By Todd Richmond
Associated Press
MADISON - Newly released court documents include emails showing that Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's recall election campaign team told him to instruct donors to give to a key conservative group which would run ads for Walker and distribute money to other conservative groups backing him.
The documents released Friday by a federal appeals court also show that prosecutors believe Walker personally solicited donations for conservative group Wisconsin Club for Growth to get around campaign finance limits and disclosure requirements as he fended off a recall attempt in 2012.
It's not clear whether Walker followed the instructions from his team. But the documents say millions of dollars later moved from donors he was set to speak with to Wisconsin Club for Growth, which in turn funded groups backing Walker in the recall election. Prosecutors contend the groups' work amounted to contributions to the candidates' campaigns. The groups should have reported those contributions to the state but they failed to do so, they argue.
The documents provide new details on how money flowed during the recall campaign spurred by anger over Walker's signature union law. Aides told Walker to tell donors that they could make unlimited donations to Wisconsin Club for Growth without having the gifts publicly disclosed. Wisconsin Club for Growth then funneled the money to other conservative groups that advertised on Walker's behalf.
Those who donated to Wisconsin Club for Growth included Gogebic Taconite LLC, which has proposed opening a 4 1/2-mile long iron mine in northern Wisconsin. The company gave $700,000 to Club for Growth in 2011 and 2012. Walker signed legislation last year streamlining state mining requirements and paving the way for the project.
Walker's campaign issued a statement Friday saying Walker isn't a target in the probe.
Prosecutors have been looking into whether Walker's campaign illegally coordinated with conservative groups since August 2012. They've been using a procedure known as a John Doe, a state proceeding similar to a federal grand jury where information is tightly controlled.
A federal judge in Milwaukee halted the probe in May after Wisconsin Club for Growth filed a lawsuit alleging the investigation violated its free speech rights and the prosecutors are liberals out to harass and tarnish conservatives.
The prosecutors have asked the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals to allow them to re-start the probe. The court released the documents tied to the appeal in response to a lawsuit filed by a coalition of media and open government groups.
Associated Press
MADISON - Newly released court documents include emails showing that Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's recall election campaign team told him to instruct donors to give to a key conservative group which would run ads for Walker and distribute money to other conservative groups backing him.
The documents released Friday by a federal appeals court also show that prosecutors believe Walker personally solicited donations for conservative group Wisconsin Club for Growth to get around campaign finance limits and disclosure requirements as he fended off a recall attempt in 2012.
It's not clear whether Walker followed the instructions from his team. But the documents say millions of dollars later moved from donors he was set to speak with to Wisconsin Club for Growth, which in turn funded groups backing Walker in the recall election. Prosecutors contend the groups' work amounted to contributions to the candidates' campaigns. The groups should have reported those contributions to the state but they failed to do so, they argue.
The documents provide new details on how money flowed during the recall campaign spurred by anger over Walker's signature union law. Aides told Walker to tell donors that they could make unlimited donations to Wisconsin Club for Growth without having the gifts publicly disclosed. Wisconsin Club for Growth then funneled the money to other conservative groups that advertised on Walker's behalf.
Those who donated to Wisconsin Club for Growth included Gogebic Taconite LLC, which has proposed opening a 4 1/2-mile long iron mine in northern Wisconsin. The company gave $700,000 to Club for Growth in 2011 and 2012. Walker signed legislation last year streamlining state mining requirements and paving the way for the project.
Walker's campaign issued a statement Friday saying Walker isn't a target in the probe.
Prosecutors have been looking into whether Walker's campaign illegally coordinated with conservative groups since August 2012. They've been using a procedure known as a John Doe, a state proceeding similar to a federal grand jury where information is tightly controlled.
A federal judge in Milwaukee halted the probe in May after Wisconsin Club for Growth filed a lawsuit alleging the investigation violated its free speech rights and the prosecutors are liberals out to harass and tarnish conservatives.
The prosecutors have asked the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals to allow them to re-start the probe. The court released the documents tied to the appeal in response to a lawsuit filed by a coalition of media and open government groups.