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[[File:RJ_Johnson_WiSJ_2011_482x942px.jpg|150px|thumb|right|R.J. Johnson. Photo: ''[http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/john-doe-targets-go-on-the-record-to-slam-scott/article_b70a756e-31b6-5f45-a850-5b4d0e19e778.html Wisconsin State Journal]'']]'''Richard A. "R.J." Johnson''' is a Republican political strategist who has been a top advisor to Wisconsin governor [[Scott Walker]]<ref name="growing pains">David Catanese, "[http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/run-2016/2015/07/06/scott-walkers-growing-pains Scott Walker's Growing Pains]," ''U.S. News & World Report'', July 7, 2015.</ref> and to the politically active dark money group [[Wisconsin Club for Growth]].<ref name="funds funneled">Patrick Marley, Daniel Bice, and Lee Bergquist, "[http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/walker-wanted-funds-sent-to-wisconsin-club-for-growth-b99336519z1-272364371.html Walker wanted funds funneled to Wisconsin Club for Growth]," ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'', August 22, 2014.</ref> Johnson also worked as a spokesperson and advisor to right-wing Wisconsin billionaire [[Terry Kohler]] for a number of years,<ref>Jason Stein, Patrick Marley, and Paul A. Smith, [http://archive.jsonline.com/watchdog/watchdogreports/united-sportsmens-group-had-terry-kohler-as-staunch-ally-b9997043z1-223796411.html United Sportsmen's group had Terry Kohler as staunch ally], ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'' "Watchdog Reports," September 15, 2013.</ref> and Kohler contributed to various dark money groups run by Johnson.<ref>Brendan Fischer, [httphttps://www.prwatch.org/news/2013/11/12293/kohler-heir-walker-supporter-plunges-dark-money-depths Kohler Heir and Walker Backer Plumbs Dark Money Depths], ''PRWatch.org'', November 5, 2013.</ref>

Johnson, described by Scott Walker as "my Karl Rove" in an email to Karl Rove asking for a million dollars for his recall campaign, was at the center of the 2012 (see [http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/timeline-john-doe-ii-investigation/html_1fac3180-e698-11e3-8653-001a4bcf887a.html timeline]) bipartisan John Doe criminal investigation into potentially illegal campaign coordination between Walker's recall campaign committee and ostensibly independent groups , including groups controlled or advised by Johnson's such as [[Wisconsin Club for Growth]] (WCFG), [[Citizens for a Strong America]], [[Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce]], [[American Federation for Children]], [[Americans for Prosperity]], [[Republican Governors Association]], [[Republican State Leadership Committee]], and others.<ref name="criminal scheme"/> The investigation was shut down by the Wisconsin Supreme Court in July 2015 after two of the justices, Justice Gableman and Justice Prosser -- who were elected with huge expenditures by many of the Wisconsin groups under investigation -- refused to recuse by state prosecutors. It was later learned that Scott Walker and others credited Justice Gableman's 2008 electoral victory to the independent expenditures controlled by R.J. Johnson.<ref name="SupremeCoverUp">Mary Bottari, [http://www.prwatch.org/news/2016/09/13142/gableman-wi-supreme-court Supreme Cover-Up: How the Wisconsin Justice System Failed in the Walker John Doe], ''PRWatch.org'', September 18, 2016.</ref>

==JohnsonThe investigation was shut down by the Wisconsin Supreme Court in July 2015 after two of the justices, Justice Gableman and Justice Prosser -- who were elected with huge expenditures by many of the Wisconsin groups under investigation -- refused to recuse by state prosecutors. It was later learned that Scott Walker and others credited Justice Gableman's Role 2008 electoral victory to the independent expenditures controlled by R.J. Johnson.<ref name="SupremeCoverUp">Mary Bottari, [https://www.prwatch.org/news/2016/09/13142/gableman-wi-supreme-court Supreme Cover-Up: How the Wisconsin Justice System Failed in Campaign Investigated under the Walker John Doe==], ''PRWatch.org'', September 18, 2016.</ref>

==Johnson's Role in Wisconsin Recalls Investigated by Prosecutors under Wisconsin "John Doe" Law== During the 2011-2012 Wisconsin recall elections, Johnson was a paid consultant to both the Friends of Scott Walker campaign (FOSW) and [[Wisconsin Club for Growth]], which spent an estimated $9.1 million on ads during the recalls<ref>Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, "[http://www.wisdc.org/pr072512.php Recall Race for Governor Cost $81 Million]," January 31, 2013.</ref> and funneled some $10 million more to other groups such as [[Citizens for a Strong America]] that ran ads, sent out mailers, and oversaw get-out-the-vote efforts.<ref>Brendan Fischer, "[httphttps://www.prwatch.org/news/2013/11/12309/new-john-doe-investigation-probes-dark-money-wisconsin-recall-elections-club WI Club for Growth, Target of Walker Recall Probe, at Center of Dark Money Web]," Center for Media and Democracy, ''PR Watch'', November 18, 2013.</ref>

'''Court Ignored Evidence of Coordination with Express Advocacy Group:''' For instance: Prosecutors alleged that "FOSW and its agents were regularly conducting meetings/conference calls with RGA to discuss campaign strategy including polling. Governor Walker conducted phone calls and attended fundraising events coordinated by RGA."<ref name="SupremeCoverUp"/> ''The Guardian'' released emails from the investigation providing information that Keith Gilkes, Scott Walker's campaign manager, held weekly meetings with the Republican Governor's Association -- registered in the state as an "independent expenditure" group -- which had sworn an oath not to coordinate with Walker. On October 14, 2011, an RGA staffer wrote to Gilkes in an email, "Josh mentioned he would like to make this a recurring call on Fridays at 2:30 pm (EST). Does that work for you?" Gilkes replied, "This works on my end for a weekly call... Shoot me the phone number and dial-in when you have it."<ref>[https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3105983-2013-09-16-Exhibits-41.html/#document/p71 John Doe Emails], p. 71.</ref> Josh is likely Josh Robinson, RGA's political director, who later boasted of "overseeing the largest IE [Independent Expenditure] campaign defending Scott Walker during the 2012 recalls" in his bio. RGA spent $9.5 million in the recall election pounding Walker's opponent and lauding Walker. Many contend these ads were not "issue ads" but were the functional equivalent of express advocacy and prohibited even under the 2015 Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling shutting down the John Doe. Marquette Law Professor Ed Fallone pointed out in 2017 that a U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding a lower court ruling also makes clear that the Wisconsin Supreme Court plainly got it wrong when it ruled that so-called "issue ads" are exempt from regulation.<ref>Edward A. Fallone, [http://law.marquette.edu/facultyblog/2017/02/27/more-doubts-about-the-courts-resolution-of-the-john-doe-investigation/ More Doubts About the Court’s Resolution of the John Doe Investigation], Marquette University Law School Faculty Blog, February 27, 2017.</ref>

The Wisconsin Supreme Court held that coordination with groups that run express advocacy ads or their functional equivalent was barred, yet the court failed to look at the many ads that qualified as express advocacy or its functional equivalent and fired the special prosecutor when he objected.<ref name="FalsePremise">Arn Pearson, [httphttps://www.prwatch.org/news/2016/09/13145/Leaked-Documents-Court-Dismissal-John-Doe-Investigation-False-Premise Leaked Documents Show Court's Dismissal of the John Doe Was Based on a False Premise], ''PRWatch.org'', September 22, 2016.</ref> The coordination was apparent in the ads. "Forward—Walker, Backwards—Barrett" was a central theme in Walker campaign ads showing people walking backwards, clocks spinning backwards, etc., including [http://video.factcheck.org/play/hIUWgvP1eAA.html this May 7, 2012 ad]. Republican Governors Association ads had the same theme, as did adds by WMC-IMC and other smaller groups like Wisconsin Recall Action.<ref name="SupremeCoverUp"/> Many of these ads were the functional equivalent of express advocacy, say experts.<ref name="FalsePremise"/>

'''Court Ignored Evidence of Coordination with Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce:''' Prosecutors believe that Governor Scott Walker raised $2 million for these '''Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce-IMC ''' ads that were run in his 2012 recall race and that his top campaign aide, R.J. Johnson, may have been paid for placing them. Investigators say in the filings that bank records reflect wire transfers in April and May 2012 from WMC-IMC to Ten Capitol (the ad firm of WCM) totaling $3.7 million. "Coinciding with the wire transfers to Ten Capitol, WMC-IMC received payments from WiCFG," wrote prosecutors. "Consistent with a commission for ad placement, R.J. Johnson and Associates received $50,000 from Ten Capitol on June 22, 2012."<ref name="SupremeCoverUp"/>For prosecutors arguments, see [[http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3105195-2013-10-01-Stelter-Aff.html/#document/p15 Stetler Affidavit]], dated Oct. 1, 2013, published in the Guardian, Sept. 2016.

Special Prosecutor [[Francis Schmitz]], who headed the investigation, was shortlisted by Republican President George W. Bush for a U.S. Attorney position, was registered as a Republican in 2002, and in an official declaration to a U.S. District Court stated that he had in fact voted for Walker in the 2012 recall.<ref>Francis Schmitz, [httphttps://www.prwatch.org/files/schmitz_decl.pdf Declaration of Francis Schmitz], April 15, 2014.</ref> The investigation also involved District Attorneys from both the Republican and Democratic parties and was authorized by both Democratic and Republican judges.<ref>Bruce Murphy, "[http://urbanmilwaukee.com/2015/04/02/murphys-law-john-doe-supported-by-many-republicans/ John Doe Supported by Many Republicans]," ''Urban Milwaukee'', April 2, 2015.</ref>