MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Supreme Court justices cited free speech in effectively tossing out the secret investigation into whether Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign illegally coordinated with conservative groups in winning his 2012 recall election. The high court ruled Thursday state election law is overbroad and vague in defining what amounts to “political purposes.” Justice Shirley Abrahamson, one of two liberals on the seven-member court, sharply disagrees and accuses the majority of a faulty interpretation of state law. Abrahamson says the opinion delivers a significant blow to Wisconsin’s campaign finance law. The court’s action is a major victory for Walker as he pursues the presidency, though one expert says prosecutors could appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. No one has been charged in the John Doe probe, Wisconsin’s version of a grand jury investigation.
