Tensions are mounting as more groups and lawmakers are demanding to know why it took so long for information to come to light in the “sexting” scandal involving a Calumet County District Attorney accused of sending sexual text messages to a domestic abuse victim.

DA Ken Kratz, 50, admitted to sending 30 “sexts” to Stephanie Van Groll, 26, in October while he was prosecuting her ex-boyfriend for strangling her.

Both the Wisconsin Office of Lawyer Regulation and the Wisconsin Crime Victims’ Rights Board, of which Kratz was previously president, knew of the incident in November but did not formally discipline Kratz.

Instead, Kratz was only asked to step down as chairman of the crime victims’ rights board in exchange for keeping the complaint private, according to recently released emails.

The Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault called for an explanation of the OLR’s decision Thursday.

The OLR closed the investigation in March after deciding Kratz’s behavior, though inappropriate, was not misconduct, and released neither its decision nor the original complaint.

The incident was not known outside the DOJ and the OLR for 11 months until the Associated Press revealed the incident last week.

Since the AP reported the story, two other women have come forward alleging Kratz acted inappropriately with them – one saying Kratz sent her sexual text messages while advising her on a drug pardon and the other claiming he invited her as his date to an autopsy.

Kratz went on indefinite medical leave Monday and hired an attorney.

Gov. Jim Doyle said in a press conference Monday neither he nor anyone in his office was aware of the situation until the AP story.

The Department of Justice called for the OLR to reassess its decision Monday.

Multiple legislators have called for Kratz’s removal and Rep. Therese Burceau, D-Madison, requested an audit of the OLR over its handling of the situation in a letter to the Joint Legislative Committee Wednesday.

Burceau said Kratz’s actions should be seen as professional misconduct under Supreme Court rules, which prohibits a lawyer from harassing a client based on sex, age, creed, religion, color, national origin, disability, sexual preference or marital status.

“Mr. Kratz targeted Ms. Van Groll because she is an attractive young woman; i.e. due to her sex and age,” Burceau said in the letter.

The Wisconsin Democratic Party also called for a probe into Attorney General J. B. Van Hollen’s handling of the situation Monday.

Meanwhile, Van Hollen’s Democratic opponent for attorney general Scott Hasset has taken this opportunity to question Van Hollen’s handling of the situation, saying in a statement Van Hollen’s response in the last two weeks was a “blame the victim first” campaign.

Van Hollen had no knowledge the OLR closed its investigation without sanctioning Kratz, said Bill Cosh, spokesperson for Van Hollen, in a statement.

Cosh also defended Van Hollen’s decision to keep the situation private at the time.

“No public announcement was made at the time because such an announcement may have jeopardized the underlying criminal domestic violence prosecution,” Cosh said.