Kelly Rindfleisch, the former aide under then Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker who was charged with four felony counts for illegal campaigning while at a taxpayer-funded job, will enter a plea deal in which she is admitting to one of the charges.
According to a letter obtained Wednesday, Rindfleisch is asking for no fine, but the deal includes a recommendation for jail time by prosecutors.
Rindfleisch is scheduled to appear in a Milwaukee County Circuit Court Thursday to present the plea deal.
Originally, Walker was on a list of potential witnesses for the prosecution, but earlier this week Rindfleisch decided she will plead guilty instead of stand trial, meaning Walker will not have to testify.
The prosecution alleges Rindfleisch and Darlene Wink, another former Walker aide who has already pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing, were part of a secret email system set up in Walker’s office that helped employees engage in campaign work while on taxpayer time.
While Walker repeatedly maintains he is not a target of the John Doe investigations, Democrats have alleged his knowledge of or involvement in the scandal.
“You cannot understate the seriousness of a top aide pleading guilty to felony charges for actions she took while sitting mere feet from Scott Walker’s office,” said Scott Ross, Executive Director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, in a statement.
Ross added the plea deal does not mean Walker is cleared in the ongoing investigation.
