In a widening probe, Milwaukee County prosecutors are pushing forward with their two-prong criminal investigation into campaign activity by county staffers for Governor-elect Scott Walker and questionable donations by a Walker supporter.

Sources say the case has gotten to the point that the Walker campaign recently brought in former U.S. Attorney Steve Biskupic, now with Michael Best & Friedrich. Walker will step down next week as Milwaukee County executive.

"As (convicted former alderman) Michael McGee said, this is a big amoeba," said one person familiar with the case. "It keeps growing."

Several other players in the John Doe investigation also have lawyered up. John Doe investigations typically are held as a secret fact-finding tool to determine whether a crime has been committed. Witnesses testify under oath before a judge - in this case, retired Appeals Court Judge Neal Nettesheim of Waukesha.

Most interestingly, Tim Russell - the county housing administrator and a former Walker campaign aide - has retained Michael Maistelman, an election lawyer who has made a name for himself by representing the campaigns of prominent Democrats, such as Gov. Jim Doyle and U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold.

Investigators seized the computer and other material from Russell's county office earlier this year.

That came after another Walker employee, Darlene Wink, quit her job as his constituent services coordinator in May after admitting that she was frequently posting comments on Journal Sentinel stories and blogs while on the clock for the taxpayers and the county. Nearly all of her posts praised Walker or criticized his two opponents, former U.S. Rep. Mark Neumann, a Republican, and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, a Democrat.

Authorities took her work computer and executed a search warrant of her home as part of this investigation. Wink and Russell were close, having both worked on Operation Freedom, an annual military appreciation day held at the zoo.

Russell had confirmed that the Walker administration asked Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm to investigate what had happened to some money in 2007 for the event. Those familiar with the John Doe probe say Chisholm's office isn't actively pursing this matter.

Wink's lawyer, Christopher Wiesmueller, said Wednesday that he is in the dark about the probe. He said he believes his client is not guilty of campaign finance violations or misconduct in public office.

He said he contacted the district attorney's office last month to see if his client would be charged or cleared.

"When I inquired after the election, they said they couldn't tell me anything," Wiesmueller said.

Biskupic did not return calls this week. Maistelman declined comment when reached Wednesday.

News about the investigation comes at an awkward time for Walker's team.

The Wauwatosa Republican is gearing up for his Jan. 3 inauguration. Walker also is struggling to fill his new administration, not having named a single cabinet secretary in the seven weeks since he was elected.

Jill Bader, spokeswoman for Walker's campaign, confirmed that Biskupic's firm was working for Walker's shop. But she made no mention of the John Doe investigation.

"The campaign contracts with a number of law firms to provide legal services," Bader said. "These have included both Michael Best & Friedrich and Patton Boggs. The campaign cannot hire any counsel for the representation of any individual, only for compliance."

Milwaukee prosecutors also are conducting a criminal investigation of a railroad official who has conceded using company cash to underwrite his employees' campaign donations, something not permitted under state law.

William E. Gardner, president and chief executive officer of Wisconsin & Southern Railroad Co., told state regulators earlier this year that he used railroad receipts to reimburse workers who had given to Walker, whose campaign responded by returning more than $43,000 in donations to Gardner and a handful of his company workers.

The Assembly Democratic Campaign Committee also has forfeited $3,500 in donations from Gardner.

In Wisconsin, it's illegal to give corporate money to political candidates.

Gardner's lawyer, Robert Friebert, again refused to answer questions about his client or any investigation.

"I have no comment," he barked.

Likewise, Assistant District Attorney Bruce Landgraf, who handles election-related cases for the county, has repeatedly refused to even acknowledge the existence of the Walker-related investigation. He was unavailable for comment Wednesday.

Accident report

This is how you know that the Milwaukee Police Association and Police Chief Edward Flynn are not getting along:

Michael Crivello, head of the police union, is attacking Flynn for his latest car accident.

"It's an embarrassment to the department," Crivello said. "He's had too many accidents."

He was referring to Flynn's most recent mishap, which occurred last month while the first-term chief was getting on I-794 at Jackson St. According to the accident report, "Due to the slippery conditions, Unit 1's back end fishtailed, resulting in a loss of control. Unit 1 collided into the on-ramp wall."

Flynn was in the city-owned 2009 Crown Victoria with his wife at 1:50 p.m. Nov. 13 when the wreck occurred. The report doesn't list the cost of repairing the damage.

It was the second time the chief was behind the wheel during a fender bender. In July 2008, he collided with another car near N. 44th and W. Vliet streets while trying to change lanes. The accident did $1,578 damage to Flynn's city-owned 2004 Explorer.

He was not cited in either accident.

Crivello also counted a third incident from earlier this year.

While Flynn was attending a service at the Pitts Funeral Home, a driver hit Flynn's parked car on W. Capitol Drive, near N. 21st St. The other driver - Malena Hernandez, 30, of Kansasville - was convicted of hitting and then fleeing an unattended vehicle, driving too fast for conditions and operating after her license was revoked. She was fined $417, and her license was suspended for two years.

Crivello said there is no excuse for the chief being in so many accidents in his three years in Milwaukee.

But Flynn's spokeswoman, Anne E. Schwartz, said he can't be held responsible for the hit-and-run accident. In the other two cases, she said the MPD boss followed proper procedure.

"Chief Flynn immediately reported the accidents to which you are referring to Milwaukee Police," Schwartz said in a statement. "Officers investigated the accidents and filed the appropriate accident reports. Each report contains a narrative of events written by the investigating officer."

Daniel Bice can be contacted by phone at (414) 224-2135 or by e-mail at dbice@journalsentinel.com.