A former top aide to Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker released thousands of email messages regarding a possible criminal investigation, the New York Times reported.
Walker, a Republican who faces re-election in November and has been referred to as a potential presidential candidate in 2016, was never charged in the investigation and it is uncertain what the emails may mean, if anything.
As the Times notes, there are few details known about the actual investigation, aside from the possibility of campaign finance violations. However, it may relate to the heated recall election that occurred in Wisconsin in 2012.
Additionally, Walker was previously probed in another investigation stemming from his work in the Milwaukee County executive's office, before he was elected governor in 2010. Though six people were convicted of crimes, Walker continually denied any involvement.
Minutes before the documents were released, Walker told a crowd that he wasn't afraid of what the emails had to show.
"Most of those would be four or more years old and they've gone through a legal process ... a multi-year extensive legal process by which each and every one of those communications was reviewed by authorities," Walker told reporters after giving a speech in Madison. "I'm confident that they reviewed them and they chose to act on the ones they've already made public."
He also criticized the people calling for a thorough investigat into the possible campaign violations.
"These people are naysayers who want things bad to happen in Wisconsin so they are going to be circling again today," Walker said. "It's exactly what's wrong with the political process that they're hoping for something bad to happen in Wisconsin. It's not. They're going to do what they've done in the past which is over-hype things. And politically they're going to be disappointed."
