While Governor Scott Walker is out promoting his new book, his political campaign and conservative groups are apparently the target of about 30 subpoenas.
The conservative editorial page of the Wall Street Journal first reported the subpoenas, after getting word from one of the targets: the Wisconsin director of the pro-business Club for Growth. Besides the club, and Walker's campaign, other targets reportedly include the state Republican Party and a group co-founded by former President Bush aide Karl Rove.
Wisconsin Democratic Party Executive Director Mike Tate it's sad that the subpoenas aren't surprising. "I think it's just another example of the culture that's been created here in Wisconsin, and one of the main reasons we need to change."
The Wall Street Journal says the subpoenas are seeking records related to the 2011 and 2012 recall attempts against Governor Walker and Republican senators. Speculation has centered on possible illegal collaboration between the outside groups and the campaigns.
Marquette University law professor Janine Geske says 30 subpoenas is a large number, but understandable. "I'm not surprised that there are a lot of subpoenas, because there are a number of entities and people involved in campaigns and money coming in," Geske said, "and so I assume they need to get those records to move to the next stage."
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Geske predicts this John Doe investigation will also take a fair amount of time, as did a previous Doe probe in Milwaukee County that led to jail sentences for several former Walker associates.
