Criminal Complaint Timothy Russell
Criminal Complaint Kevin Kavanaugh
Criminal Complaint Brian Pierick
2012-01-26 Rindfleisch Complaint (File Stamped)
2012-01-26 Wink Complaint (File Stamped)
UPDATED Tuesday, May 15, 2012 --- 2:45 p.m.
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- A Milwaukee County judge has postponed the sentencing of a former Scott Walker aide convicted of two misdemeanors.
The prosecutor and defense attorney had submitted a joint recommendation that Darlene Wink's sentencing be postponed. Judge Daniel Konkol granted the request Tuesday. Her hearing is now set for July 17.
Wink was an aide to Gov. Walker when he was the Milwaukee County executive. She pleaded guilty in February to working on Walker's gubernatorial campaign on county time.
Prosecutors already agreed not to recommend prison time in exchange for Wink's cooperation in other related investigations. Prosecutor Bruce Landgraf says he wanted her sentencing delayed because those other investigations were still going on.
Defense attorney Peter Wolff says Wink would like her case resolved, but she also wants to cooperate with prosecutors.
Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.
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UPDATED Tuesday, May 15, 2012 --- 6:50 a.m.
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- A Milwaukee County judge is expected to postpone the sentencing of a former Scott Walker aide convicted of two misdemeanors.
Darlene J. Wink is due in court Tuesday afternoon. The 61-year-old was an aide to Gov. Walker when he was the Milwaukee County executive.
Wink pleaded guilty in February to working on Walker's gubernatorial campaign on county time.
Defense attorney Peter Wolff and prosecutor Bruce Landgraf will ask that sentencing be postponed. Wolff told The Associated Press there are some elements of a deferred prosecution that are still being worked out.
The judge is expected to grant the postponement.
Wink is the first person convicted as a result of a secret investigation into Walker's Milwaukee County staff. Four others also face charges. Walker has not been charged.
Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.
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UPDATED Wednesday, May 9, 2012 --- 6:54 p.m.
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- A 12th witness has been granted immunity in a secret Milwaukee County investigation that has already led to criminal charges against five people close to Gov. Scott Walker.
Online court records say David Halbrooks was granted immunity Wednesday. Halbrooks declined comment when reached by The Associated Press.
The website of Milwaukee law firm Maistelman & Associates Inc. lists Halbrooks as an "of counsel." The term generally refers to an outside lawyer who provides specific legal expertise to a law firm.
The secret investigation involves allegations that some people close to Walker campaigned on county time and others embezzled money from a veterans program. The governor has not been charged with wrongdoing and says he's cooperating with the investigation.
Other witnesses who have been granted immunity include Walker spokesman Cullen Werwie.
Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.
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UPDATED Tuesday, March 20, 2012 --- 10:10 a.m.
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- A former aide to Scott Walker before Walker became governor has pleaded not guilty to four felony charges related to campaigning while at work for Milwaukee County.
Kelly M. Rindfleisch was Walker's deputy chief of staff when he was Milwaukee County executive. She's accused of doing campaign work while on the clock.
Her attorney entered not-guilty pleas on her behalf Tuesday. A hearing to discuss a change-of-venue motion was set for March 30.
Rindfleisch is one of five Walker associates facing charges in a secret investigation. Another former aide has pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges.
Walker hasn't been charged with wrongdoing but has set up a legal defense fund. The move is allowed only for officeholders who have been charged or are under investigation for election or campaign violations.
Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.
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UPDATED Tuesday, March 20, 2012 --- 7:55 a.m.
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- A former aide to Scott Walker before he became governor is scheduled to enter pleas to four felony charges relating to campaigning while at work for Milwaukee County.
Kelly M. Rindfleisch was Walker's deputy chief of staff when he was Milwaukee County executive. The 43-year-old Rindfleisch is accused of doing campaign work while on the clock, including fundraising for a Republican candidate for lieutenant governor.
She's scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday morning.
Rindfleisch is one of five Walker associates facing charges in a secret investigation. Another former aide has pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges.
Walker hasn't been charged with wrongdoing but has set up a legal defense fund. The move is allowed only for officeholders who have been charged or are under investigation for election or campaign violations.
Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.
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UPDATED Monday, March 19, 2012 ---- 2:10 p.m.
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Gov. Scott Walker is staying mum on whether he has met with the Milwaukee County district attorney about a secret investigation that has led to charges against five of his former close aides and associates.
Walker has previously said the district attorney's office wanted to meet with him, but it was a voluntary meeting and he had not been ordered to testify.
When asked Monday if he had the meeting yet, he said he would defer to District Attorney John Chisholm on how he would like them to release the information. Chisholm had no comment Monday.
Earlier this month, Walker said he's set up a legal defense fund to pay for two attorneys representing him in the investigation. He has not been charged with wrongdoing.
Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.
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UPDATED Thursday, March 8, 2012 --- 11:25 a.m.
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- A former aide to Scott Walker before he became governor waived her preliminary hearing Thursday on four felony charges relating to campaigning while at work for Milwaukee County.
Kelly Rindfleisch was Walker's deputy chief of staff when he was Milwaukee County executive. The 43-year-old Rindfleisch is accused of doing campaign work while on the job at the county executive's office, including fundraising for a Republican candidate for lieutenant governor.
Rindfleisch is one of five Walker associates facing charges in a grand jury investigation. Walker hasn't been charged with wrongdoing. WITI-TV (http://bit.ly/zH7Fxl ) says Rindfleisch is scheduled back in court March 20.
Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.
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UPDATED Friday, February 24, 2012 --- 3:35 p.m.
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- A former aide to Gov. Scott Walker when Walker was the Milwaukee County executive has pleaded not guilty to embezzlement charges.
Timothy D. Russell is alleged to have embezzled more than $21,000 in 2010 from a veterans-support organization account to which Walker had entrusted him.
Russell is also accused of siphoning lesser sums from campaign accounts of two Milwaukee County Board candidates, and prosecutors say he also helped set up a shadow Internet system that other Walker aides used to perform campaign work on county time.
Russell's lawyer asked Friday to move the trial to another county because of media attention, but the judge denied the request.
Russell is one of five of Walker's former close aides or associates charged in a secret investigation.
Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.
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UPDATED Wednesday, February 22, 2012 --- 2:26 p.m.
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- A preliminary hearing has been set for a woman who was a former close aide to Gov. Scott Walker when he was the Milwaukee County executive.
Forty-three-year-old Kelly Rindfleisch used to be Walker's deputy chief of staff before he became governor last year. She's charged with four felony counts of misconduct in office.
A judge set a $1,000 signature bond Wednesday and scheduled her preliminary hearing for March 8.
Prosecutors accuse Rindfleisch of spending county time working on the campaign of a Republican candidate who was favored by Walker's campaign committee.
A message left with her attorney seeking comment was not immediately returned.
Rindfleisch is one of five Walker associates facing charges in a grand-jury investigation. Walker hasn't been charged with wrongdoing but has agreed to meet with prosecutors.
Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.
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UPDATED Thursday, February 16, 2012 --- 10:58 a.m.
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- A new judge has been assigned to the case of Timothy D. Russell, a former aide to Gov. Scott Walker when Walker was the Milwaukee County executive.
The 48-year-old Russell is accused of stealing more than $21,000 from a nonprofit organization that Walker asked him to lead.
Russell's defense attorney requested a new judge in Milwaukee County court. That request was granted Thursday, and the case initially reassigned to Judge J.D. Watt. Watt reviewed the case for an hour and announced he was recusing himself.
So the case will now be heard by Judge David Hansher. An arraignment has been set for Feb. 24 at 1:30 p.m.
Russell's defense attorney, Mike Maistelman, declined to say why he requested a new judge, saying he doesn't want to reveal his defense strategy.
Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.
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UPDATED Thursday, February 16, 2012 --- 6:30 a.m.
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- A man who was a deputy chief of staff to Gov. Scott Walker when Walker was the Milwaukee County executive is set to be arraigned on theft charges.
An arraignment for Timothy D. Russell is scheduled for Thursday morning. He's charged with two charges of felony theft and one charge of misdemeanor theft.
The 48-year-old is accused of stealing more than $21,000 from a nonprofit organization that Walker asked him to lead. The charges came as part of an ongoing criminal investigation centered on people who served in county government during Walker's tenure as executive.
A message left with Russell's defense attorney, Mike Maistelman, was not immediately returned. He has previously said his client is innocent.
Another former Walker appointee is also charged with embezzling from the organization.
Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.
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UPDATED Tuesday, February 14, 2012 --- 3:09 p.m.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus says he has not been contacted by investigators about the ongoing criminal probe into former close associates and aides of Gov. Scott Walker.
Reince Priebus has been RNC chair since 2011 but prior to that he was head of the Wisconsin Republican Party.
Five people have already been charged in the probe, including two people who were allegedly illegally campaigning while working for Walker when he was Milwaukee County executive. The criminal complaint details emails sent by Walker aide Darlene Wink to Priebus asking about organizing a fundraiser for Walker.
Priebus said during a conference call Tuesday that he was not aware of the email until he saw it in the complaint. Priebus says he's not concerned with the criminal probe.
Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.
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UPDATED Tuesday, February 7, 2012 --- 3:16 p.m.
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- A staffer who worked for Gov. Scott Walker when Walker was the Milwaukee County executive has pleaded guilty to two charges of posting pro-Walker messages online on county time.
Darlene Wink of Cudahy was charged with two misdemeanor counts of political solicitation by a public employee. The charges carry a maximum combined penalty of one year in prison and a $2,000 fine.
The 61-year-old Wink reached a plea agreement Tuesday, under which prosecutors agreed to recommend only a fine. She will be sentenced May 15.
Defense attorney Peter Wolff says Wink has agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in related investigations involving people near Walker.
Wink resigned in May 2010 after admitting to posting anonymous pro-Walker comments on websites and blogs.
Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.
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UPDATED Tuesday, February 7, 2012 --- 6:25 a.m.
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- A staffer who worked for Gov. Scott Walker when Walker was the Milwaukee County executive is expected to plead guilty to charges of posting pro-Walker messages online on work time.
Darlene Wink of Cudahy is charged with two misdemeanor counts of political solicitation by a public employee. She's due to enter a plea Tuesday afternoon.
The charges carry a maximum combined penalty of one year in prison and a $2,000 fine.
Defense attorney Peter Wolff says his 61-year-old client has reached a tentative plea agreement with prosecutors. He says under the agreement she would plead guilty to both charges, and prosecutors would recommend only a fine. Wolff says negotiations might continue Tuesday morning.
Wink resigned in May 2010 after admitting to posting anonymous pro-Walker comments on websites and blogs.
Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.
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UPDATED Monday, January 30, 2012 --- 4:10 p.m.
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- A Milwaukee newspaper is reporting that a man charged with stealing money from a veterans group while he was an aide to now-Gov. Scott Walker was fired from a previous state job for misusing public money.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported (http://bit.ly/xCnQUI ) Monday that Tim Russell was fired from the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority after it was discovered in 1993 that he improperly billed hotel stays.
Russell was a former deputy chief of staff to Walker while Walker was the Milwaukee County executive. Russell has become part of an investigation into other Walker aides and associates.
Russell's termination letter says he filed for $1,123 in improper reimbursements.
Russell's lawyer declined to comment. Messages left with a number of current and former WHEDA officials were not immediately returned.
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Information from: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, http://www.jsonline.com
Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.
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UPDATED January 27, 2012--4:45p.m.
Governor Walker is speaking out after two former Milwaukee County employees are charged as part of the John Doe investigation.
The governor says during his tenure as Milwaukee County Executive he had a clear and expressed policy against using county time or county resources for political purposes.
Both women facing charges are former Milwaukee County employees. And both are accused of working on political fund raising on county time.
One of them is Walker's former deputy chief of staff, Kelly Rindfleisch.
She faces four felony counts for misconduct in public office.
Also charged is Darlene Wink, facing two misdemeanor counts of political solicitation by a public employee.
When asked if he thought the investigation was coming after him---the governor said 'no.' "I think it's very clear when all this is done, no matter how much time it takes and again my campaign has been involved with cooperating with them for more than a year, but I have every confidence that when this is completed people will see that our integrity remains intact," said Walker.
Walker wouldn't say much else about the investigation--but said the campaign has been cooperating with investigators--and that those investigators have been very clear about what they can and cannot talk about.
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UPDATED: January 27, 2012 --- 1:40 p.m.
WAUWATOSA, Wis. (AP) -- Gov. Scott Walker said he's confident his integrity will remain intact after a secret investigation that has already resulted in charges against some former staffers while he was Milwaukee County executive.
Two women on that staff were charged Thursday with engaging in political fundraising while at work.
Two other former Walker associates were charged Jan. 5 with embezzling more than $60,000 from veterans and their families. Another man is charged with child enticement charges, evidence of which was allegedly discovered while investigating one of the others.
At an appearance at a Milwaukee-area business Friday, Walker said he doesn't feel investigators are targeting him. He says he's always made it clear to his staff that they were prohibited from political activities while on the job.
Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.
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UPDATED January 26, 2012--6:15p.m.
Today the Milwaukee County DA filed Criminal complaints against two people as a result of the John Doe investigation: Kelly Rindfleisch and Darlene Wink.
Both are former Milwaukee County employees.
Here's the breakdown: Rindfleisch is facing four felony charges of Misconduct in public office--for allegedly working on fund raising efforts for former Republican Lieutenant Governor Candidate Brett Davis--while on county time. The criminal complaint also says her fund raising efforts were done via "a secret e-mail system available to and used by select 'insider' staffers for both official and unofficial business."
Also charged today is Darlene Wink. She's facing two misdemeanor counts of political solicitation by a public employee. She's accused of using county equipment--and being in a county facility--while working on fund raising for the then County Executive Scott Walker.
In May of 2010, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Wink was posting pro-Walker posts to the newspaper during the county work day. She later resigned.
As that story broke, then County-Executive Scott Walker sent an email to Tim Russell. An excerpt: "We cannot afford another story like this one. No one can give them any reason to do another story. That means no laptops, no websites, no time away during the work day, etc."
And that email is listed as a possible reason that fund raising activity by Kelly Rindfleisch actually dropped during the work day.
The Walker campaign released the following statement on today's charges: "The Milwaukee County Executive's Office expressed policy was that county employees were not permitted to use county time or resources to conduct any political activity.
Scott Walker expected everyone to follow the law and made that clear publicly and privately."
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UPDATED January 26, 2012 --- 10:45 a.m.
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Two ex-aides to Gov. Scott Walker while he was Milwaukee County executive face charges of doing political fundraising while working on county time.
Kelly Rindfleisch was charged Thursday with four felony counts of misconduct in office. She was deputy chief of staff for Walker before he became governor in 2011.
She's charged with spending significant time raising funds for Brett Davis, an unsuccessful GOP candidate for lieutenant governor in 2010.
Darlene Wink faces two misdemeanor counts of political solicitation by a public employee. She was Walker's constituent services coordinator.
They are the latest charges filed in connection with a secret probe by the Milwaukee County District Attorney. Three others with ties to Walker were charged earlier this month.
Neither Rindfleisch nor Wink immediately returned messages left by The Associated Press.
Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.
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UPDATED Thursday, January 26, 2012 --- 9:55 a.m.
Press Release from the Office of the District Attorney: Milwaukee County
Today the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office filed criminal complaints against two former Milwaukee County employees, alleging that while employed on the staff of then County Executive Scott Walker, and while working in a government building, they engaged in political fundraising.
Kelly M. Rindfleisch, the former Deputy Chief of Staff for the County Executive, is charged with four felony counts of Misconduct in Public Office. She is alleged to have spent significant time while in the County Executive's office working as a fundraiser for Lieutenant Governor candidate Brett Davis. In the course of the investigation, it was learned that a private email network was established and operated out of the County Executive's office and that the private network was used to communicate both political campaign and government work related information to select individuals.
Darlene Wink is charged with two misdemeanor counts of Political Solicitation by Public Employee for engaging in fundraising activity for County Executive Walker while in a county building and while using county equipment.
Both defendants are presumed innocent until found guilty.
We have been authorized by the presiding judge in the ongoing John Doe investigation to release the information contained in the criminal complaints for prosecution of these matters. Because the investigation is ongoing, we will be making no further comments at this time.
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UPDATED Friday, January 6, 2012 --- 2:45 p.m.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker hasn't been charged with any wrongdoing in an ongoing criminal investigation that's ensnared people close to him, and he wants to keep it that way.
Just a year into his first term, the polarizing Republican faces a potential recall election later this year.
Walker says he doesn't think voters will be swayed by charges announced this week against two appointees during his time as a county executive.
Walker's former deputy chief of staff is among those facing embezzlement charges for allegedly stealing money intended for veterans and their families.
Marquette University law school professor Charles Franklin says for now Walker does have some distance from those investigated. The question for voters likely will be where the probe stands closer to any recall election.
Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.
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UPDATED Thursday, January 5, 2012 --- 4:20 p.m.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Gov. Scott Walker says he's "extremely disappointed" that his former longtime aide Tim Russell has been charged with felony embezzlement for allegedly stealing more than $21,000 from a group he ran that was supposed to help veterans and their families.
Russell worked for Walker off and on between 2002 and 2010 when Walker was Milwaukee County executive.
Felony embezzlement charges were filed Thursday against Russell and Kevin Kavanaugh related to stealing money that was intended to help veterans.
Walker's then-chief of staff had requested the investigation into Kavanaugh after he was concerned about how money was being handled for an annual veterans picnic at the Milwaukee County Zoo.
Walker says he had no idea that Russell was also allegedly stealing money.
Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.
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UPDATED Thursday, January 5, 2012 --- 3:45 p.m.
Governor Walker Statement on Announcement by Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office:
Madison, Wis. – Governor Walker released the following statement today following an announcement from the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s office:
“My chief of staff at Milwaukee County, Tom Nardelli, brought to my attention concerns about a local veterans organization and funds collected several years ago for an event honoring veterans. Mr. Nardelli, with my support, asked the Milwaukee County District Attorney to investigate those concerns. We appreciate learning that the District Attorney's office investigated those concerns.”
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UPDATED Thursday, January 5, 2012 --- 12:30 p.m.
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- A former close aide to Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker during his time as Milwaukee County executive is among three people who've been arrested and charged with felonies as part of an ongoing criminal investigation.
Former Milwaukee County housing director Tim Russell was charged Thursday with one misdemeanor and two felony theft charges for taking more than $10,000 from a business. He worked for Walker when he served as Milwaukee County executive.
Former Milwaukee County Veteran Service Commission member Kevin Kavanaugh was charged with five felonies. One is for theft from a business greater than $10,000 and the others are for fraudulent writings by a corporate officer. Walker appointed Kavanaugh to the commission.
Department of Public Instruction worker Brian Pierick was charged with two felony counts of child enticement.
Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.
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UPDATED Thursday, January 5, 2012 --- 10:58 a.m.
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Tim Russell, a former aide of Gov. Scott Walker when he was Milwaukee County executive, has been arrested as part of a secret probe.
Online court records show that Russell was charged Thursday with three theft from business charges, two felonies and one misdemeanor. The felony theft charge of more than $10,000 from a business is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.
Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm scheduled a noon news conference in Milwaukee to talk about the charges.
Russell worked as a Walker campaign staffer and as his county housing director. He did not follow Walker to Madison after he won election as governor last year.
Russell's attorney Mike Maistelman did not immediately return an email seeking comment.
Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.
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Posted Thursday, January 5, 2012 --- 9:55 a.m.
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- The Milwaukee County district attorney says he will announce additional charges in a secret investigation that has focused on current and former aides of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.
District Attorney John Chisholm did not reveal any other details in the press release announcing the 12 noon news conference Thursday in Milwaukee.
Last month a commercial real estate broker in Milwaukee was arrested for failing to cooperate with the investigation and released with no charges being filed.
The secret investigation, known as a John Doe, began in May 2010 and has served as a distraction for Walker as he faces a possible recall election next year.
Walker has said he has not been contacted by prosecutors and he's defended his integrity.
Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.
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