Federal Judge Halts Probe Of Walker’s 2012 Recall Campaign

Update – 6 p.m.: Judges from the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals have stayed Judge Rudolph Randa’s ruling to halt the John Doe probe. Read more here.

A federal judge has halted an investigation into whether conservative groups and Gov. Scott Walker illegally coordinated campaign spending during the 2012 recall election.

Several district attorneys in Wisconsin had launched the so-called John Doe investigation into the activities of Wisconsin Club for Growth and Walker. The probe was looking for signs of illegal coordination of spending or fundraising during the recall campaign that sought to unseat Walker from the governor’s office. Walker ultimately prevailed in the June 2012 election.

However, Club for Growth officials recently sued, arguing the organization’s constitutional rights to free speech and assembly were violated in connection with the probe.

On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Rudolph Randa ordered the probe to stop and all property seized last year to be returned. (Read the full ruling here.)

The special prosecutor involved in the case has filed an appeal of the ruling.