Assembly committee OKs investigation into leak during Gov. Walker John Doe investigation

MADISON — The state Assembly has authorized Attorney General Brad Schimel to investigate how evidence collected during a secret investigation into Republican Gov. Scott Walker's recall campaign leaked to a newspaper.


The Guardian US in September published hundreds of sealed documents from the so-called John Doe investigation. The state Supreme Court shut down the probe in 2015.

Wisconsin law allows the attorney general to appear as a party in a civil or criminal matter at the request of the governor or one legislative house. The Assembly Organizational Committee voted 5-3 on Wednesday to allow Schimel to investigate the leaks. All three Democrats on the committee voted against authorizing the investigation.

Schimel said earlier this month that he would likely seat a grand jury to investigate.