MILWAUKEE COUNTY (WKOW) -- The Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office has charged two former Milwaukee County employees, alleging that while employed by then-County Executive Scott Walker, and while working in a government building, they engaged in political fundraising and other activities.
Kelly Rindfleisch, 43, the former Deputy Chief of Staff for the County Executive, and Darlene Wink, 61, face charges.
Rindfleisch is charged with four felony counts of misconduct in public office. The district attorney's office says Rindfleisch spent significant time while in the Milwaukee County Executive's office working as a fundraiser for Lt. Governor candidate Brett Davis, an unsuccessful GOP candidate in 2010.
Wink faces two misdemeanor counts of political solicitation by public employee for engaging in fundraising activity for then-County Executive Walker while in a county building. She was Walker's constituent services coordinator.
Criminal documents state Wink's alleged political work on county time included planning a public, campaign-related birthday party for Walker.
Wink appeared in Milwaukee County court Thursday and declined comment after the court appearance.
Wink resigned her county job in 2010 after the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel exposed her posts to political blog sites while on her county job.
In criminal documents, an email from then county executive Walker to top aide Tim Russell revealed concern about the news coverage and office activities.
"We cannot afford another story like this one," Walker wrote. "No one can give them any reason to do another story. That means no laptops, no web sites, no time away during the work day, etc."
Prosecutors alleged Wink, Rindfleisch and select others had access to laptops and a secret, wireless email system in the county executive's building, and political work was carried out electronically.
A statement from Governor Walker's campaign said policy during Walker's time as county executive was that county employees were not permitted to use county time or resources to conduct any political activity.
Court documents state Rindfleisch's fundraising for Davis on work time involved over 300 emails between the two during Rindfleisch's work hours. Documents state Rindfleisch told a friend during an internet exchange her job had a political dimension.
"...Half of what I'm doing is policy for the campaign."
Davis, a former Republican lawmaker from Oregon who is state medicaid director in the Walker administration, has yet to return a request for comment from 27 News."
Rindfleisch, of Columbus, is scheduled to appear in court next month. 27 News visited her home seeking comment, but received no response.
Executive director of the government watchdog group Common Cause Jay Heck told 27 News Walker needs to further explain the workings of his office as county executive to avoid plunging the state into "political paralysis," as Heck claimed occurred ten years ago when several lawmakers were criminally charged and later jailed in a political corruption case known as the caucus scandal. Documents show Rindfleisch was a state worker at the time and was offered immunity from prosecution in exchange for information on political work being carried out on state time.
"I think it behooves the governor to be proactive, rather than reactive and get the information out, as much as he knows, and get it out for everybody to see now."
Earlier this month, Russell and two other former Walker aides were criminally charged as a result of this ongoing Milwaukee County probe. Prosecutors accused Russell of embezzling money intended for veterans.
District Attorney John Chisholm says because the John Doe investigation is ongoing, no other information is being released at this time.
Click here to read the criminal complaint against Rindfleisch.
Click here to read the criminal complaint against Wink.
