Federal judge dismisses Governor Scott Walker-related John Doe lawsuit

MADISON -- A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit against investigators and former state officials involved in a now-halted secret investigation into Gov. Scott Walker's 2012 recall campaign.

The Wisconsin State Journal reports Thursday, March 16th (http://tiny.cc/wsmvjy) that U.S. District Judge William Conley tossed the lawsuit by the conservative group the John K. MacIver Institute. Conley found that investigators did not violate the group's rights under a federal law that protects electronic communications.

Conley rules that investigators properly obtained search warrants for emails from the MacIver Institute as part of the lengthy John Doe investigation, which ended with a Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling in July 2015.

MacIver attorney J. Benton Hurst says the ruling will be appealed.

The lawsuit filed in August sought damages from prosecutors and others involved with the investigation.