Patrick Marley

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

MADISON - Gov. Scott Walker had a second brief interaction with a woman now accused of being a Russian spy on the day he launched his unsuccessful presidential bid in 2015, according to a new court filing.

The GOP governor acknowledged in July that he briefly spoke with accused foreign agent Maria Butina and had his photo taken with her and a Russian official at a National Rifle Association convention in April 2015.

But the new filing by federal prosecutors says the two had a second encounter three months later, when he announced his presidential run in Waukesha.

Walker is referred to in the filing as “Political Candidate 1,” but the filing clearly describes him with references to when he made his presidential announcement.

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Butina believed Walker had the best chance to win the Republican Party’s presidential nomination at that stage, according to the document filed Friday. She sent a message to a Russian official about Walker’s campaign launch two days afterward, the court document says.

“After recounting Political Candidate 1’s speech, the defendant reported that she had a ‘short personal contact’ with Political Candidate 1, with whom she had had previous personal contact, as well as one of his three advisors in matters of international politics,” the filing by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik Kenerson says.

Before and after Walker's speech, supporters had a chance to shake his hand or briefly approach him.

“The government submitted this filing to show that she makes contradictory statements involving what is clearly a ridiculous version of events," Walker spokesman Brian Reisinger said in a statement. "This was an event where hundreds of people could have found an opportunity to shake hands at the rope-line or other chance moments."

"The governor has no memory of any interaction, and there were no meetings or gatherings before or after. Beforehand he was with his family preparing for a speech he gave without any notes, and afterward he sat on a keg of Miller Lite for a short break before doing a live TV interview.”

Walker and his aides have not been contacted by authorities about his encounters with Butina, according to his campaign.

Butina is charged with trying to interfere with U.S. politics as a foreign agent.

Friday's filing was aimed at keeping her behind bars while she awaits trial because the government views her as a flight risk. A judge denied that request Monday and she remains in jail.

The court document does not name the Walker campaign aide who also had contact with Butina.

At the time, Walker was advised on international issues by Mike Gallagher, who went on to win a U.S. House seat in northeastern Wisconsin in 2016. Gallagher attended Walker's presidential campaign launch.

"He has no memory of any interaction with Ms. Butina at this event or any other time," Gallagher spokeswoman Madison Wiberg said by email.

Walker in July said that his talk with Butina at the NRA event was brief and like ones he has with other people who approach him as supporters. He stressed that the encounter was “not a meeting.”

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At the time of his presidential launch, Walker was riding high in the polls, which Butina pointed out in a note to a Russian official, according to Friday's filing.

"Judging from American polls — our bet on (Political Candidate 1) is correct," she wrote.

She asked the official what those in Russia thought of that development. He responded that there "no one is even looking in that direction. You will be the creator of something sensational, God willing!”

Also in the filing, prosecutors dropped an allegation that Butina had offered to trade sex for a position in a special interest group. Prosecutors said in the new filing they had misinterpreted joking text messages from Butina.

Molly Beck of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.