Milwaukee County prosecutors have opened a John Doe investigation into voter bribery allegations stemming from last month's state Senate recall elections, according to sources.continue at MJS
Details of the secret investigation are sketchy, but it is clear the Milwaukee County district attorney's office is investigating charges that Wisconsin Right to Life offered rewards for volunteers who signed up sympathetic voters in the recall races. Several people familiar with the investigation said subpoenas were being distributed "like candy."
Prosecutors had earlier acknowledged that they also were looking into complaints about get-out-the-vote block parties sponsored by a liberal group, Wisconsin Jobs Now.
But Assistant District Attorney Bruce Landgraf, who investigates election law violations, now won't discuss either matter.
"Absolutely no comment," Landgraf said.
This comes on top of the yearlong John Doe investigation into possible political activity by former and current aides to Gov. Scott Walker.
That secret investigation burst into the public this month when a dozen FBI agents and other law enforcement officers raided the Madison home of Cindy Archer, a top official with Walker at the state and county. Then came word last week that Walker spokesman Cullen Werwie and two others had been granted immunity to testify in the investigation.
John Doe investigations are secret proceedings in which witnesses can be subpoenaed and compelled to testify under oath about potential criminal matters and are forbidden to talk publicly about the case.
How seriously do people take these prohibitions?
Just look at the reactions of those with Wisconsin Right to Life when asked whether they had been contacted in the John Doe investigation.
"Are you trying to get me in trouble?" bellowed James Bopp, an Indiana attorney representing the group opposed to abortion rights. Bopp repeatedly declared it "wrong" for No Quarter to ask about the John Doe proceeding and hung up.
Barbara Lyons, executive director of Wisconsin Right to Life, was a little more civil but equally tight-lipped.
"I'm not going to comment on anything you ask," Lyons said in a recent interview.
Something tells me that WRTL has never played poker before. I mean, what ever happened to "no comment?" Even if the organization is found not guilty, doesn't a panicked response make you think they might be just a weeee bit worried they did something wrong? I mean how about "we are cooperating completely with the investigation" or "we trust that the DA will find we did nothing unlawful." Or how about "bellowing" "Are you trying to get me in trouble?" Ummm, I hope you have an ace up your sleeve.