MADISON – Shocking new video obtained by the Democratic Party of Wisconsin uncovers a cynical, hidden plot by Scott Walker’s political machine to undermine judicial independence and interfere with the unprecedented John Doe criminal corruption probe into Scott Walker’s administration that has required Walker to form a criminal defense fund.
In the videos, former Waukesha County District Attorney Paul Bucher, a partisan hack who was frequently criticized for using his public office for obvious political purposes, advises attendees of a $20-a-head Citizens for Responsible Government seminar on how to launch a campaign attacking the John Doe process, up to and including a suggestion to file civil lawsuits against prosecutors.
Citizens for Responsible Government is best known for being the political machine that brought Scott Walker into power in Milwaukee County, as well as for numerous failed attempts to recall Governor Jim Doyle.
Despite spending nearly an hour going through a laundry list of legal information, alluding to multiple “leaks” and providing detailed responses to questions from the crowd, Bucher tried later to back away from his comments with some weaselly words, saying, “I can’t talk about any ongoing John Doe investigations nor any of my comments here to be taken as reference to any ongoing John Doe, because I cannot speak about that, I am sworn to secrecy.”
Read more of Bucher’s shocking exchanges below.
Bucher on How to Discredit the John Doe Process
Bucher: [06:48] “I have seen where the leak is the judge, or the judge’s family. Where the judge would go home and tell his significant other all about his day, including all testimony.”
Bucher: [07:22] “When the judges responsibility for procedural fairness is in question, the problem with that, and that’s a good questions is, there is really no one there to question the procedural findings, other than the witness, or witness’s lawyer.”
Question: [2:35] “The question would be, if people don’t like something about it, particularly the John Doe process, or the process in general, what kind of evidence would you suggest would need to be collected to have standing before a judge and say, “Yeah we’re probably going to get a result,” and you also alluded to it in your other presentation, that John Doe might not be the first place to start if you had some kind of case to bring with some significant evidence.”
Bucher: [4:35] “So where do you go? Well that’s difficult. And obviously depending on the county you’re in, sometimes you’re not going to get the time of day. You just aren’t, they’re going to sweep it under the rug.”
Question: [5:42] “What if it is the DA?”
Bucher: “Then you need to go to the Attorney General. Which may also be a complete waste of your time. But document it nonetheless”
Question: What if he [Attorney General] wants to get re-elected?
Bucher: “I don’t know what he wants, I’ll leave that to him.”
Bucher Advises Scott Walker’s Political Machine to Sue District Attorneys
Bucher: [7:43] “If the AG can’t help you, the FBI would be the next step. The U.S Attorney General, John Does are available. And if that doesn’t work then sue them. That’s also a possibility. I mean you can sue people, it’s not just going through the criminal process. You don’t get the same result, i.e. incarceration or criminal conviction, but things can happen during depositions that can be very helpful.”
Bucher on Citizen Involvement in John Doe
Bucher: [07:51] “I mean, good god, all you have to do is look down I-94 and see what’s going on in Madison, and the involvement of Madison, and all the things that are going on both sides of the aisle. So clearly the involvement of the citizenry has increased dramatically and hopefully that continues. Who can authorize the John Doe? Only the judge can authorize the John Doe.”
Bucher’s Record of Wasting Taxpayer Resources
Bucher: [9:30] “When I was DA, I knew 3 or 4 Activists were just a pain in the butt. But I gotta tell you, some of them were pretty damn good. Some just wanted to piss and moan about everybody. They called me and I put the phone on mute and walked over, grabbed a cup of coffee, go to the bathroom, come back and they’re still talking.”
Bucher Advises Scott Walker’s Political Machine to Ask John Doe Judge to Shut Down Proceedings
Bucher: [3:20] “Politely worded letters that this has…does not pass the smell test. We don’t have all the specific information, we’re not blaming you, and we’re not saying it’s you, but you have the power to do something about this in shutting this down by launching a state investigation and by appointing a special prosecutor and to restore the public confidence in the process might be a good way to start.”
Bucher: [5:30] “Umm..and I wouldn’t make allegations of a political witch hunt..etc., etc., try to keep that aside. Just that these leaks are compromising the process and we encourage you to use your power to try to identify those leaks and restore confidence in this process.”
