Thursday morning, federal Judge Rudolph Randa issued an order that may again halt a John Doe probe, the third twist in the case, this week.
On Tuesday, Randa ordered state prosecutors to end their investigation into ties between conservative funders and Gov. Walker's 2012 recall campaign. The John Doe has reportedly been underway for many months. Randa ruled that the secret investigation likely violated the free speech rights of funders and he told prosecutors to destroy all evidence they've collected.
On Wednesday, Milwaukee DA John Chisholm asked federal Appeals Court in Chicago to temporarily nullify Randa's order, while court challenges continue. The court agreed, stating that Randa had not ruled on an earlier appeal by prosecutors. They insist they are immune from being sued. The Wisconsin Club for Growth, a conservative funder had sued prosecutors, claiming their probe violated members' constitutional rights.
On Thursday, Randa issued a decision on that earlier appeal by prosecutors, declaring it frivolous, signaling that his original order on Tuesday is back in effect.