Yup, just as dumb as he looks.
Looks like there's
a war starting between Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker (R-I'm the son of a preacher and former Eagle Scout) and RW conservative groups over the possibility that Walker is in secret negotiations with John Doe II Probe prosecutors.
In a letter sent Wednesday, the Washington, D.C., attorney representing the Wisconsin Club for Growth and one of its directors questioned whether a special prosecutor in the case is negotiating with the GOP governor's campaign to seek concessions that the club might oppose.
"Let me be perfectly clear: a settlement that seeks, in any fashion, to further the John Doe investigation by violating Mr. O'Keefe's or the Club's speech or associational rights would be a blatant violation of the preliminary injunction," Rivkin wrote to Randall Crocker, Schmitz's attorney. "Your client cannot, via settlement or other maneuvers, attempt to circumvent the injunction — at least, he cannot do so without seriously risking a judgment of contempt."
In other words, they're afraid that Walker will throw them under the bus to save his own hide.
Since the talks between Walkers attorney, Steven Biskupic, and John Doe prosecutors were first revealed (and attacked) in a Wall Street Journal editorial, the sounds of cannon fire have been escalating. Biskupic and Walker are responding only by citing the "secrecy" of the John Doe itself.
A source with knowledge of the probe confirmed to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Wednesday that other conservatives caught up in the probe are worried that the attorney for the Walker campaign, Steven Biskupic, is not being aggressive enough with prosecutors and not acting in their best interests.
Biskupic, a former U.S. attorney, had no comment on the anonymous allegations and neither did Walker, who at an event Wednesday morning in New Berlin cited a judge's order of secrecy in the case.
"As I pointed out before, the bottom line is, per the law, people who know anything about it are prohibited from talking about it, and people who don't know anything about it shouldn't be talking about it. So either way I don't talk about it," Walker told reporters.
For those of you keeping score, it's the same strategy used during the original John Doe that looked into the shenanigans that were going on in his Milwaukee County Executive office. After that probe ended and the requirement for secrecy was removed, Walker still refused to talk about it, calling it "old news'" Whatever works for ya, buddy. You're not talking no matter what.
After getting hammered for self-interest and political promotion in the Wall Street Journal editorial and slammed yesterday and today by advocates for RW dark money groups, Walker put out an additional statement today hoping to deflect further questions:
The statement by Friends of Scott Walker was attributed simply to the campaign and not to any individual and appeared to deal only with the federal lawsuit, not the state investigation in which both the Club for Growth and Walker's campaign are targets.
"Neither Governor Walker nor his campaign committee are parties to the federal lawsuit. This means they have no legal standing to reach a settlement or deal in their lawsuit," the statement reads in full.
A spokeswoman for Walker did not immediately respond to questions clarifying the full significance of the statement.
Yeah, that one has me scratching my head, too, and apparently nobody is available to shed any light because nobody wants to. Nothing to see here, just move along.
Club for Growth, and others, are worried that a potential deal that might be struck could include providing documents or testimony. With Walker and his campaign safe from any charges or indictments, those dark money groups fear that they or their legal footing might be compromised or weakened as a result.
A letter from CfGs attorney was sent to John Doe prosecutors warning them that any deal they struck could be in violation of Judge Randas current halt on the John Doe Probe. In response, prosecutors have asked Randa to clarify his court order on the John Doe and whether or not they're free to discuss a settlement.
Aside from that, John Doe prosecutors aren't talking either.
Dark money groups, particularly Wisconsin Club for Growth (which first revealed the probe in a Wall Street Journal editorial by attacking it), are working feverishly to end the probe via multiple lawsuits and bellicose statements. With the rumor of settlement talks between Scott Walkers lawyer and John Doe prosecutors, they've gotten louder and nastier.
Walker needs to watch out. These groups are the ones who spent tens of millions in 2010 to get him elected and spent a lot more in 2012 to get him through a recall election. If he pisses them off or tosses them under the bus to protect himself, he might just find himself in a pickle this year when his name and dismal record are on the ballot.
It's more than just these RW dark money groups. They're not really groups or organizations. They're fronts for their RW billionaire backers to buy elections. And many of them are the same RW billionaires Walker has been visiting since he was elected Governor in hopes of bolstering up his Presidential ambitions.
Walker has been serving them well; busting unions, stripping the state budget so he can give tax breaks and subsidies to the rich and fabulous, and enacting extreme RW legislation. He's their guy and so far it's worked well for all of them. He gets high political office, power, and the ability to punish his real or imaginary enemies, as well as hopes of even higher office and they get what they want, too. Up until now everyone has been happy (except the hard-hammered people of Wisconsin, that is).
So happy, in fact, that Americans for Prosperity just kicked in for a big ad buy for Walker just after a poll showed Walker tied with Mary Burke who is gaining in name recognition.
Now that his own butt may be on the line, he can't have his cake and eat it, too. And that's what the RW fears; that he may save his own hide at the expense of theirs. Using the old Original John Doe Refusing to Talk About It Strategy might work with your Wisconsin media lapdogs, but it's not going to fly with the billionaire boys and their dark money organizations.
It's a fine mess you've gotten yourself into, Scotty. It's not just the unions, workers, parents of kids in school, the uninsured, and poor people coming after you any more. Look behind you .... it's billionaires!
.
Update: There's breaking news late tonight. I've written a new diary about the John Doe documents which current Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele says he WILL RELEASE.
Because I've postponed several important errands (and they must be done before the weekend) because of all the awesome news this week, I have scheduled the diary at 2 PM Friday. It should auto-publish and I'll join in the discussion with any new information as soon as I'm back.
.