Jones truther freak.
And I notice you didnt comment on the article at all....you just posted to wag your sausage finger at me.
Do you approve of the Deprivation of rights under the color of law?
No the meant the cops involved....they had to know this was bogus.
Telling a 16 yr old home alone he isnt even allowed to call his parents or a lawyer?
Who ever said that shouldnt be wearing a badge.
Sausage finger? I’m not your wife or your boyfriend.
You try to call out a segment of Freepers who support law enforcement then you deserve what comes at you.
I don’t care what you claim to be. You arrived at your hatred either one way or the other. I simply don’t care about you personally.
For the same reason George Patton attacked American citizens in Washington D.C.
For the same reason that Immigration SWAT teams kidnapped Elian Gonzalez and held a celebration picnic the next day.
For the same reason that our very very highest military officers **know** that Obama has a fake social security number and has posted crude forgeries of his birth documents and have said and done nothing within their legal power to do so.
For the same reason the Branch Davidian complex was burned to the ground.
And I am very thankfull you arent my wife....I can only imagine what a bundle of joy you are in person.....and sorry that pop culture reference went over your head...it was a reference to the movie "shrek".
You try to call out a segment of Freepers who support law enforcement then you deserve what comes at you.
Uh...nope...I called out BOOTLICKERS...and you showed up and self identified as a bootlicker....that isnt the same as supporting enforcement of the Law.
Support...and BLIND support...are two very different things
So lady...do you support the actions of law enforcement listed in the article?...Or not?
Or do you just want to try and nag me to death like your hubby?
I don’t care what you claim to be.
Of course you dont...reality means nothing to you...your fantasy narrative is all.
You arrived at your hatred either one way or the other.
Yes I hate Liberal Democrats who used the law as a political weapon against Conservatives and even threatened Children....and why you DONT is a bit of a mystery.
And no...I dont hate cops...but I know cops are human like the rest of us and some do violate peoles rights or even commit crimes like rape and Murder...
I simply don’t care about you personally.
They why did you personally attack me?...that doesnt make any sence....but then again...look at the source.
And if you really dont care about me personally...prove it by shutting up.
$20 donation to FR says you cant do it....LOL
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