Wausau Mayor Doug Diny moving an absentee ballot dropbox. Image courtesy: Doug Diny
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — The Marathon County District Attorney has announced a special prosecutor for the state investigation into Wausau Mayor Doug Diny’s handling of a municipal dropbox outside City Hall.
Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney will handle the case, including a review of all current findings, determining whether additional investigation is needed, and making any appropriate determinations related to the investigation.
The case was outsourced due to “conflicts of interest and to ensure full transparency and impartiality,” according to a statement from Marathon County DA Kyle Mayo. Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, no further details will be released.
The investigation centers on Diny’s removal of a locked, unsecured municipal drop box that was placed outside City Hall last September. City Clerk Kaitlyn Bernarde had intended for the box to be installed and opened to receive completed absentee ballots ahead of the 2024 Presidential Election.
The action led to a week-long back-and-forth between Diny and Bernarde, with Diny saying he brought the box into his office for safekeeping because anyone could have walked off with it. Bernarde turned the matter over to the Marathon County DA, citing an “election irregularity,” sparking the state investigation.
RELATED: UPDATED: Wausau Mayor, Marathon County DA Release Statements Regarding Ballot Dropbox Situation
The matter is also the subject of an investigation by the Wausau Ethics Board. That was set off after a handful of residents filed a complaint against the Mayor, claiming he used his position to perform an act that he knew was in excess of his lawful authority.
Toney did release a brief statement, saying “anyone referenced in the investigative materials is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.”
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