MADISON, Wis. (AP) - The Latest on release of investigation report into John Doe leaks (all times local):
4:45 p.m.
The lead investigator into a now-closed probe of Gov. Scott Walker says he was “completely surprised” by the recommendation that he be found in contempt.
Attorney General Brad Schimel calls for investigator Fran Schmitz and eight others to be disciplined, but not criminally charged, for their rolls in the probe. Schimel says there was “systemic and pervasive mishandling” of evidence during the investigation that led to the leak of documents to the Guardian newspaper.
Schmitz says in a statement that he cooperated with Justice Department officials at the outset of their investigation “and had no further contact with them.”
No one else named by Schimel immediately commented to The Associated Press.
___
4:35 p.m.
Attorney General Brad Schimel is asking for disciplinary action against nine people following his investigation into the leaking of documents collected during a probe of Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign.
Schimel made the recommendation in a report released Wednesday. A judge overseeing the probe says he hopes to make a decision within 40 days.
Schimel says former Government Accountability Board attorney Shane Falk should be referred to the Office of Lawyer Regulation for knowing and repeated violations of secrecy orders.
Falk declined comment Wednesday.
Schimel also said contempt proceedings should be brought against Falk and three other former GAB employees, special prosecutor Francis Schmitz, Elections Commission attorney Nathan Judnic and three employees of the Milwaukee County district attorney’s office.
None of them commented when reached by AP.
___
4:25 p.m.
Republican state senator and candidate for U.S. Senate Leak Vukmir says news that personal emails of hers were among those collected by investigators is “upsetting,” ’’appalling” and “sickening.”
Vukmir says those behind collecting her emails should be in prison.
Vukmir was reacting to a report from Attorney General Brad Schimel released Wednesday. Schimel was looking into the leak of documents collected during an investigation of Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign.
The report finds that emails from Vukmir, Walker and a host of other Republican office holders, staff members and strategists were collected.
Those included personal emails between Vukmir and her daughter.
Vukmir says she is “horrified to learn again just how invasive this witch hunt was into nearly every part of every major Wisconsin conservative’s life.”
___
4:10 p.m.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice is recommending disciplinary action, but no criminal charges, following its investigation of a leak of information collected during a now-closed secret probe into Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign.
Attorney General Brad Schimel’s report to the judge overseeing the investigation was released Wednesday.
Schimel determined the leak came from the former Government Accountability Board, but couldn’t determine who exactly was behind it.
The report also discloses that Justice Department investigators discovered a previously unknown secret investigation “into a broad range of Wisconsin Republicans” related to illegal campaigning on state government time.
Emails were collected from Walker, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson and Reince Priebus, who was formerly head of the Republican Party in Wisconsin and went on to serve as President Donald Trump’s chief of staff.
___
3:03 p.m.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice is not recommending the filing of any criminal charges following its investigation of a leak of information collected during a now-closed secret investigation into Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign.
The Justice Department released results of its investigation Wednesday.
Although no criminal charges are recommended, the Justice Department is asking the judge who oversaw the John Doe probe to refer former Government Accountability Board attorney Shane Falk for discipline for violating a previous order.
It’s also asking the judge to initiate contempt proceedings against special prosecutor Francis Schmitz, former GAB employees and others.
Jefferson County Circuit Judge William Hue is overseeing the investigation. He says he received the report Tuesday afternoon and hopes to complete his work on it within 40 days.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.