GOP Legislative Leaders Announce Plan To Curb John Doe Probes

Republican leaders say the state Legislature will vote next month on a bill tightly limiting the use of secret John Doe investigations into political crimes.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald issued a joint statement on Friday saying they have agreed to pass the bill in October.

The vote comes on the heels of a Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling in July shutting down a John Doe Investigation into possible election laws violations by conservative groups during Gov. Scott Walker’s recall election in 2012. Republican backers of the bill say current law allowed an abuse of power by county prosecutors who led the investigation.

Attorney General Brad Schimel agrees. He said he backs the reform because it includes oversight of the process.

“Somewhere along the way, an appellate court is taking a look at what’s happening to make sure there’s not an abuse of power. If that had been in place. I think that would have helped greatly,” Schimel said.

The proposed reform places a six-month time limit on investigations and gives oversight power to a panel of the state’s district chief judges.

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story from the Associated Press reported that the planned bill would prohibit John Doe investigations. The proposed legislation would add strict limits to such probes. The story has been updated with original reporting.