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'{{short description|American prosecutor and politician|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = John T. Chisholm | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | order = | birth_name = John Theodore Chisholm | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1963|03|14}} | birth_place = [[Milwaukee, Wisconsin]], U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | office = [[Milwaukee County District Attorney]] | party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]<ref>{{cite news|last1=Stein|first1=Jason|title=Nearly 50 DAs decline to investigate Chisholm in John Doe|url=http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/nearly-50-das-decline-to-investigate-chisholm-in-john-doe-b99376883z1-280219202.html|accessdate=July 9, 2015|publisher=Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel|date=October 23, 2014}}</ref> | term_start = January 1, 2007 | term_end = | predecessor = [[E. Michael McCann]] | successor = }} '''John Theodore Chisholm''' (born March 14, 1963) is an American prosecutor and politician who has served as [[Milwaukee County District Attorney]] since 2007. A career prosecutor, Chisholm specialized in complex conspiracy prosecutions before his election as district attorney in 2006. As district attorney, Chisholm has gained notoriety for his aggressive prosecution of [[public corruption]] in state and local government.<ref name="Murphy">{{cite news|last1=Murphy|first1=Bruce|title=The Bizarre War Against John Chisholm|url=http://urbanmilwaukee.com/2016/06/14/murphys-law-the-bizarre-war-against-john-chisholm|accessdate=December 2, 2016|agency=Urban Milwaukee|date=June 14, 2016}}</ref> These efforts included two inquiries into staff misconduct and potential campaign finance violations surrounding Wisconsin Governor [[Scott Walker (politician)|Scott Walker]], which attracted substantial public attention.<ref name="Murphy"/> Chisholm's enactment of [[Criminal justice reform in the United States|justice reform]] policies in Milwaukee County has attracted national attention and debate.<ref name="Toobin">{{cite news|last1=Toobin|first1=Jeffrey |authorlink=Jeffrey Toobin|title=The Milwaukee Experiment|url=http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/05/11/the-milwaukee-experiment|accessdate=December 2, 2016|work=The New Yorker|date=May 11, 2015}}</ref> ==Biography== Chisholm was born in [[Milwaukee]] and raised in suburban [[Waukesha County]]. He graduated from [[Marquette University High School]] in 1981 and attended [[St. John's University (Minnesota)|St. John's University]] before graduating from [[Marquette University]] in 1986.<ref name=MMEG>{{cite journal|last=Gunn|first=Erik|title=Invisible No More|journal=Milwaukee Magazine|date=January 21, 2013|url=http://www.milwaukeemag.com/article/1212013-InvisibleNoMore|accessdate=February 17, 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131209035424/http://www.milwaukeemag.com/article/1212013-InvisibleNoMore|archivedate=December 9, 2013}}</ref> Chisholm was commissioned in the [[United States Army]] in 1986 and was [[honorable discharge|honorably discharged]] as a first lieutenant in 1990. In 1994, Chisholm graduated from the [[University of Wisconsin Law School]] and joined the office of [[Milwaukee County District Attorney]] [[E. Michael McCann]] as a [[misdemeanor]] prosecutor. From 1994 until 1999, Chisholm prosecuted misdemeanors, [[domestic violence]] offenses, and complex narcotics cases in the Milwaukee County [[Wisconsin Circuit Court|Circuit Court]].{{cn|date=December 2016}} In 1999, McCann appointed Chisholm as supervising attorney of the Firearms Enforcement Unit, which prosecuted high-profile cases involving organized crime, large-scale drug trafficking, and non-fatal shootings.<ref name="MMEG"/> In this position, Chisholm prosecuted millionaire marijuana dealer Kenneth L. Green and members of Jamaican and [[Latin Kings (gang)|Latin Kings]] organized crime outfits.<ref name="MMEG"/><ref>{{cite news|last1=Doege|first1=David|title=Protective order OK'd in drug case|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1683&dat=20010709&id=xqcaAAAAIBAJ&pg=6753,7910770&hl=en|accessdate=May 28, 2015|agency=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|date=July 9, 2001}}</ref> As supervising attorney, Chisholm was highly regarded by [[law enforcement]] officials for his skill and successful track record in prosecuting [[gun crime]].<ref name="MMEG"/> ==Political career== In 2005, then-District Attorney McCann announced that he would not seek reelection in the following year's [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] primary.<ref name="MMEG"/> Chisholm, then serving as supervising attorney of the Firearms Enforcement Unit, declared his candidacy for the position. Chisholm won 65% of the vote in the September Democratic primary, defeating former Milwaukee Alderwoman Larraine McNamara-McGraw.<ref name="WisPolitics">{{cite web|title=WisPolitics Primary Scorecard|url=http://www.wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=71487|website=WisPolitics.com|accessdate=December 2, 2016}}</ref> Chisholm defeated independent candidate Lew Wasserman in the November general election, winning over 82% of the vote.<ref name="Election Board">{{cite web|title=Results of Fall General Election - 11/07/2006|url=http://elections.wi.gov/sites/default/files/2006_FallElection_Recount_Results_Summary.pdf|website=Elections.wi.gov|publisher=Wisconsin State Elections Board|accessdate=December 2, 2016}}</ref> Chisholm was unopposed in his 2008 and 2012 reelection bids.<ref name="Murphy"/> In 2013, he was mentioned as a potential Democratic candidate for [[Attorney General of Wisconsin]], but he ultimately did not seek the office.<ref name="Camp">{{cite web|last1=Camp|first1=Aaron|title=Here's a list of potential Democratic candidates for Attorney General of Wisconsin|url=https://prairiebadger.wordpress.com/2013/10/07/heres-a-list-of-potential-democratic-candidates-for-attorney-general-of-wisconsin|website=The Prairie Badger|accessdate=December 2, 2016}}</ref> In 2016, Chisholm was opposed in the Democratic primary by Verona Swanigan, an attorney who conducted a general legal practice in Milwaukee. Swanigan's campaign was funded by [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] activists who opposed Chisholm's role in the [[John Doe probe]]s of Governor Scott Walker's campaign.<ref name="Murphy"/><ref name="Vielmetti"/> Chisholm defeated Swanigan in the August 9 primary, winning over 65% of the vote, and faced no opposition in the November general election.<ref name="Vielmetti">{{cite news|last1=Vielmetti|first1=Bruce|title=Chisholm wins big in DA race|url=http://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/08/09/chisholm-holds-wide-lead-da-race/88393374|accessdate=December 15, 2017|work=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|date=August 9, 2016}}</ref> In 2017, it was speculated that Chisholm would challenge either Gov. [[Scott Walker (politician)|Scott Walker]] in the [[Wisconsin gubernatorial election, 2018|2018 gubernatorial election]] or Attorney General [[Brad Schimel]] for his seat. Chisholm declined to run for either position, instead endorsing [[Milwaukee]] attorney [[Matt Flynn (politician)|Matt Flynn]] for governor and ex-federal prosecutor Josh Kaul for attorney general.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Horne|first1=Michael|title=Chisholm for Governor?|url=http://urbanmilwaukee.com/2017/03/15/plenty-of-horne-chisholm-for-governor/|accessdate=14 November 2017}}</ref> ==Tenure as district attorney== As district attorney, Chisholm established a public integrity unit, resulting in the prosecution of Milwaukee alderman [[Michael McGee, Jr.]], who was later convicted of federal crimes including [[bribery]] and [[extortion]]. McGee was also convicted of two state crimes, to which he pleaded ''[[nolo contendere]]''.<ref name=JSMM>{{cite news|last=Diedrich|first=John|title=McGee pleads no contest to two state charges|url=http://www.jsonline.com/news/crime/34479059.html|accessdate=August 18, 2013|newspaper=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|date=November 14, 2008}}</ref> Chisholm's office has prosecuted other officials, including Milwaukee County supervisor Toni Clark<ref name=JSTC>{{cite news|last=Schultze|first=Steve|title=Toni Clark gets six months in jail|url=http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/86618372.html|accessdate=August 18, 2013|newspaper=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|date=March 5, 2010}}</ref> and fellow supervisor Johnny Thomas, a candidate for [[Milwaukee]] City Comptroller who was prosecuted in 2012 for bribery but acquitted at trial.<ref name=JSJT>{{cite news|last=Schultze|first=Steve|title=Jury acquits Thomas on bribery, misconduct charges|url=http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/prosecutors-tell-jurors-bribery-case-against-thomas-is-clearcut-396k052-167330395.html|accessdate=August 18, 2013|newspaper=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|date=August 24, 2012}}</ref> In October 2012, Chisholm charged four Milwaukee police officers with crimes ranging from [[sexual assault]] to [[misconduct in public office]] for their involvement in the unlawful rectal probing of detained suspects.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Barton|first1=Gina|last2=Diedrich|first2=John|title=4 Milwaukee police officers charged in strip-search case|url=http://www.jsonline.com/news/crime/criminal-charges-against-police-in-strip-search-case-expected-today-gf5cb94-173312411.html|accessdate=May 28, 2015|agency=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|date=October 9, 2012}}</ref> Michael Vagnini, the officer most implicated {{clarify|date=July 2015}} in the illegal searches, was sentenced to 26 months in state prison.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Vielmetti|first1=Bruce|title=Ex-Milwaukee officer gets 26 months in prison for strip, cavity searches|url=http://www.jsonline.com/news/crime/ex-milwaukee-officer-gets-26-months-in-prison-for-strip-cavity-searches-b9938948z1-212486141.html|accessdate=May 28, 2015|agency=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|date=June 21, 2013}}</ref> Chisholm investigated and prosecuted violent felons, including preacher and organized crime figure Michael Lock and serial killer [[Walter E. Ellis]], known as the "North Side Strangler" who targeted prostitutes in Milwaukee for two decades.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Baird|first1=Kathee|title=UPDATED: Authorities say Walter Ellis is Milwaukee's North Side Strangler serial killer?|url=http://crimesceneinvestigations.blogspot.com/2009/09/cops-make-arrest-in-wi-serial-killings.html|accessdate=May 28, 2015}}</ref> Chisholm implemented criminal justice reforms, which focus primarily on community-based prosecution, evidence-based decision-making, and the deferred prosecution of drug-addicted and mentally ill defendants.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Murphy|first1=Bruce|title=How Chisholm is Reducing Black Imprisonment|url=http://urbanmilwaukee.com/2015/05/05/back-in-the-news-how-chisholm-is-reducing-black-imprisonment|website=Urban Milwaukee|accessdate=May 28, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Toobin|first1=Jeffrey|title=The Milwaukee Experiment|journal=The New Yorker|date=May 11, 2015|url=http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/05/11/the-milwaukee-experiment}}</ref> Chisholm is a director and past chair of the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, a national organization of American prosecutors.<ref>{{cite web|title=Board of Directors|url=http://www.apainc.org/board-of-directors|website=Association of Prosecuting Attorneys|accessdate=May 28, 2015}}</ref> On November 22, 2021 an investigation was launched into the Milwaukee DA's office handling of the bail setting for Darrell Brooks, suspect in the murder of 5 and injury of 48 at a Christmas parade in Waukesha, WI. Brooks is accused of plowing his SUV into the parade. The Milwaukee DA's office had let Brooks out on $1,000 bail a month prior, after Brooks ran a woman over with the same vehicle. <ref>https://www.foxnews.com/us/waukesha-christmas-horror-milwaukee-darrell-brooks-bail-review</ref> ===John Doe probes into certain staffers of Governor Scott Walker=== In 2010, Chisholm conducted a confidential "John Doe" investigation into financial and political misconduct on the part of staff and campaign supporters of politician [[Scott Walker (politician)|Scott Walker]], then the [[Milwaukee County Executive]] and a successful candidate for [[Governor of Wisconsin]].<ref>[http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/hearing-set-on-bill-to-curb-john-doe-probes-in-political-crimes-b99460033z1-295888891.html "Wisconsin is the only state to use such a system. A state or two may have laws similar to Wisconsin's John Doe statute, he said, but he could find no evidence they had been used for decades."], jsonline.com; accessed April 21, 2015.</ref><ref>[http://www.hbslawfirm.com/articles_display.php?id=72 Explanation of what a "John Doe investigation" is] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141230202908/http://www.hbslawfirm.com/articles_display.php?id=72 |date=2014-12-30 }}, hbslawfirm.com; accessed November 8, 2014.</ref> The investigation resulted in four felony convictions,<!-- on what charges?? --> including those of Timothy Russell and Kelly Rindfleisch, who had served successively as Walker's deputy chief of staff.<ref name="JSJD">{{cite news|last1=Bice|first1=Daniel|title=John Doe probe of Scott Walker office closed with no new charges|url=http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/report-scott-walker-probe-closed-with-no-new-charges-qh8vsfb-194194091.html|accessdate=August 18, 2013|newspaper=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|date=March 2, 2013|author2=Dave Umhoefer}}</ref> During the course of this investigation, Chisholm initiated a second John Doe probe, investigating potential violations of Wisconsin's campaign finance laws during the [[Wisconsin gubernatorial recall election|2012 gubernatorial recall election]]. Due to the geographic breadth of this investigation, Chisholm and four other Wisconsin district attorneys turned over its management to former Assistant United States Attorney Francis Schmitz.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Umhoefer|first1=Dave|title=Special prosecutor rejects Scott Walker's 'partisan' take on John Doe|url=http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/special-prosecutor-rejects-scott-walkers-partisan-take-on-john-doe-b99296379z1-264102151.html|accessdate=November 29, 2014}}</ref> Conservative activists have alleged that this investigation, which was permanently halted by the [[Wisconsin Supreme Court]] on June 16, 2015, was a partisan undertaking against Walker's supporters.<ref name="MMEG"/> This claim was reiterated by Michael Lutz, who served as a short-term special prosecutor in Chisholm's office and who claimed to have been a close friend of the Chisholm family. Lutz alleged that Chisholm's investigation was motivated by his wife, a public school teacher and union steward. Chisholm's attorney, Samuel Leib, denounced this claim as "scurrilous, desperate, and just plain cheap."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Stein|first1=Jason|title=DA John Chisholm denies Doe probe a political vendetta|url=http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/da-chisholm-denies-doe-probe-a-political-vendetta-b99348765z1-274690551.html|accessdate=November 28, 2014|agency=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel}}</ref> Lutz committed suicide in 2015.{{cn|date=December 2016}} [[Eric O'Keefe (political activist)|Eric O'Keefe]], among others, sued and filed complaints against Chisholm, in both federal and Wisconsin courts, alleging the commission of civil rights violations during the course of the investigation. The [[United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit]] dismissed a federal civil rights claim but did not restart the investigation, pending litigation in state court ultimately resolved in 2015.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Stein|first1=Jason|last2=Bice|first2=Daniel|last3=Marley|first3=Patrick|title=Federal court overturns Doe ruling, sends it back to state judges|url=http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/johndoe25-b99358722z1-276976981.html|accessdate=May 28, 2015|agency=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|date=September 24, 2014}}</ref> Following the federal court ruling, conservative activist Chris Kliesmet requested that a [[Dodge County, Wisconsin|Dodge County]] prosecutor and circuit judge probe Chisholm's conduct during the second investigation. The judge, Steven Bauer, ruled on November 6, 2014 that Chisholm had acted "in good faith" and noted the campaign finance laws used as the investigation's basis "were and are arguably still enforceable", depending on the outcome of appellate litigation in state court.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Stein|first1=Jason|title=Judge won't launch a probe of prosecutors in John Doe case|url=http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/judge-wont-launch-a-probe-of-prosecutors-in-john-doe-case-b99386061z1-281831201.html|accessdate=November 28, 2014|publisher=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel}}</ref><ref>[http://www.channel3000.com/news/politics/judge-wont-launch-probe-of-john-doe-prosecutors/29596400 Judge Bauer won't launch probe of "John Doe" prosecutors] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141201052452/http://www.channel3000.com/news/politics/judge-wont-launch-probe-of-john-doe-prosecutors/29596400|date=2014-12-01}}, channel3000.com; accessed November 28, 2014.</ref> In July 2015, the Wisconsin State Supreme Court ended Chisholm's probe. Justice Michael Gableman, writing for the majority, noted, ''"It is utterly clear that the prosecutor has employed theories of law that do not exist in order to investigate citizens who were wholly innocent of any wrongdoing."''<ref>{{cite web|last=Marley|first=Patrick|url=http://archive.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/wisconsin-supreme-court-ends-john-doe-probe-into-scott-walkers-campaign-b99535414z1-315784501.html|title=Wisconsin Supreme Court ends John Doe probe into Scott Walker's campaign|publisher=Archive.jsonline.com|date=2015-07-16|accessdate=2016-10-05}}</ref> Chisholm appealed the court's decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. On October 3, 2016 the court rejected his request to hear the case.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.watchdog.org/national/john-doe-dies-again-supreme-court-won-t-hear-chisholm/article_e706fc34-73dc-5522-a90b-8c83ca3e495b.html|title=John Doe dies again: Supreme Court won't hear Chisholm's case|last=Kittle|first=M.D.|work=Watchdog.org|access-date=2018-11-28|language=en}}</ref> On 7 December, 2017, the Wisconsin Department of Justice issued a report criticizing what it described as the "breathtaking" scope of the John Doe investigation. It stated that the investigators obtained the personal email account details, including passwords, of 35 Republican politicians and aides, and hundreds of thousands of emails, including emails to Republicans Senator [[Ron Johnson (Wisconsin politician)|Ron Johnson]], GOP chair [[Reince Priebus]], and Congressman [[Sean Duffy]]. The emails also included 150 personal emails between Wisconsin State Senator Leah Vukmir and her daughter, including health information, which were placed into a folder labeled "opposition research."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/ethics-elections-commissions-respond-to-attorney-general-report-on-john/article_d92fe904-1007-5919-a635-47dc628f875d.html|title=Ethics, Elections commissions respond to Attorney General report on John Doe leak}}</ref> ==Sources== {{reflist}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Chisholm, John T.}} [[Category:1963 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Lawyers from Milwaukee]] [[Category:People from Waukesha County, Wisconsin]] [[Category:Wisconsin lawyers]] [[Category:Milwaukee County District Attorneys]] [[Category:Wisconsin Democrats]] [[Category:Marquette University alumni]] [[Category:University of Wisconsin Law School alumni]] [[Category:Marquette University High School alumni]]'