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The judge charged with reviewing the investigation of a leak in a now-closed John Doe probe has stepped down from the case.
State Supreme Court Chief Justice Patience Roggensack announced Friday that Judge William Hue raised concerns to her that his continued involvement in the case could become a distraction. Roggensack said that “although I have no doubt that Judge Hue would continue to fairly and impartially preside over the John Doe as he has in the past, today I have accepted Judge Hue’s decision to withdraw from further participation.”
Hue was set to review a report issued by Attorney General Brad Schimel this week on the leak of information to The Guardian newspaper from an investigation into Governor Scott Walker’s campaign and conservative groups. The probe, which the state Supreme Court halted, was trying to determine if illegal coordination had taken place.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Thursday reported that Hue, a Jefferson County Circuit judge, had previously made posts about the case on Twitter. The posts were made before he was assigned to the case earlier this year.
Schimel’s investigation determined the documents leaked to The Guardian likely came from the former Government Accountability Board. He has asked that a former attorney at the agency be disciplined, and that John Doe prosecutors and former agency staff members have contempt proceedings launched against them for failing to properly secure sealed records. Hue would have been asked to decide what action to take on those recommendations.