Is John Doe about to blow?

For a while, it seemed that the John Doe investigation was quietly playing out in courtrooms and making its way through the court system. And then THIS ARTICLE dropped in the Murdoch Wall Street Journal's editorial page, and I was stunned by it. Not only because of the transparent spin and downright false premises being allowed to be printed in a national newspaper, but because of the message behind them. A couple of the key excerpts follow

We've learned that Steven Biskupic, who represents Friends of Scott Walker, has been negotiating with Wisconsin special prosecutor Francis Schmitz to settle the state's investigation. The understandable concern among the direct targets of the John Doe is that Mr. Biskupic will cut a deal that would exonerate Mr. Walker while wresting concessions from some of Mr. Walker's allies.

The secret John Doe investigation began with raids and subpoenas in October 2013 in pursuit of a theory of illegal coordination between the Walker campaign and conservative groups. In recent weeks the politicized investigation has been pummeled by judicial rulings that undermine the prosecutors' entire legal case.

Uhhh, not in the real world, Murdoch Journal. In fact, you may recall federal judge Rudolph Randa getting smacked down within 24 hours of giving his partisan, absurd order to halt the investigation and have prosecutors turn over evidence. And the fact that Walker is even considering a settlement is obvious proof that prosecutors have the goods on him, or else he'd just ride it out and claim "there's nothing to see here." Scotty's not acting too "Unintimidated" if this is true, now is he?

And of course, how did the Wall Street Journal learn of this potential deal? Probably from Eric O'Keefe and other Club for Growth scumbags who illegally leaked to the Journal that there was a John Doe Deux 6 months ago.

On this latest editorial, the WSJ, speaking for O'Keefe and other oligarch groups, seems to give an ominous warning to Walker.

The backstage legal wrangling is even more troubling because prosecutors have limited scope to cut a deal under Judge Randa's preliminary injunction, which explicitly froze prosecutors from actions against the Doe targets (for the time being). Any face-saving attempts by prosecutors to settle under terms that vindicate their campaign finance theories violate the spirit of the injunction and may put them in contempt of court.

On Tuesday a very clipped Mr. Biskupic told us that he was "not going to comment on anything related to any John Doe in Wisconsin because doing so would be a violation of court orders." But after he hung up with us he warned other friends of Scott Walker about our call. (How the hell would they know, unless someone told them...) Sounds like Mr. Walker has to decide whose side he's on—his own, or the larger principles he claims to represent.

I'll let Mike Ellis answer that last statement- "WALKER IS FOR WALKER." And that means he'll do whatever keeps him afloat, no matter what happens to anyone else. The prospect of a settlement definitely seems to have the Club for Growth spooked, as they have written a letter demanding that no settlement with Walker or other possible John Doe figures be allowed under Randa's ruling. (I would call that letter "a tell".)

With that in mind, does the Wall Street Journal piece indicate the right-wing oligarch groups threatening to cut Walker off of funding if he throws them under the bus as part of a John Doe plea deal? And conversely, are they promising to throw big bucks behind him if he doesn't give them up before the election? And is it a similar message to judges like Rudolph Randa, who (as PR Watch revealed yesterday) has taken several junkets paid for by the same Koch-related groups he was trying to clear in his Milwaukee courtroom? Seems like these guys operate under the "I'll take care of you if you take care of us, but don't you fuck me over" doctrine. Very Mob-like, isn't it?

Even if Walker is cleared, he now looks guilty of at least being helped by crooks without asking any questions. And if Walker's not charged by November and John Doe Deux is ongoing, he looks even guiltier, because that means he could be getting a "bomb" dropped on him at any time. Good luck asking people to give you another 4 years on their dime with THAT hanging over you head, kiddo.

PS: One item to keep in mind- if candidates want to be on the August primary ballot, nomination signatures are due to the General Accountability Board by Monday, and Walker's campaign hasn't handed in the signatures yet. If Walker's cornered, takes a settlement, and pulls the plug on a November campaign as a result(so he can be a Fox/WTMJ contributor and get other types of wingnut welfare), he'd have to do so in the next week.