Wisconsin campaign finance probe can continue: appeals court

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Wisconsin campaign finance probe can continue: appeals court

BY BRENDAN O'BRIEN
MILWAUKEE Wed May 7, 2014 10:22pm EDT

(Reuters) - Wisconsin investigators can continue a secret probe into possible campaign finance law violations by conservative groups in the state, a U.S. appeals court ruled on Wednesday.

The order stopped for now enforcement of a federal judge's ruling that the 20-month investigation must be halted and records and property seized by investigators returned to the Wisconsin Club for Growth, the group that sued investigators.

U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Randa in Milwaukee on Tuesday had said the club and its director were relieved of any and all duty to cooperate with the secret investigation.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Chicago said in its order on Wednesday that Randa should not have entered a preliminary injunction halting the "John Doe" probe because he knew investigators were planning to appeal.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/08/us-usa-politics-wisconsin-idUSBREA4702220140508

[postulater]

1. I hope they have enough to act on soon.

Before they are stopped again.

[Half-Century Man]

2. Offhand, I'd say investigate Randa as well.

Why would a Judge order the destruction of evidence?

[Gothmog]

3. For now, the investigation can proceed

For now, the investigation can proceed

Less than 24 hours after a federal judge halted a probe into conservative groups and the campaign of Gov. Scott Walker, an appeals court blocked that ruling — allowing prosecutors to keep material they have gathered in the case.

The three-judge panel of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago provided a means for U.S. District Rudolph Randa in Milwaukee to reissue his preliminary injunction stopping the investigation, but it said he cannot order prosecutors to destroy evidence they have collected so far.

Also Wednesday, Randa ruled a coalition of five media groups could intervene in the case in its attempt to unseal hundreds of pages of court filings that have been blacked out. He gave all sides a week to object to making that material public


Read more from Journal Sentinel: http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/halt-to-john-doe-probe-lifts-obstacle-to-scott-walker-re-election-bid-b99264574z1-258293621.html#ixzz314aNogsR

There will be more litigation on this issue but for now, the investigation can proceed