Scott Walker and the Secret "John Doe" Investigation Explained

http://motherjones.com/politics/2012/02/scott-walker-john-doe-investigation-explained

A dark cloud hangs over Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.

A "John Doe" investigation launched in May 2010 has embroiled former Walker staffers and appointees from his time as Milwaukee County executive, his job before winning the governorship in November 2010. The investigation, led by Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm, has led to home raids targeting former staffers with close ties to Walker and numerous felony charges for election law violations, embezzlement, and misconduct in office.

Walker says he has "fully cooperated" and "will continue to cooperate" with the John Doe probe. The governor is confident he won't be implicated, he told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel last September, because he held himself to high standards learned from his parents. "Certainly, they got me to the rank of Eagle Scout, and I continue to have that kind of integrity," he told the paper.


What's a John Doe investigation, anyway?

Here, "John Doe" doesn't refer to one person. It is a secret legal proceeding akin to a grand jury investigation in which a prosecutor secretly gathers information on a number of individuals to find out if crimes were committed. A John Doe probe must be green-lit by a judge; in this case, according to court records, former appeals court judge Neal Nettesheim approved an investigation on May 5, 2010.