Gov. Scott Walker dodged questions on his campaign finance record Thursday at a press conference, following the release of documents shedding light on his activities during the 2011 recall election.
The question was raised following the release of 1,500 documents by The Guardian Wednesday which
Walker only offered highlights of his current and future fundraising efforts when asked about his involvement with outside groups.
"Right now what I’m focusing on is finishing up the last little bit of our presidential campaign, which we suspended, which will be done by the end of the year,” Walker said, according to the Capitol Times. “And then next year, getting ready to raise funds for Friends of Scott Walker to start
When asked more general questions about the previous case, John Doe II, Walker said voters should not be concerned with evidence released in The Guardian’s report.
"The facts have been clearly laid out there, and the facts are that the courts have looked at what has been done over the last six years,” Walker said. “They’ve consistently ruled that this was a baseless investigation.”
The John Doe investigation ended controversially in a 4-2 state Supreme Court ruling last summer. Prosecutors argued the closure should be overturned as some of the justices who favored it have, in the past, received money from donors under investigation.
Documents never before seen by the public include evidence suggesting influence by NL Industries, a lead producer, on Walker’s legislation protecting paint makers against liability.
They show the corporation’s owner, Harold Simmons, gave a total of $750,000 to Wisconsin Club for Growth between April 2011 and January 2012, close to the time of the bill’s approval, as well as another that benefited the lead industry.
