Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Walkergate: Is John Doe Done? Not According To Walker

For months, apologists for Scott Walker have been trying to get people to believe that the John Doe investigation known as Walkergate is dead.  They've been trying to get people to believe that outside of the Walker 6, no one else had been involved with illegal campaigning or any other prohibited behaviors.

And for months, I've been pointing out how ridiculous that is.

When new broke that Tim Russell had taken a plea deal, Walker and his apologists tried again to say that Walkergate was wrapping up.

Again, I provided a rather lengthy list of reasons why Walkergate was not ending anytime soon.

It appears that Walker has given up that line of argument.

In a article written by Steve Schultze of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel covering Russell's sentencing hearing, he tried to do a follow up with Walker's campaign.  Although I am sure that Schultze got the quote correct, I don't think he recognized what was being said (emphasis mine):
Walker campaign spokeswoman Nicole Tieman last week said Walker authorized the switch to ensure money for Operation Freedom was not commingled with other funds. She did not respond to a question Tuesday about who asked Walker to switch oversight of the event.

Instead, Tieman repeated the governor's statement that he had clearly told county employees they were barred from using "county time or resources for political activity of any kind." She said Walker continued to "fully cooperate" with the investigation.
Think about that for a minute.

At the beginning of 2012, five people were arrested. Four of the five have had their cases resolved already:

  • Darlene Wink took a plea deal and was giving probation,
  • Kevin Kavanaugh was convicted and sentenced to two years.
  • Kelly Rindfleisch took a plea deal and was sentenced to prison, although that sentence was stayed pending an appeal
  • Tim Russell took a plea deal and was sentenced to two years in prison.
The only one yet to reach resolution is Brian Pierick, whose trial starts next week. And Pierick's case has little to do with Walker per se.  Pierick was charged with child enticement as a result information found during the investigation into Walkergate.

So what is Walker still cooperating with?  And why would Walker be involved and needing to cooperate if he was not part of it? 

Of course, some might wonder about the level of cooperation Walker is providing, since he is also the one that stonewalled the investigation so much that he forced the DA's Office to open up the John Doe to begin with.

Well, the answer is simple.

Walker was part of it.  But we already knew that because with Walker, there is always more.  Then there's still even more.  

Or perhaps she meant that Walker was cooperating with the Dane County's Walkergate.

We have a good idea of who are some of the likeliest candidates for the next wave of charges.  And that doesn't include Jim Villa and John Hiller, who are also highly likely to see their day in court.  Is Walker's cooperation entailing him getting ready to throw them under the bus?

But there is one thing that struck me long ago, and something I keep returning to in my mind.

Despite Walker's defenders' constant attacks on the reputation of the DA's office, their questioning of the integrity of the investigation, their attempts to mislead or confuse the matter, there is one thing they've never, ever tried to do.

18 comments:

  1. I don't know... maybe. Russell testifying against Walker seemed liked the last best chance for any type prosecution of Walker. I just don't see a viable route to prosecution... unless there really is a federal case going on in some secret bunker somewhere.

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  2. On the other hand, since this is still a secret investigation, how would anyone know what the last best chance is?

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  3. Investigation is secret.

    We can only offer intelligent speculation, but a 'viable route to prosecution?'

    We have no basis to dismiss the possibility of a prosecution.

    The criminal gang rightfully demanded their rights under the law. The idea that Walker is cooperating is a non-statement.

    Cooperating as opposed to obstructing? One question is: Has Walker been granted immunity for his testimony, cooperation and 'help'? Immunity would suggest a lot of help given.

    Are we to believe that Walker is innocent of misuse of public office while his staff committed offenses without his knowledge?

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  4. IMHO, if Gov. Walker was not going to be indicted/resign or both, Charlie Sykes would be proclaiming that far and wide. I don't listen to his show, but I do force myself to read the headlines on his blog. He's ignoring the story.

    Another wild guess is that Sykes is silent to protect Mike Grebe, President/CEO of the 1/2 a billion in assets Bradley Foundation. If Walker claims ignorance, prosecutors might start looking at the folks who run "Friends of Scott Walker," and Gov. Walker's "transition team."

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    1. Ooooo. Now that's an interesting angle...should the prosecuters start looking at the Bradley Foundation, Friends of Scott Walker and his transition team. That could be explosive.

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  5. I think the intelligent speculation here is that Wink, Rindfleisch, and Russell - and possibly some or all of those granted immunity have given up digital evidence on Walker. Investigators love video and email evidence because it doesn't lie.

    Chisholm is smart enough to know that as governor, Walker can pardon anyone accused or convicted of a state crime for any reason. Why would Russell or Rindfleisch testify against Walker when they are shaky witnesses for several reasons: longtime republican hacks (hell, Rindfleisch wanted permission to vote in November, almost certainly for Romney), they are felons, they are doing this to get a lighter sentence for themselves, and with a possible 11th hour pardon hanging over their heads.

    And I have no doubt Walker would pardon anyone to save his own skin. He is of course, in denial and hoping the John Doe will just go away because he most certainly wants to be POTUS someday. A pardon would likely hurt his chances in 2014 as well any presidential run, so he is glad to throw his underlings under the bus for now - but I think if it came to prison or tossed out incumbent (likely to become a Fox News "contributor"), that's a no brainer even for Scooter. He would pardon his buddies and they wouldn't testify against him.

    Email and other digital evidence circumvents all these issues.

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  6. We've seen emails from Walker and Keith Gilkes prominently mentioned in the sentencing documents. Those it's wouldn't be released unless those guys are going to be getting perp walked.

    It also tells you that there's a whole lot more that the prosecutors have in the vault, and that's where the REALLY good stuff is

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  7. members of the walker/bush crime family never have accountability moments -- even for treason!

    Why does anyone think that things will be differenct -- George Herbert Walker's son-in-law was behind Prescott Bush's fiscal and political support of Hitler & trading with the enemy during WWII. He was part of a fascist coup against FDR. George Herbert WALKER Bush was behind much of the CIA's excessives. George WALKER Bush committed war crimes and crimes against humanity.

    Stealing from Milwaukee County by a distant cousin on the poor side of the family is not going anywhere and the media is already covering all crimes up and publishing propaganda for dur furher walker to become a national figure.

    And remember, George Herbert WALKER was just a front for other fascist business interests -- just like scott WALKER.

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    1. Dear screamingeagle...sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. There is fact behind what is stated above. Look it up.

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    2. Being related to someone doesn't mean you are going to do exactly what they would do. You can't even help it if you are related to someone who is a jerk. Most families are not "normal" anyway. That is how life is. So you can't blame someone for being someone else's cousin, even you dislike the policies of both people. Just my humble opinion.

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  8. A few misunderstandings in this thread:

    mal -- walker CANNOT have immunity -- that, by law, is public record which is why we know that 13 folks already have been granted immunity. This is a large number -- people that otherwise would have risked being indicted. They clearly have important info but got a "get-out-of-jail-free" card because of what they knew.

    john -- sykes is already a "person of interest" having known that materials leaked directly to him came from Tim Russell while repeatedly stating on-the-air that the investigation was "leaking like a sieve".

    roxanne -- Walker cannot pardon his co- conspirators -- then they have to cooperate and essentially turn state's witness -- any obstruction or lying is then another crime, more serious than that which they have already been convicted on.

    Pardon means no 5th ammendment and one is compelled to testify openly and truthfully. This is very misunderstood -- need to set the record straight.

    Peace to all -- just trying to keep thread from deviating from the situation-at-hand. This dialog is important and appropriate.

    The other biggest misunderstanding about the John Doe probe is that the secrecy is to protect Walker -- not true -- its to protect investigation from powerful people like Walker.

    Anon above has a point -- bush family has disturbing past yet, evidently, absolute immunity. It is true that Walker is part of that criminal klan.

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    1. You're so right about the secrecy aspect. It IS to protect the investigation from influence of the powerful, like Walker and his backers. It's therefore interesting to watch Walker come out with his public statements that "someone" told him he's not a target (but failing to provide a letter from the DA stating he's not a target), while the DA maintains silence. It's obvious Walker is trying desperately to get the DA to say something -- and the DA's not biting. I love the cat and mouse aspect. Walker's the mouse and he has NO idea where the DA found all the cheese crumbs lefts behind in the digital world.

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    2. Being related to someone isn't a criminal act, in fact, it isn't even in your power to do anything about it.

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  9. 4:13, many thanks.

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  10. Remember folks, we have seen only a smidgeon of the digital evidence that Walker et. al. may have thought they destroyed. The FBI and Milw Co tech folks working together have ways of recovering data that college flunk-out Scott Walker doesn't have a clue about. Heh Heh.

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  11. And DON"T FORGET his criminal defense fund.

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