The Slow-Mo Scandal That Could Crush Scott Walker's Presidential Hopes

[babylonsister]

The Slow-Mo Scandal That Could Crush Scott Walker's Presidential Hopes

Can the Wisconsin Republican keep one step ahead of the investigation that's been nipping at his heels?

—Andy Kroll on Wed. May 20, 2015 6:00 AM PDT


In 2010, Scott Walker was the young, hyperambitious executive of Milwaukee County and one of three candidates angling for the Wisconsin Republican gubernatorial nomination. Part of his official duties included overseeing Operation Freedom, a charity event that raised money for veterans and their families. When Walker's chief of staff caught wind that $11,000 of the nonprofit's money had gone missing, Walker had his office ask the local district attorney to investigate. Now that he's seeking the Republican presidential nomination, he probably wishes it hadn't.

The prosecutors caught the scent of more than just missing funds, coming to suspect that members of Walker's staff had blurred the lines between official business and politicking. When Walker balked at handing over more documents, the DA asked a judge to open a so-called John Doe investigation. Unique to Wisconsin, a John Doe is a wide-ranging secret inquiry similar to a federal grand jury probe. For nearly three years—during which time Walker was elected governor, won a showdown with public-sector unions, and survived a recall attempt—prosecutors collected thousands of documents, interviewed dozens of witnesses, and even raided homes and offices in search of evidence. Eventually, they filed criminal charges against six people connected to Walker.

The fallout from the probe isn't the only legal drama Walker must contend with as he inches toward a 2016 presidential run: A second investigation has been following the money behind his campaign to defeat the 2012 recall effort. Walker has called the whole ordeal a "political witch hunt," and his allies say he will emerge not only unscathed, but reenergized. Yet the ongoing controversy has cast a pall over the rising Republican star and has exposed the inner workings of a political machine that allegedly flouted election laws and wooed anonymous dark-money donors, teetering between campaigning and corruption.


more...

http://m.motherjones.com/politics/2015/05/scott-walker-john-doe-investigation

[Dont call me Shirley]

1. It would be a witch hunt, but walker's not a witch, he's a crook. So Political Criminal Hunt is

more the accurate phrase.

[Vincardog]

2. Teetering? Hardly. I say full on Corruption.

[randys1]

3. Walker will usher in 100% gilded age if elected, so I hope to HOLY HELL he is ruined by this

or anything

[kimbutgar]

4. He's Teflon and guarded by the kochs

Fox will not report and say it's because walker is a strong leader it's the reason they are attacking him. I think he will be the nominee. ........And I hope to god I am wrong.

[DreWId]

11. FOX trying to be "fair & balanced"

Notice how FOX is sort of ignoring Walker? They are "playing hardball" with other presidential candidates with such gotcha questions like, "Was invading Iraq a bad idea?". I believe they are doing this to act non-biased while they already have their lock-step orders to not interrogate Walker the same way or criticize him in such manner.

[Pharaoh]

12. ^^ this

[Caijoe]

13. Uck

And with that, 'what me worry'? expression permanently pasted on his face, the thought of him in higher office makes me queasy.

[HereSince1628]

15. More importantly, he's guarded by the WI supreme court.

Leaving this in their hands will result in his getting a pass.

[red dog 1]

5. K&R

Thanks for posting.

This cheers me up!

(I love hearing about new Scott Walker scandals)

[samsingh]

6. i think if he was a Democrat he'd already be in jail

[UTUSN]

7. R#21 & K nt

[americannightmare]

8. The only suitable place for the Kochs' hit man...

is the gutter. I will never understand how this shit heel got within a silent fart's whiff of a governor's mansion. Perfect example of how corrupt our whole 'society' has become...

[Cha]

9. K

[AZ Progressive]

10. Hopefully, bastard Scott Walker is nothing more than a sock puppet to the Kochs

[oberliner]

14. Scott Walker has presidential hopes?

That's a little nutty.

[cstanleytech]

16. I bet that they did more than teetered into corruption and that they tipped right into it. nt