John Doe II Had Non-Partisan Origins With Ex-Judges, Document Shows

Quite a revelation in Federal Court that undermines the rightwing talk radio-inspired Walkerite narrative that partisan DA's were behind a John Doe probe to get Walker, his 2012 recall election committee and perhaps some donors.

It turns out that the six non-partisan retired judges who oversee the State of Wisconsin Government Accountability Board had authorized the probe, based on evidence:

The six judges on the state Government Accountability Board voted unanimously to authorize the investigation of fundraising and spending by Gov. Scott Walker's campaign and his allies during the recent recall elections, according to a Tuesday court filing. 

Dean Nickel, an investigator hired by the accountability board to assist with the investigation, said in the 10-page filing that he believes the substantial evidence gathered in the probe "coupled with the GAB's unanimous approval of the investigation directly refutes plaintiffs' witch-hunt theory."

So the GAB board and staff were just doing their jobs.

Just today, Jay Heck of Common Cause said the GAB was:

...the nation’s only non-partisan, independent state agency charged with overseeing elections and ethics...finally established in 2007.

And do you remember that GOP Senate leader Scott Fitzgerald hoped to remake the board into an overtly partisan operation after the 2012 recall elections?