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The Big Lies › 2014 › File PF-0014
Unproven

Scott Walker 'Criminal Scheme' Headlines

Unsealed John Doe filings produced national headlines that Gov. Scott Walker was part of, or at the center of, a 'criminal scheme' to illegally coordinate fundraising with outside conservative groups.

First reported Jun 19, 2014 · PBS NewsHour, Associated Press, Salon
Screenshot of the original report as published
Screenshot of the report as published: pbs.org. Tap to open the source.
Who it helped: Democrats

The 'criminal scheme' framing hurt Republican Scott Walker during his 2014 re-election race.

What was reported

Unsealed John Doe filings produced national headlines that Gov. Scott Walker was part of, or at the center of, a 'criminal scheme' to illegally coordinate fundraising with outside conservative groups.

What actually happened

The headlines attributed the claim to prosecutors, but it came from arguments seeking further investigation, not charges. A week later the special prosecutor's lawyer said Walker was not a target and that the filings did not establish a crime. In July 2015 the Wisconsin Supreme Court ended the probe 4-2, finding no laws were broken and calling the prosecutor's legal theory unsupported.

The proof

The special prosecutor's June 26, 2014 clarification and the Wisconsin Supreme Court's July 2015 ruling ending the investigation.

The receipt. Copy this and paste it anywhere:

Scott Walker 'Criminal Scheme' Headlines — Unproven. The special prosecutor's June 26, 2014 clarification and the Wisconsin Supreme Court's July 2015 ruling ending the investigation. Full file: https://www.thepropagandafiles.com/case/walker-criminal-scheme-headlines/

Original reporting

Corrections, findings & records

Archived copies

Stories get edited after publication. These open the Internet Archive's earliest saved copy of each original.

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