In Wake Of John Doe Probes, Barrett Takes Care To Separate Political, Official Business

The John Doe investigations involving Gov. Scott Walker may be causing Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett to take greater care in how he separates politics from his taxpayer-funded job.

Potential challengers to Barrett’s re-election in 2016 are starting to line up. But Monday, Barrett’s staffers refused to let the news media ask questions about the latest contender, Bob Donovan, during a Barrett news conference inside city hall.

Following the event, reporters were led to a sidewalk outside the building; only then did Barrett begin taking political questions from the press.

He said that even though the first John Doe investigation partly looked at whether Walker mixed his 2010 race for governor with his duties as then Milwaukee County executive, Barrett said he’s tried to avoid campaigning on the public’s dime.

“I’ve been in public life for over 30 years,” said Barrett. “I’m proud of the fact that I basically haven’t been tainted. It’s something that I work at. It’s something that I take very, very seriously.”

Walker continues to have his campaign staff publicize certain events, such as a stop scheduled for Wednesday in Minocqua, but Walker also takes reporter’s questions about his re-election bid during events coordinated by his state office.