More evidence points to prosecutors, investigators as source of John Doe leaks

By M.D. Kittle / September 20, 2016 /News/ 28 Comments @ Wisconsin Watchdog

MADISON, Wis. – Despite the garish headlines and the narratives of nefarious political schemes wrought by The Guardian’s release of court-sealed John Doe documents last week, only one known crime has to date been committed: The leaking of those documents.

And now there is more evidence pointing to prosecutors or their allies as the source of that leak.
Sources close to the situation tell Wisconsin Watchdog that the 1,300-plus documents related to Wisconsin’s politically driven John Doe investigation could only have come from the working files of the prosecutors and investigators in the case.

There is a small universe of people who had access to the documents, and that universe is almost exclusively populated by prosecutors, investigators and court officials.

It is clear the documents were not filed in any court, sources say; none of the documents were stamped or marked as exhibits.

As Wisconsin Watchdog reported last week, the records include handwritten notes on the motion of an unnamed movant (one of dozens of conservatives targeted in the probe), as well as an unsigned draft of an affidavit from John Doe special prosecutor Francis Schmitz. “There is other actionable intelligence such as the time zone, date and exact time these documents were scanned and later revised and the make and model of the copier used to scan them,” one source told Wisconsin Watchdog.

Photo by Fox6 News

ENDLESS JOHN DOE:

Gov. Scott Walker answers press questions

 last week following the latest chapter of

Wisconsin’s never-ending John Doe saga.

“There is also evidence to suggest the perpetrator or perpetrators worked closely with outside interests to select the leaked documents,” the source said.

Of an estimated 6 million-plus documents grabbed up by prosecutors and included in the John Doe sealed files, whoever handed off the documents to the liberal British newspaper cherry-picked the ones that would garner the kind of breathless reporting that followed their release. They were designed for maximum damage of conservatives who were never charged with any wrongdoing, and many others who had no idea they were being investigated or, more aptly put, spied on, until the Wisconsin Supreme Court ordered the special prosecutor to inform them late last year.

While left-wing groups and their friends in the mainstream media hammered narratives of conservative groups working closely with Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign in some kind of illegal web of illicit fundraising, several courts with access to many more documents than those leaked to The Guardian have determined the prosecutors have shown no evidence of broken laws.

What is clear, based on rulings by the John Doe judge and the state Supreme Court, is that all of the documents – including the 1,350 leaked to the liberal publication, were obtained without probable cause and, arguably, in violation of the federal Stored Communications Act. There is a class-action lawsuit pending on that latter point.

On Thursday, Republican Assembly leaders asked Attorney General Brad Schimel to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the leak.

“In light of the recent unauthorized disclosure of sealed documents in a John Doe investigation, we are writing to request you consider the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate this apparent violation of Supreme Court order and state law,” wrote Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke, R-Kaukauna, and Joint Finance Committee co-chair, state Rep. John Nygren, R-Marinette in their letter to Schimel.

Schimel’s spokesman said the AG is “very concerned about the apparent violation of the secrecy orders issued by the court in this case, and is currently reviewing the available options to address the serious legal questions raised by the leak and publication of these sealed documents.”

As of Tuesday, Schimel had not announced his intentions.

The attorney general and the state Supreme Court have the authority to initiate an investigation into the leaks of the personal and private documents, criminal violations under several Wisconsin statutes.
“We don’t need a special prosecutor. We need the Attorney General to do his job and provide a check on the extraordinary power these prosecutors have to ruin the lives and reputations of innocent people,” a target of the John Doe told Wisconsin Watchdog.

“The person(s) who allowed these illegally seized documents to be released committed a crime.  It’s that simple.

Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm, the highly partisan Democrat who launched the political dragnet four years ago, released a statement Wednesday on the leaked court documents.
“John Doe materials are secret materials,” the prosecutor said. “The public release of this John Doe evidence without authorization is not merely a violation of the John Doe secrecy order; it is a crime under Wisconsin law.”

Illustration by Wisconsin Watchdog

CARTOON PROSECUTOR: Francis Schmitz

 was removed from his front man position

 as John Doe special prosecutor after

 the state Supreme Court majority opinion

 described him as having perpetrated a

 ‘perfect storm of wrongs.’

Chisholm insists that he and Schmitz “support any effort that may be undertaken to determine the source of these newest leaks.”

Schmitz told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel he has “no recollection” of seeing some of the John Doe documents.

The former special prosecutor and Chisholm told the newspaper that previous leaked information also should come under the scope of any review.

Wisconsin Watchdog, the Wall Street Journal, and the Journal Sentinel have published sealed documents obtained from sources.

Vos’ spokeswoman told the Journal Sentinel that the speaker believes “any leak is a crime.”

Wisconsin’s unique John Doe procedure comes with a secrecy order that an appeals court justice described as “screamingly unconstitutional.” The political John Doe demanded that conservatives who were targeted or who were called as witnesses in the probe say nothing to anyone about the investigation, on punishment of jail and costly fines. They could say nothing when their homes were raided and their possessions taken by armed law enforcement officers in very disruptive, early-morning warrant actions. They could say nothing when mainstream media sources reported on crimes they were accused of committing.

Some risked much to try to defend themselves in a probe that had stolen their voices as much as their personal information.

The prosecutors are held to even higher standards, with hefty penalties for breaking the secrecy orders.

“John Doe II,” as it has been billed, was an active campaign finance investigation for some 15 months, until January 2014, when John Doe Judge Gregory Peterson quashed several subpoenas used in the investigation. He ordered the John Doe shut down but allowed the prosecutors to appeal.  In July 2015, the Wisconsin Supreme Court declared the investigation unconstitutional and ordered it shut down. Justice Michael Gableman, one of four conservatives to sign off on the ruling, described the special prosecutor’s actions as a “perfect storm of wrongs” perpetrated against people who did nothing wrong.

But Chisholm and two other Democrat district attorneys were allowed to petition the U.S. Supreme Court, asking it to overturn the state Supreme Court’s ruling. Among their arguments, the prosecutors contend Gableman and fellow conservative Justice David Prosser (now retired) should have recused themselves.

Chisholm insists the justices benefited from issue ads paid for by the Wisconsin Club for Growth and other conservative groups targeted in the John Doe. Of course, Chisholm fails to ask the same of former Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson, an ultra-liberal who benefited through issue ads paid for by the same labor groups that targeted Walker and Republican senators in the 2011-12 recall campaigns. Those campaigns are at the root of the John Doe campaign finance investigation.

Abrahamson also effectively set the probe in motion, her court assistant selecting the original John Doe judge who suddenly recused herself without explanation shortly after the 2013 raids.

Part 365 of 366 in the series Wisconsin's Secret War

1. Document suggests prosecutors leaked sealed John Doe records to Guardian
2. Schimel still weighing options on John Doe leaks
3. More evidence points to prosecutors, investigators as source of John Doe leaks
4. Different day, same old tired and faulty John Doe narrative by mainstream players
5. Craig renews call for legislative investigation into John Doe investigators
6. Fitzgerald: GAB’s Michael Haas not long for new administrator role
7. John Chisholm, the Captain Ahab of prosecutors, wants another shot at John Doe
8. Where was Russ Feingold’s defense of civil liberties in abusive John Doe probe?
9. Wall Street Journal: Hold John Doe prosecutors accountable
10. Schimel opposes John Doe prosecutors’ petition before U.S. Supreme Court
11. Constitutional law experts come to defense of conservatives targeted in John Doe probes
12. Cindy Archer appeals John Doe civil rights lawsuit to 7th Circuit
13. Free-market group sues John Doe ‘ringleaders’ for violating federal law
14. A year after Supreme Court pronounces John Doe dead, conservatives still waiting for justice
15. Before lamenting the end of the GAB, read this
16. Mark Gundrum, architect of John Doe-driving GAB, could be next Supreme Court justice
17. John Doe victims stuck with GAB retread until at least January
18. Liberal judge dismisses civil rights lawsuit against John Doe prosecutors
19. Haas’ emails in GAB’s John Doe probe should give senators pause
20. Chisholm invokes his illegal John Doe probe in re-election campaign
21. New docs show GAB spent more than 2,500 hours on John Doe probe
22. Bruce Murphy: When journalists (don’t) attack
23. Documents raise questions about John Doe judge’s review of warrant
24. Judge Lynn Adelman on John Doe records custody: ‘I don’t care about the law’
25. Attorney to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter: ‘Your article is ridiculous’
26. Oral arguments set in John Doe civil rights lawsuit
27. John Doe freedom fighter wins big victory against the IRS
28. Important court days coming soon to John Doe Land
29. Will Senate take up Assembly amendment watering down John Doe reforms?
30. Vos names commissioners, end of GAB inches closer
31. First John Doe documents released from lawsuit show GAB’s partisan motives
32. Schimel: John Doe investigators living in ‘Alice in Wonderland world’
33. Did John Doe cost Larry Nelson an election?
34. Unsealed John Doe documents show view from Chisholm’s world
35. Chisholm’s unaccountable defense: ‘The records do not exist’
36. Court denies DAs’ motion to open up John Doe records to private attorneys
37. AG Brad Schimel on John Doe authority question: It’s complicated
38. Conservatives: Attorney General alone has authority over John Doe petition
39. John Doe targets: Chisholm has no right to share illegally seized ‘evidence’
40. GAB’s John Doe secrets could soon be released to the public
41. Schimel says John Doe prosecutors have no right to illegally obtained ‘evidence’
42. Lawmaker takes one more try at records request with reluctant GAB
43. Chisholm’s use of big guns in John Doe fight raises legal questions
44. Petitioner against John Chisholm: Walker’s office dropped the ball
45. Walker’s office won’t open hearing into Milwaukee County DA John Chisholm
46. Schimel says decision coming soon on open records complaint against GAB
47. John Doe targets tell Supreme Court that prosecutor is not complying with order
48. Mainstream media displays selective principles on open records
49. Supreme Court says no to John Doe prosecutors; Abrahamson lashes out
50. John Doe prosecutors ‘just playing games,’ says Cindy Archer’s attorney
51. What’s it like to find out the government has been spying on you?
52. Former John Doe prosecutor not in compliance with court order
53. Craig asks attorney general to compel GAB to open up John Doe records
54. Bad Santa: John Doe prosecutor delivers letters to the people he spied on
55. Defense attorney: Liberal John Doe cheerleaders beware
56. Falk blasts incompetence of GAB, prosecutors in John Doe, emails show
57. ‘Good government’ group that celebrated Lois Lerner mourns for GAB
58. John Doe target: ‘Where and when does this abuse end?’
59. Chisholm quietly returns illegal campaign contribution
60. Bill creates legislative committee to investigate John Doe investigations
61. O’Keefe to Chisholm: Go ahead, make my day
62. Conservatives, transparency win! GAB settles lawsuit, agrees to open up its secrets
63. With Walker’s signature, the GAB is dead
64. Did DA who launched political John Doe probe break campaign finance laws?
65. District attorneys want out of political John Doe business
66. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s selective outrage on transparency
67. Milwaukee County Board signals support to fight for illegal John Doe
68. Attorney General: John Chisholm broke campaign finance law
69. Attorney General: End John Doe case now
70. Political speech ‘watchdogs’ urge continuation of illegal John Doe
71. Former John Doe special prosecutor has little chance before high court
72. John Doe prosecutor gets no respect from targets he intimidated for years
73. Wisconsin Supreme Court reaffirms John Doe is dead
74. Wisconsin Supreme Court to rule on motion to reconsider John Doe ruling
75. Walker yet to sign GAB overhaul bill
76. Lawmaker advises GAB’s Kevin Kennedy to ‘obey the law’
77. John Doe political prisoner Kelly Rindfleisch completes probation
78. John Doe victims still in legal limbo four months after Supreme Court ruling
79. Did GAB’s Kevin Kennedy break the law in John Doe talks with Lois Lerner?
80. Lawmaker asking GAB to open its John Doe records
81. Court filing shows GAB’s Kennedy asking Lois Lerner if IRS ‘would be interested’
82. Taxpayers on hook for at least $187,000 to defend rogue GAB
83. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel mentions petition to remove Milwaukee DA — finally
84. Speech cop, prosecutors argue for secrecy in the face of GAB extinction
85. GAB just about dead as final overhaul bill passes Assembly
86. Rogue GAB pushing strained legal arguments to keep its secrets
87. Milwaukee citizens petition Walker to remove DA John Chisholm from office
88. Conservatives to court on GAB’s secrets: ‘Enough is enough’
89. Senate passes GAB overhaul, campaign finance reform in ‘extraordinary’ session
90. Memo to Legislature: Take a closer look at GAB Judge’s conduct
91. GAB kept pushing political probe despite daunting evidence problems
92. Spokeswoman: Fitzgerald not ruling out extraordinary session on GAB bill
93. GAB’s defense of John Doe database raises more question than answers
94. EXCLUSIVE: Wisconsin Senate majority leader, others also targeted in John Doe
95. Kevin Kennedy’s spin to save the GAB and his job contradicts the record
96. Target of political John Doe targets reluctant senators in robocall campaign
97. WSJ: Wisconsin’s political John Doe targeted national conservatives
98. Lawmakers want answers on GAB director Kevin Kennedy’s IRS conversations
99. Newly released John Doe docs reveal much more about rogue GAB
100. Back to the Future: Dems walk out on vote again
101. GAB living on borrowed time?
102. Fireworks coming on GAB and campaign finance reform debate
103. Hyperbole happens as John Doe reform passes on party-line vote
104. Craig blasts newspaper for Dem ‘press release’ coverage of John Doe bill
105. Judge holds off on release of GAB’s ‘very embarrassing’ records
106. Prosecutor plugged into ‘hotspot’ to email sensitive John Doe docs
107. Why did accountability board use Gmail accounts to talk John Doe?
108. Fiery GAB hearing invokes ghost of Joe McCarthy
109. John Doe victims to tell their stories in Fox News special
110. GAB overhaul would eliminate blank checks on taxypayer dime
111. GAB fighting to keep its secrets out of public eye
112. Sources: Bill would overhaul controversial GAB
113. GAB chairman: ‘I wasn’t offended’ by John Doe raids
114. The silence of the left is the Dems’ transparency hypocrisy
115. Judge orders GAB to turn over emails with liberal groups
116. Supreme Court will not hear Kelly Rindfleisch’s Fourth Amendment case
117. Will the voices of the John Doe victims be heard?
118. John Doe political prisoner Kelly Rindfleisch nears end of her sentence
119. ‘Nonpartisan’ GAB staff has partisan past
120. New emails show GAB assisting in John Doe defense after judge said stop
121. Craig says bill to investigate GAB’s John Doe activities coming soon
122. Wall Street Journal: GAB targeted conservative justices in John Doe defense
123. John Doe prosecutors get a win, practice legal gymnastics again
124. Did the GAB ‘illegally coordinate’ with left-leaning groups?
125. Knudson on GAB: ‘We need to take this thing apart’
126. Legislature to take up John Doe reform in October, GOP leadership says
127. Partisan Falk once urged GAB to ‘get around constitutional right to free speech’
128. Updated complaint shines more light on dark day in John Doe
129. Wisconsin GAB reform bill could be ready in a few weeks, sources say
130. An open letter to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Patrick Marley
131. Explosive email exposes GAB attorney’s partisan motives in John Doe probe
132. Legal defense of rogue John Doe agents costs taxpayers nearly $1.2 million
133. John Doe investigators say there are more tapes of raids
134. Conservatives ask Abrahamson to turn over John Doe-related records
135. John Doe reform bill starts to move again
136. John Doe prosecutors’ tape of raid raises questions about missing moments
137. John Doe prosecutors open new assault on conservative targets
138. Attorney: audio confirms traumatic John Doe raid of Cindy Archer’s home
139. Legal expert: Abrahamson and John Doe civil rights cases like day and night
140. Hillary Clinton plays victim card
141. John Doe horror stories: ‘I felt completely helpless in my own home’
142. Legal experts on right and left seek review of Rindfleisch John Doe conviction
143. Kelly Rindfleisch seeks release following death of John Doe probe
144. Wisconsin Supreme Court shuts down John Doe investigation, affirms First Amendment
145. Wisconsin Supreme Court shuts down John Doe investigation
146. The John Doe investigation might finally be over; Supreme Court to rule Thursday
147. Left’s loud transparency defenders silent on secret John Doe
148. Vos: Time to ‘double down’ on GAB reform in wake of reported IRS links
149. GAB’s Kennedy had a friend in IRS’ Lois Lerner
150. National Review: Political John Doe victimized 16-year-old boy
151. Cindy Archer: Chisholm’s John Doe was ‘campaign of intimidation’
152. Former Walker aide to file civil rights lawsuit against John Doe prosecutor
153. Kelly Rindfleisch: ‘I fear I will never get justice’
154. ‘Did they get me?’: Docs reveal long-time John Doe spying operation
155. Justice Gableman: Warrants in Rindfleisch case amount to ‘fishing expedition’
156. Justice asks state Supreme Court to reconsider Rindfleisch Fourth Amendment appeal
157. What happened to Kelly Rindfleisch could happen to you
158. Kelly Rindfleisch takes her Fourth Amendment fight to the U.S. Supreme Court
159. GAB reform stalled, new docs show GAB working closely with John Doe prosecutors
160. John Doe reform bill stuck in legislative waiting game
161. Was John Chisholm John Doe distracted?
162. U.S. Supreme Court denies review of John Doe-related case
163. Warrants command John Doe targets to remain silent
164. Political prisoner Kelly Rindfleisch on home confinement, working for O’Keefe
165. Will discovery reveal more bombshell information about ‘rogue’ GAB?
166. Wisconsin as a New Yorker cartoon of itself
167. U.S. Supreme Court could announce decision on John Doe case later this month
168. Five years later: America just learning ‘tyrannical’ secrets of Wisconsin’s John Doe
169. John Chisholm’s 50 shades of ‘raid’
170. Do Chisholm’s public comments on John Doe cross ethical line?
171. Experts: Chances rise that U.S. Supreme Court will take John Doe case
172. U.S. Supreme Court to consider hearing John Doe-related case
173. Who was the reporter outside Cindy Archer’s house?
174. John Doe reform bill stalls in Legislature
175. Lawmaker: Chief justice’s civil rights complaint is ‘pathetic’
176. New documents expose GAB’s ‘parallel’ probe expenditures
177. Did chief justice show her hand in dissenting John Doe opinion?
178. U.S. Supreme Court could soon decide whether to take John Doe Case
179. Kelly Rindfleisch, Chisholm’s political prize, to begin sentence on Thursday
180. GAB, friend of the John Doe, just wants to be a ‘friend of the court’
181. Kelly Rindfleisch hopes to avoid becoming first John Doe political prisoner
182. Secretive John Doe special prosecutor who fancies a good leak screams secrecy breach
183. Wisconsin Supreme Court rejects Rindfleisch Fourth Amendment appeal
184. On Sunshine Week, GAB still operating in the dark
185. John Doe target says they are the victim of identity theft
186. Reform bill would open up the John Doe books to taxpayers
187. John Doe reform bill aims to break silence of abusive investigations
188. Milwaukee DA to be ‘special guest’ at fundraiser for Supreme Court justice
189. $775,000 and rising — Wisconsin taxpayers’ bill to defend John Doe prosecutors
190. Prosecutor misstatements continue to shape John Doe narrative, Walker’s future
191. Is John Doe special prosecutor still working with partisan DA, GAB?
192. Conservative groups ask U.S. Supreme Court to defend rights of John Doe targets
193. Does chief justice have conflict of interest in John Doe case?
194. First Amendment expert: Wisconsin ought to be ’embarrassed’ by John Doe
195. Following judge’s order killing John Doe, what’s next?
196. Federal judge’s judgment takes John Doe probe off life support
197. How Wisconsin media support DA’s war on conservatives
198. Conservatives: GAB’s meeting minutes show gap in board’s John Doe oversight
199. O’Keefe takes his case against John Doe to U.S. Supreme Court
200. GAB has a sudden change of heart on campaign finance reform
201. Public defender asks Supreme Court to take up John Doe-related Fourth Amendment case
202. GAB plays victim card in ‘complicated’ John Doe, campaign finance farce
203. Doe possessed: ‘They have information about every aspect of our lives’
204. One year ago, judge’s ruling shakes up John Doe probe
205. State lawmakers look to investigate the GAB and its investigators
206. O’Keefe officially asks judge to open probe into John ‘Doe’ Chisholm
207. GAB offers contradictory defense of its John Doe activities
208. Isn’t it ironic: Mainstream silence follows reports of secret GAB Gmail in John Doe
209. Attorney: GAB’s John Doe justifications don’t hold up to law
210. ‘Outside the … law’: Lawmakers call for investigation of GAB
211. Rogue agency defied judges to carry out partisan probe of Wisconsin conservatives
212. GAB won’t say whether it has reauthorized its role in John Doe probe
213. ‘R word’ surfaces in wake of state Supreme Court taking up John Doe challenges
214. Wisconsin Supreme Court to take up John Doe complaints
215. Audit: GAB has failed to follow the law
216. Rindfleisch appeals to Supreme Court in John Doe Fourth Amendment abuse case
217. Wisconsin’s Van Hollen says goodbye to AG post, John Doe
218. Did the GAB doctor documents to cover their tracks in John Doe?
219. Conservatives to court: Open up records on GAB’s role in John Doe
220. John Doe froze conservative speech, targets say
221. Kelly Rindfleisch will fight on in Fourth Amendment case
222. John Doe lawsuit could be headed to U.S. Supreme Court
223. GAB, Milwaukee County DA bail on key provision behind war on conservatives
224. Vos: There will be reforms to John Doe, GAB
225. Voters say ‘yes’ to Walker, ‘no’ to John Doe, law expert says
226. Appeals court denies request to rehear John Doe civil rights case
227. Report: No district attorney will investigate District Attorney John Chisholm
228. Federalism v. individual rights: A conversation with Eric O’Keefe
229. No surprise: Bice buries the lead, Walker follows the law
230. Wisconsin Supreme Court takes another pass on John Doe case
231. Federal judge stops John Doe prosecutors from bothering conservative group
232. Armed and growing: Milwaukee County DA beefs up his ‘police force’
233. Conservatives to appeals court: ‘You don’t know Doe’
234. Conservative group asks court to stop John Doe ‘constitutional injury’
235. Rindfleisch: ‘Rape’ not too strong a word for how violated John Doe targets feel
236. The day John Doe rushed through the door
237. Target of secret John Doe probe is fighting back and speaking out
238. Who’s paying the bill? Report casts questions on GAB and John Doe payments
239. Conservative O’Keefe seeks investigation into John Chisholm and his John Doe
240. A whistleblower’s story: Taking on a ‘hyper-partisan’ district attorney
241. Appeals court reverses John Doe injunction, but Wisconsin’s secret war far from over
242. Source: Wisconsin Supreme Court doesn’t want political heat of John Doe case
243. Rindfleisch attorney: Appeals court can protect the Fourth Amendment in Digital Age
244. Kelly Rindfleisch: Where are the tears for the kids the Milwaukee school system failed?
245. GAB director says agency just following the law in John Doe probe
246. Is John Doe story colored with a bit of ‘Macbeth?’
247. Wisconsin prosecutors appeal for protection from blowback in partisan probe
248. Another blow for Wisconsin’s restrictive campaign finance law
249. $25,000 and counting: WI taxpayers’ bill so far to defend GAB and its ‘monster’
250. Was John Doe judge a rubber stamp?
251. First Amendment big guns back targets of John Doe probe
252. Conservatives say ‘incorrect disclosure’ of John Doe docs no ‘tiny error’
253. Conservatives appeal to common sense in John Doe appeals case
254. Wisconsin prosecutors aim to shut down conservatives
255. Walker ‘smoking gun’ story has tiny glaring flaw
256. John Doe prosecutors take desperate, unethical slap
257. ‘Retaliation’: Docs show state prosecutors launched mini-NSA probe of WI conservatives
258. Overheated media erroneously bring back Walker ‘criminal scheme’ theme
259. Taxpayers on the hook up to $25,000 for GAB’s legal maneuvers
260. Appeals court orders release of some John Doe documents
261. Conservatives in John Doe battle know disclosure comes with a heavy price
262. Kelly Rindfleisch appeal to test validity of John Doe digital searches
263. Senator: Looks like accountability board is hiding something
264. John Doe document blitz must have broken mainstream media’s heart
265. In John Doe Land, the left doesn’t illegally coordinate
266. Oral arguments set in John Doe prosecutors’ appeal
267. Judge denies conservatives’ request to add GAB to civil rights lawsuit
268. John Doe prosecutors engaged in war of words — lots and lots of words
269. Will John Doe prosecutors launch lengthy probe against Trek Bicycle?
270. GAB now playing secrets in state John Doe lawsuit
271. Senator asks attorney general to compel GAB to open up its books
272. AG opinion means accountability board’s John Doe secrets are safe — for now
273. Is John Doe probe a case of a mini NSA in Wisconsin?
274. John Doe prosecutors engaged in premature justification, conservatives say
275. Mainstream media forced to walk back Walker ‘criminal scheme’ narrative
276. Kelly Rindfleisch tells conservatives, ‘Don’t back down’
277. Expert: John Doe raids raise ‘troubling’ Fourth Amendment questions
278. Wall Street Journal points out ‘disgrace’ of mainstream John Doe reporting
279. Right on cue: Document dump fuels anti-Walker donation drive
280. Federal judge blasts John Doe prosecutors – again – as he denies records release
281. Humiliated in court, WI Dems take their anti-conservative John Doe probe to the media
282. What about those prosecutors? Questions surround other John Doe DAs
283. John Doe prosecutors jump back into the dark?
284. Will taxpayers have to pay for frivolity of John Doe prosecutors?
285. John Doe I judge says he’s not responsible for John Doe II
286. O’Keefe keeps collecting big wins in John Doe lawsuit
287. Appeals court upholds judge’s order shutting down John Doe probe
288. ‘Never-ending’ John Doe never ended, WSJ reports
289. John Doe special prosecutor obeys judge’s order
290. ‘Are these kind of armed pre-dawn raids standard operating procedure?’
291. John Doe special prosecutor’s bill still shrouded in secrecy
292. Federal judge says his order halting John Doe probe should be clear to prosecutor
293. John Doe targets sue Wisconsin’s Government Accountability Board
294. Attorney to judge: Don’t let John Doe prosecutor ‘moot’ injunction
295. Sources: Attorney General passes on defending GAB in John Doe cases
296. Walker’s John Doe response raises more questions than answers
297. Contempt questions surround reported John Doe deal talks
298. Would Walker settlement with John Doe prosecutors be a deal with the devil?
299. Sources: No urgency in WI Supreme Court on John Doe
300. For the Walker-hating left, John Doe is ‘Mission Accomplished’
301. State Farm still doesn’t want to cover John Doe prosecutor’s legal bills
302. GAB still reviewing court ruling declaring WI campaign finance law unconstitutional
303. John Doe prosecutors voice phony outrage, legal source says
304. Expert: It’s as if GAB decided ‘Citizens United didn’t exist’
305. John Doe prosecutors suddenly support opening sealed court records
306. Appeals Court declares portions of Wisconsin campaign finance law unconstitutional
307. Still their little secret? Questions remain on John Doe gag order
308. Secret’s out: The world is beginning to learn more about WI’s John Doe
309. Lawyers, lawyers everywhere and other dispatches from John Doe Land
310. Lawmakers call for review of GAB’s secret John Doe activities, funds
311. Federal judge orders John Doe probe shut down again
312. Federal judge’s ruling could open up sealed John Doe records
313. Appeals court stalls judge’s order halting John Doe probe
314. What’s next for now-defunct John Doe probe?
315. This is what the Fourth Amendment looks like?
316. John Doe is dead: Judge stops WI prosecutors’ probe into conservatives
317. Are John Doe prosecutors sweating out federal judge’s decision?
318. Media coalition asks judge to open sealed John Doe documents
319. Federal judge denies John Doe prosecutors’ motion to stall civil rights case
320. John Doe prosecutors sound defensive in latest court filings
321. John Doe target says prosecutors latest move another delay tactic
322. John Doe, as it is being used, must go, WI senator says
323. Target: John Doe prosecutors making up campaign law as they go along
324. Civil rights expert: John Doe law is ‘un-American,’ like something from ‘Nazi Germany’
325. Judge denies John Doe prosecutors’ move to dismiss civil rights suit
326. Nobody will say what John Doe’s shadow man did, but taxpayers are paying his legal bill
327. SCOTUS ruling on campaign finance shows abuse of John Doe, targets say
328. ‘Easy target’: Kelly Rindfleisch breaks silence about John Doe probe
329. Poll suggests Dems’ big ‘secret’ weapon against Walker is backfiring
330. Absolute immunity makes it tough to prosecute the prosecutors of John Doe
331. Recusal in John Doe case raises questions of fairness, purpose
332. D’oh! John Doe prosecutors claim secrecy protection – after filing secret documents
333. Secret agent Dean Nickel’s defense: ‘Dean Nickel is not responsible’
334. John Doe prosecutors wanted higher-priced lawyers, source says
335. Shadowy John Doe investigator invokes federalism in civil rights lawsuit
336. Conservatives counterpunch John Doe prosecutors’ move to stall injunction
337. John Doe prosecutor pushed for brain-damaged man’s conviction in ATF debacle
338. John Doe special prosecutor appeals judge’s ruling quashing subpoenas
339. John Doe judge: ‘Results of the John Doe speak for themselves’
340. Liberal group looking to take Wisconsin’s John Doe national
341. Disparate treatment: Civil rights lawsuit claims conservative speech trampled
342. Target files civil rights lawsuit against Wisconsin’s John Doe prosecutors
343. Lawmaker: Wisconsin’s John Doe like Christie’s ‘Bridgegate’
344. John Doe target O’Keefe taking on IRS, too
345. Conservative to Democrat prosecutors: Shut down secret political probe or face civil rights lawsuit
346. Lawsuits looming in Wisconsin’s crumbling John Doe probe?
347. Vos: Wait until John Doe in ‘rearview mirror’ before revisiting law
348. WSJ: John Doe judge deals body blow to secret probe targeting conservatives
349. Biggest secret in John Doe may be just how judges and special prosecutors are selected
350. Republicans speak out about silent John Doe targeting conservatives
351. WI Republican attorney general to represent judges in Democrat-led John Doe probe
352. Wisconsin Dems suddenly support political investigations
353. Center for Media and Democracy: Liberals are morally superior
354. ‘Dangerous’ game: Former FEC official blasts Democrats’ secret investigation of conservative groups
355. Conservative targets bring in big guns to Democrat-led John Doe fight
356. Will Wisconsin’s own ‘Miserable’ inspector jail conservative activist for speaking out about Dem probe?
357. Vendetta justice? Criticism growing about John Doe prosecutor Bruce Landgraf
358. Sources: New judge named in Democrat-led secret probe
359. Clarke: John Doe into conservatives ‘unbridled,’ ‘dangerous’ and ‘tainted’
360. Sheriff Clarke: John Doe case shows Milwaukee DA is ‘weaponized for political purposes’
361. Democrats tap anti-terror expert to head secret probe of Wisconsin conservatives
362. Democrats’ ‘intelligence-gathering’ spreads in Wisconsin
363. EXCLUSIVE: Judge in Democrat-led John Doe probe recuses herself
364. Scary! Phantom prosecutor in Dems’ war on conservatives disappears inside courthouse
365. Sources: Secret probe targeting conservatives is abuse of prosecutorial powers
366. So what are the odds

                       

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M.D. Kittle is national First Amendment reporter at Watchdog.org. Contact him at mkittle@watchdog.org.

• mkittle@wisconsinreporter.com
• 608-257-1395