Prosecutors in three Wisconsin counties have declined to pursue felony campaign finance charges against former President Donald Trump’s fundraising committee and Republican state legislators in connection with the effort to unseat House Speaker Robin Vos. .
Prosecutors cited a conflict of interest in some cases because of his active involvement in local Republican parties.
The Wisconsin Ethics Commission recommended charges last month, but announced the local prosecutor’s decision in a memo prepared for Friday’s meeting. Complaints were also sent to district attorneys in three additional counties, who had not yet notified the commission of their plans.
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The Ethics Commission was scheduled to meet Friday to vote on whether to refer charges to counties that border the three counties that declined to prosecute. The case could ultimately be brought to the state’s attorney general, Democrat Josh Kaul.
The committee claims that Mr. Trump’s fundraising committee and state Rep. Janelle Blancchen, a Mr. Trump ally, conspired to raise campaign funds to support Mr. Vos’s 2022 Republican primary challenger. He claims he hatched a plan to evade the law.
Vos had angered Trump by firing a former state Supreme Court justice he had hired to investigate allegations of fraud in the 2020 presidential election. Vos launched the investigation under pressure from Trump, but ultimately distanced himself from Trump’s efforts to overturn President Joe Biden’s victory in Wisconsin.
Mr. Trump and Mr. Blancchen then tried to unseat Mr. Vos in favor of the Republican front-runner, Adam Steen. When President Trump endorsed Steen just before the 2022 primary, he called him a “driven patriot.” Vos, the longest-serving speaker in Wisconsin history, defeated Steen by just 260 votes.
Mr. Steen is currently supporting efforts to remove Mr. Vos from office.
Wisconsin Republican Congressional Speaker Robin Vos participates in a press conference at the Capitol on Tuesday, January 16, 2024 in Madison, Wisconsin. (AP Photo/Scott Bauer)
The Ethics Commission alleges that Blancchen of President Trump’s Save America political action committee, Republican leaders in three counties, and Steen’s campaign conspired to circumvent state funding restrictions and overthrow the boss. He claims to have induced at least $40,000 into the company.
The commission alleges those involved took advantage of a Wisconsin law that allows unlimited donations to political parties and illegally directed the funds to Steen. State law limits her personal contributions to congressional candidates to $1,000.
The Ethics Commission recommended charges against the Trump fundraising committee, Blancchen, Steen’s campaign, eight others and the county’s three Republican parties.
Prosecutors in Chippewa, Florence and Langlade counties declined to file charges. The complaint was also referred to the Racine, St. Croix and Waukesha county district attorneys.
Chippewa County District Attorney Wade Newell had previously said he would not press charges because he is a member of the county’s Republican Party and could be prosecuted.
Florence County District Attorney Doug Drexler said in a letter to the committee that he had a conflict of interest because he had been a member of the county Republican Party for more than 30 years and had done legal work for party members.
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Langude County District Attorney Kelly Hayes did not return messages seeking comment Friday.
