GOP lawmakers request special prosecutor to investigate John Doe leak

Republican lawmakers are asking Attorney General Brad Schimel to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the source of leaked documents from the John Doe investigation into Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign and groups that supported him.

A set of 1,500 documents, some previously published and some seen for the first time Wednesday, was leaked to the Guardian U.S., which reported on them this week.

The documents show multiple instances of Walker soliciting contributions from wealthy donors not for his campaign, but for Wisconsin Club for Growth, a conservative group that supported him during his 2012 recall campaign.

In a letter sent to Schimel on Thursday, three Assembly Republicans called for a special prosecutor to be appointed.

“We believe this potential crime is of statewide nature, importance, and influence, and within your power to investigate,” wrote Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke and Joint Finance Committee co-chairman Rep. John Nygren. “Should this potential crime go unprosecuted it runs the risk of undermining the integrity of our courts and judicial system.”

The document leak violates both state law and a secrecy order from the state Supreme Court. In a statement to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm said he supports any effort to determine the source of the leak.