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Gov. Scott Walker announced Friday that he has set up a legal defense fund to help pay expenses incurred as a result of the John Doe investigation of activities during his time as county executive.

Walker's campaign released a statement from the first-term Republican saying he would use the defense fund to pay his two criminal defense lawyers "to review documents and assist me in cooperating" with the secret probe.

But state election law makes clear that a candidate can set up one of these funds in limited circumstances.

"Wisconsin Statutes permit a state government official who is being investigated for or

charged with a violation of campaign finance laws or prohibited election practices to establish a 'legal defense fund' for expenditures supporting or defending the candidate while that person is being investigated for, or charged with, or convicted of a violation of those chapters," says a summary of the statute provided by the Government Accountability Board.

Reid Magney, spokesman for GAB, declined to elaborate on the matter or to say whether his agency provided advice to Walker's campaign on the matter.

But election lawyers said the governor's move appeared a tacit acknowledgment that Walker is under investigation for violations of state election law.

"If you create a legal defense fund, you are either being investigated, being charged with or have been convicted of a criminal violation of Chapter 11 or Chapter 12," said George Dunst, a retired state election lawyer.

"The only way you can set that up is if you are under investigation or being prosecuted," said Michael Maistelman, an election lawyer who is representing former Walker aide Tim Russell in the John Doe investigation. "One can only draw the conclusion that either one of those two things is happening."

But Walker spokeswoman Ciara Matthews said late Friday that the fund was set up "under the guidance of the GAB."

"We reiterate that Gov. Walker has been told that he is not a target of this investigation," Matthews said.

State law also says Walker can transfer funds from his state campaign to the legal defense fund with the contributor's consent.

Walker's complete statement said:

“For nearly two years, Milwaukee County officials have been examining issues related to former employees of the County. I have repeatedly pledged my cooperation with that inquiry. I also made it clear that no public money has been used, or will be used, to pay for the attorneys needed to review documents and assist me in cooperating.

"To fulfill my commitment, I have today formed a legal fund to pay for the expenses incurred in cooperating with the inquiry. The fund will operate in accordance with the Wisconsin law authorizing these accounts, which was passed almost thirty years ago.”

Walker announced last month that he had hired two criminal defense lawyers - Michael Steinle of Milwaukee and John Gallo of Chicago - to represent him in the investigation by Milwaukee County prosecutors.

He was supposed to meet with the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office last month, but that meeting has been delayed until later this month.

So far, four former Walker courthouse aides and appointees have been charged through the 22-month Joe Doe probe into a variety of issues from Walker's tenure as county executive.