John Doe Prosecutor Called For Supreme Court Recusals, Documents Show

The special prosecutor in the John Doe investigation involving conservative groups and Gov. Scott Walker’s 2012 recall campaign asked two state Supreme Court justices to recuse themselves from the case.

In one of several documents made public for the first time Wednesday, Special Prosecutor Francis Schmitz said this case presented “serious ethical issues” because several of the people and groups being investigated “also had significant involvement in the election of particular Justices to the Wisconsin Supreme Court.” Schmitz said the recusal of two of the justices was “clearly warranted.” Their names were blocked out, as were pages upon pages of other key details.

John Doe prosecutors had been looking into whether Walker’s campaign illegally coordinated strategy and fundraising with independent conservative groups, which can accept unlimited donations and keep their donors secret. A judge earlier halted the probe, saying such coordination was not explicitly prohibited. Now, the state Supreme Court must decide whether the investigation can proceed.