Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker was investigated for his reported involvement in an illegal scheme where he led efforts to raise funds with conservative groups during 2011 and 2012 recall elections.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is reporting that prosecutors are calling attempts to skirt state election laws a nationwide "criminal scheme," which Walker was assisted on by Deborah Jordahl, R.J. Johnson.
According to unsealed court documents Walker and others used 12 conservative groups to raise money to try and fight off two recall elections. In emails to Karl Rove, the governor identified Johnson as the man in charge.
The documents came to light after the Wisconsin Club for Growth, which Johnson is the chief advisor for, sued to stop the investigation into election law violations and claim their First Amendment rights were violated.
The Associated Press reports that the conservative group did not try to fight the release of the documents by an appeals court judge.
"The scope of the criminal scheme under investigation is expansive," Francis Schmitz, lead investigator wrote in one of the release documents. The Dec. 9 court filing adds, "It includes criminal violations of multiple elections laws."
The investigation was halted by Reserve Judge Gregory Peterson who ruled that there didn't appear to be any actual violations. "I am persuaded the statutes only prohibit coordination by candidates and independent organizations for a political purpose, and political purpose ... requires express advocacy," which he says there doesn't appear to be any proof."
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