Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester)
A top Republican in the state Assembly wants an investigation into the latest leak of court documents from a secret John Doe investigation.
The Guardian U.S. on Wednesday released nearly 1,500 pages of documents from the probe, many of which had been sealed by court order. They identify donors Governor Scott Walker contacted during the state’s historic wave of recall elections, who then gave money to the Wisconsin Club for Growth – a conservative advocacy group.
Before the state Supreme Court ordered an end to the investigation, it was looking into allegations that such coordination was illegal. No charges were ever filed, although prosecutors have appealed the state court’s decision to halt the probe.
In a letter to the state’s attorney general, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) called for the Department of Justice to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the violation of a court order that is keeping evidence in the case sealed. “The disclosure of this information appears to violate state statute and an order of the Wisconsin Supreme Court,” Vos wrote. “Should this potential crime go unprosecuted it runs the risk of undermining the integrity of our courts and judicial system.”
Attorney General Brad Schimel said Thursday that his office is currently reviewing its options.