Will Wisconsin
Six convictions have already resulted from the "John Doe" criminal investigation of people surrounding Walker when he was Milwaukee County Executive. More are likely, according to the Cognitive Dissidence blog.
Investigators are batting 1.000 as all charged were convicted. The investigation is still going on. Late last year the Associated Press reported the investigation is still open, according to the judge overseeing it. More recently, a spokesperson said Walker is fully cooperating with investigators.
Wispolitics reported on Jan. 31 that Walker transferred $40,000 from his campaign fund to his criminal defense fund on the last day of the year. He now has $200,000 in the fund.
Walker says the money is for the cost of cooperating with investigators. But Politiscoop points out Wisconsin law says government officials may only set up legal defense funds if they are being investigated or charged with breaking campaign finance or election laws.
Wisconsin Statutes permit a state government official who is being investigated for or charged with a violation of campaign finance laws [chapter 11, Wisconsin Statutes] or prohibited election practices [chapter 12, Wisconsin Statutes] to establish a “legal defense fund” for expenditures supporting or defending the candidate while that person is being investigated for, or charged with, or convicted of a violation of those chapters.Walker is at least concerned that he'll join the following miscreants:
- Walker's campaign website manager Brian Pierick was sentenced Thursday to community service and a $2,100 fine for the misdemeanor of sexting a 17-year-old boy.
- Walker's deputy chief of staff, Tim Russell, was sentenced in January to two years in prison for stealing from a charity meant for military combat veterans and their families.
- Walker's constituent services coordinator Darlene Wink took a plea deal in which she was given probation for two misdemeanors for planning campaigning fundraisers, including one with Sarah Palin, on the taxpayer dime.
- Walker's Veterans Services Commissioner Kevin Kavanaugh was convicted in December of stealing $51,000 from a charity for military combat veterans. He was sentenced to two years in prison.
- Walker's deputy chief of staff Kelly Rindfleisch took a plea deal and was sentenced in November to six months in prison and probation for doing political fundraising at her county job.
- Walker's campaign contributor William Gardner was convicted on two felony counts for the largest campaign finance violation in state history. He laundered more than $43,000 to Walker's campaign. He was fined and sentenced to two years of probation.
