 — by Joe Magid
The criminal corruption probe swirling around Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, who faces a now neck-and-neck recall election tomorrow, Tuesday, June 5, are swirling ever closer if recent reports regarding progress of the investigation are accurate. As reported in the Huffington Post, Walker vehemently denies he is now a target of the investigation, however, according to the Journal Sentinel, Walker has admitted putting $160,000 in a legal defense fund, including a $100,000 transfer from his campaign account. It has further been reported that Wisconsin law permits the creation of such a fund by an elected official only "if they, or their agent, are under investigation for, charged with, or convicted of violations of Wisconsin's campaign finance and election laws."
Walker has clearly stated that the fund will not be used to defend any of his "agents", the six aids now under indictment (in addition to thirteen granted immunity from prosecution), leaving one to conclude that there is an obvious conflict between the law coupled with his actions and statements regarding the fund and his denials regarding the state of the investigation.
In addition, David Shuster of Take Action News and Current TV has posted a report stating that "government lawyers familiar with a Milwaukee criminal corruption probe, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is now a 'target' of the investigation."
So it seems that Gov. Walker is in fact the target of the corruption investigation and has lied in stating that he has not, or he has lied about the purpose of the legal defense fund he has established or he has broken the law in establishing the defense fund in the first place.
Regardless of the truth of the matter, his Democratic opponent in the recall, Tom Barrett (http://www.barrettforwisconsin.com/) and his allies will be sure to pound Walker over the allegations piling on top of the undisputed facts regarding the indictments of and immunity from prosecution for 19 members of his former staff and asssociates.
More on this story can be found at: Politiscoop, PolicyMic and The Progressive. |
