Wisconsin “John Doe” Whistleblower stands by story of prosecutorial bias and reporter harassment
Michael Lutz says gave same story of prosecutorial political bias to Journal Sentinel in 2012
Michael Lutz is the whistleblower who came forward to legal reporter Stuart Taylor with a story of political bias by Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm in connection with the “John Doe” investigation of Scott Walker. Lutz then was outed as the source, after a mole hunt at the D.A.’s office, by Milawukee Journal Sentinel reporter Daniel Bice.
For background, see our prior posts:
- Was Prosecutor’s union-operative wife behind “John Doe” investigation of Scott Walker?
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter accused of harassing “John Doe” whistleblower
Bice has admitted coming to Lutz’s door late at night, but denies loud banging or any other harassing conduct.
Lutz was interviewed this morning by Wisconsin radio host Charlie Sykes. I will post the audio and transcript if and when available.
(added) Here is link to podcast:
Lutz is standing by his story both as to political bias in the prosecutor’s office and Bice’s late night visit.
In something of a bombshell, Lutz says that the story he gave Stuart Taylor about political bias he also gave to the Journal Sentinel in 2012 — something I don’t believe the Journal Sentinel disclosed when it went after Lutz’s credibility.
Here are tweets by Syke’s website, Right Wisconsin, as to the content of the interview:
Now on the air w/ @SykesCharlie, former Milwaukee police officer and John Doe whistleblower Michael Lutz. #wiright
— RightWisconsin (@RightWisconsin) September 24, 2014
Lutz on Chisholm's sudden partisan turn on the John Doe: "It was my 'Come to Jesus' moment. I looked up to him before this." #wiright
— RightWisconsin (@RightWisconsin) September 24, 2014
Lutz: I was asked to do an ad for Justice Prosser's 2011 re-election campaign and that's when Chisholm said "I can't allow Prosser to win."
— RightWisconsin (@RightWisconsin) September 24, 2014
Lutz: Chisholm said, "I can't deal with Republicans at this moment." And that's when his wife's union history was brought up. #wiright
— RightWisconsin (@RightWisconsin) September 24, 2014
Lutz: Worked 5 and a half months in his office as a special prosecutor, prior to that, 10 mos. as an intern. #wiright
— RightWisconsin (@RightWisconsin) September 24, 2014
Lutz: Prior to that, I was Chisholm's brother-in-law's partner in MPD a number of years. Had personal & professional relationship w/ them.
— RightWisconsin (@RightWisconsin) September 24, 2014
Lutz: After Act 10 was signed, the office definitely took on a more partisan feeling to it. #wiright
— RightWisconsin (@RightWisconsin) September 24, 2014
Lutz on anonymity: 1) I had to come forward w/ this. 2) Chisholm would destroy me if my name came out. #wiright
— RightWisconsin (@RightWisconsin) September 24, 2014
Lutz: I reached out to the Journal Sentinal in 2012 w/ many of the same things I gave Stuart Taylor. They chose not to run w/ it. #wiright
— RightWisconsin (@RightWisconsin) September 24, 2014
Lutz: I emailed them (Journal Sentinel) in April 2012. I still have those emails. #wiright
— RightWisconsin (@RightWisconsin) September 24, 2014
Lutz: I am willing to take a lie detector test on this. #wiright
— RightWisconsin (@RightWisconsin) September 24, 2014
Lutz on @DanielBice being @ his home: Got several calls @ my office, home, and cell. Went home and at 9-9:30 PM, he pounded at my door.
— RightWisconsin (@RightWisconsin) September 24, 2014
Lutz: Bice asked to know why I wouldn't get back to him, why I wouldn't admit to being the source. #wiright
— RightWisconsin (@RightWisconsin) September 24, 2014
Lutz: Bice was so loud my neighor had to come out and see what all the noise was about. #wiright #wipolitics #JohnDoe
— RightWisconsin (@RightWisconsin) September 24, 2014
Lutz: It's disgusting that PTSD was being used as an excuse by the media to say I shouldn't be trusted on this story is beyond me. #wiright
— RightWisconsin (@RightWisconsin) September 24, 2014
Lutz: Prior to the John Doe, Chisholm and I had a very good relationship. #wiright #wispolitics
— RightWisconsin (@RightWisconsin) September 24, 2014
Lutz on "death threat" charge: It's disingenuous to characterize that. Yes, there's a tape and I will stand by the content of it.
— RightWisconsin (@RightWisconsin) September 24, 2014
Lutz: I've heard the tape, there's a lot of me mumbling on it. I have emails where I joked about it with Chisholm. #wiright
— RightWisconsin (@RightWisconsin) September 24, 2014
Lutz: I'm surprised that Chisholm and his team would now be using that tape to try to discredit me. #wiright
— RightWisconsin (@RightWisconsin) September 24, 2014
Lutz: My regrets are what it's done to my friendships. I also regret that the JS didn't follow up with me when I first gave them this info.
— RightWisconsin (@RightWisconsin) September 24, 2014
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Comments
Interesting. I’m going back and forth between the latest news about Lutz/Chisholm (thanks to Legal Insurrection) and this article about The Soviet Legacy: The Impact of Early Bolshevik Law Felt Up to the Present
I found the article by googling after watching a tribunal court in the Russian TV (2005) series based on “Dr. Zhivago.” In the tenth episode, there is a revolutionary tribunal in which the presiding judge says (in the English subtitles) “Have you read the Order of Comrade Danishevksy, Chairman of the Revolutionary Tribunal? It’s right here above our heads. Only in bourgeois courts is guilt associated with punishment. In our courts they are separate. And I think they will remain separate.”
It seems that Chisholm and his media comrades have been acting in the true spirit of the revolution. There are certain social goals, and individual guilt or innocence is a separate issue from the matter of attaining them.
I’ve really been wondering how the Journal Sentinel figured out it was him, what abuse from a very abusive bunch of people, or perhaps failure of operational security on his side.
Now we know: since he had previously gone to them, under the condition of confidentiality, they knew exactly where to go when the same story surfaced in another venue.
And therefore they burned their own source. Which violates what is supposed to be a sacred principle of these principled, professional journalists. Who as the Instapundit has been pointing out are better viewed as Democratic operatives with bylines.
[…] Maybe it’s time to abolish Wisconsin’s “unusual” legislation regarding secret John Doe prosecutions, used effectively to chill free political speech during the Scott Walker run for governor. Will this be a priority for a successfully reelected Governor Walker? Case in point @LegalInsurrection. […]
pretty obviously Wis J-S isn’t an unbiased reporting source, and Bice is a partisan
Thank you Stuart Taylor for writing this story. It is about time that some light is shed on the incredible bias of the local paper and the Milwaukee D.A.’s office. Lois Learner would be proud of them!
Dan Bice – “Watchdog”? more like “lap dog” or political “guard dog” for the dems. Wonder if he will “out” his source from the D.A.’s office for all the leaks during the recall election? I am sure who ever it was – they are beyond reproach!
Here’s a thought – “open records request- 2011 – 2012” – Coleen Chisholm – wonder if there is any political messages being sent during the school day on the government e-mail system?