MADISON — Senate Republicans have advanced a bill that would dramatically restrict the type of secret probe that prosecutors have used to investigate Gov. Scott Walker's campaign and his former aides to the brink of passage.
Minority Democrats objected to a final reading of the bill after a four-hour debate Tuesday. The final reading is the last step before the chamber can vote on a measure. The move means the chamber can't take the bill up until the next calendar day. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald told members they'll be back on the floor at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.
The bill would prohibit prosecutors from using so-called John Doe probes to investigate allegations of campaign finance violations, misconduct in office or campaigning on government time.