Gov. Walker subpoenaed in former staffer's trial
MADISON -- A subpoena has been filed with the court requiring Gov. Scott Walker to testify in the trial of a former Milwaukee County staffer.
Kelly Rindfleisch is accused of using County time to conduct campaign work for a Republican who lost a lieutenant governor race in 2010. Rindfleisch was Walker's deputy chief of staff when he was the Milwaukee County Executive.
Rindfleisch has pleaded not guilty to four felony counts of misconduct in office.
The subpoena has been served on Walker's attorney, Michael Steinle and has been filed with Milwaukee County Judge David Hanscher. The subpoena was filed by the defense.
Walker was previously identified by a prosecutor as a potential witness in the Oct. 15th trial. Rindfleisch is one of six Walker associates facing charges that arose from secret investigation.
Rindfleisch's attorney told FOX6 News he plans to ask Walker to testify about the quality of Rindfleisch's work while in the County Executive's office.
"The governor engaged my client's services. She was a member of his staff. She has denied she has committed any crimes. I think (Gov. Walker) has relevant information about the fact that she performed her duties in both an extraordinarily good manner and in a timely manner," Rindfleisch's attorney, Frank Gimbel said.
Walker's campaign manager released the following statement to FOX6 News Monday: "Governor Walker continues to cooperate with authorities as he has throughout this process."
Jury selection is set to begin Monday, October 15th and could be time consuming. Lawyers are not allowed to ask prospective jurors about their political affiliation. However, Gimbel says he has agree on a questionnaire with the prosecution that will ask whether jurors were involved in any political campaigns involving Gov. Walker or other candidates in recent elections.
"The purpose for those questions will be to ferret out those people who might walk into the role of being a jury with some role of partiality, rather than impartiality," Gimbel said.
Gimbel said he predicts the trial will last five or six days. He says if Gov. Walker has a scheduling conflict, he will request the court to allow Gov. Walker's testimony to be heard out of order.
FOX6 News learned of the subpoena filing the same day the trial began for former Walker aide Kevin Kavanaugh. Kavanaugh, Walker’s appointee to the Milwaukee County Veteran Service Commission is accused of embezzling about $42,000 from veterans’ groups. Kavanaugh has pleaded not guilty to felony theft and fraud charges.
The criminal complaint against Kavanaugh said he embezzled at least $42,232 from the Military Order of the Purple Heart between 2006 and 2009.