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Assembly committee OKs investigation into John Doe leaks

By: Associated Press//December 22, 2016//

Assembly committee OKs investigation into John Doe leaks

By: Associated Press//December 22, 2016//

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By TODD RICHMOND
Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The state Assembly has authorized Attorney General Brad Schimel to investigate how evidence collected during a secret investigation into Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign was leaked to a newspaper.

The Guardian US in September published hundreds of sealed documents from the so-called John Doe investigation, which was shut down by conservative state Supreme Court justices in 2015.

The Assembly Organizational Committee voted 5-3 on Wednesday to allow Schimel to investigate the leaks. The “no” votes all came from Democrats. A spokeswoman for Minority Leader Peter Barca, who sits on the committee, didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

Schimel, a Republican, asked the state Supreme Court in October to appoint a special master to look into the leak. The high court refused in November, saying it’s up to the executive branch to investigate.

Schimel said earlier this month that he would likely seat a grand jury to investigate. A state Justice Department spokesman didn’t immediately respond to an email asking what Schimel may do next now that he has authorization to proceed.

Wisconsin law allows the attorney general to appear as a party in a civil or criminal matter at the request of the governor or one legislative house.

A group of prosecutors led by Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm, a Democrat, launched the John Doe probe to determine whether Walker’s 2012 recall campaign illegally coordinated with outside conservative groups. The state Supreme Court said in its ruling halting the probe that such coordination is legal as long as it doesn’t become express advocacy, a political term for advertising that specifically asks voters to defeat or elect a candidate.

The leaked documents showed how Walker’s top campaign adviser was coordinating with the group Club for Growth on how to spend the millions Walker was raising to help himself and Republican senators win 2011 and 2012 recall campaigns. The Guardian also reported the documents showed a leading manufacturer of lead that was once used in paint was among a host of corporate leaders who donated to Club for Growth.

Democrats launched the recalls out of anger over Walker’s signature law that limited public unions’ collective bargaining rights.

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