Prosecutors in three Wisconsin counties declined to pursue felony charges of campaign finance violations against former President Donald Trump's fundraising committee and a Republican state lawmaker related to an effort to unseat Assembly Speaker Robin Vos. The prosecutors cited conflicts of interest, in some cases because they too are actively involved in their local Republican parties.
The ethics commission was meeting Friday to vote on referring the charges to counties adjacent to the three that declined to prosecute. Ultimately, the state attorney general, Democrat Josh Kaul, could be asked to prosecute the cases. The commission alleges that Trump’s fundraising committee and state Rep. Janel Brandtjen, a Trump ally, conspired in a scheme to evade campaign finance laws to support the Republican primary challenger to Vos in 2022.
Langlade County District Attorney Kelly Hays did not return a message seeking comment Friday.