Want breaking news? | Join the investigation: |
Just the facts: Kelly Rindfleisch
Ms. Rindfleisch, until three weeks ago, was one of Scott Walker's chief fundraisers for his 2012 reelection campaign. In 2010, Ms. Rindfleisch was Scott Walker's Deputy Chief of Staff, during which she sent more than 1,000 campaign emails while supposedly working on the clock for taxpayers using a "secret email network" for Scott Walker insiders.
The alleged illegal activity by Ms. Rindfleisch's took place during her time as Deputy Chief of Staff. Her office was only 25 feet down from Scott Walker's.
Ms. Rindfleisch was hired to Scott Walker's administration as a policy advisor despite Tom Nardelli, Scott Walker's Chief of Staff, claiming he was unaware of her hiring. If Tom Nardelli didn't hire Ms. Rindfleisch, who did?
Information detailed in the criminal complaint reveals that Rindfleisch was tasked with doing policy work for Walker’s campaign and took her orders and received her assignments from Tim Russell, a longtime political adviser to Scott Walker.
In the course of her employment with Walker's administration, Rindfleisch engaged in political activity on taxpayer time, running the fundraising operation for Brett Davis, Scott Walker and the GOP’s preferred Lt. Governor candidate. Rindfleisch was in near-constant contact with Cullen Werwie, who at the time was Davis’ campaign manager, and who currently serves as Scott Walker’s spokesman, with prosecutorial immunity for testifying against Rindfleisch.
Rindfleisch’s illegal activity went undetected for months, owing to a secret network installed by, or at the request of, Tim Russell, which was used by several top staffers in the Executive’s office to conduct campaign activity, as well as official business, in an apparent attempt to conceal records from the public.