V21, 38 Thursday, June 2, 2016

Hoosier leaders wary of Trump, Sanders

in good standing until 2015 – fol- Both won primary with lowing their Indiana wins has been 53% of vote, but super delegates, fascinating. Other than an on-line petition site and some YouTube GOP leaders cautious to embrace rants, along with a spate of phone calls from Sanders supporters, By BRIAN A. HOWEY there has been very little public pressure placed on In- INDIANAPOLIS – Some 53% of Hoosier Demo- diana’s super delegates, with seven out of nine who are crats felt “The Bern” in the May 3 primary. Ditto for Donald backing Hillary Clinton. Trump in the corresponding Republican primary. While Clinton declared that “I will be the nomi- But watching the leadership in both parties deal nee,” Sanders has vowed to take his fight all the way to with the Vermont socialist Bernie Sanders and the Manhat- tan billionaire Trump – neither a member of their parties Continued on page 3 Trump and Judge Curiel By SHAW FRIEDMAN LaPORTE – The notion that this hopeless narcissist and racist, , has just captured the nomina- tion of his beloved Republican Party would certainly cause the consummate modest gentleman and country doctor – Doc Bowen – to roll over in his “To his credit, he did expand grave. For many of us Democrats Medicaid.” growing up in Indiana, kindly Doc - President Obama, citing Bowen represented a gentle and courtly manner of Republicanism Indiana Gov. Mike Pence’s who, while having political beliefs different than our own, treated HIP2.0 Medicaid expansion friend and foe alike with respect program while speaking in and civility. The same can be said Elkhart on Wednesday for the one of the greatest living statesmen of our time, Richard Page 2 Lugar, who always practiced courtesy has been written by our publisher, and respect to those who differed with Judge Curiel is not from Mexico, but is him and became the model of diplo- a native Hoosier, having been born in macy both in the U.S. Senate and in East Chicago, Ind., before attending international circles. I confess to some and graduating I.U. Law School. bias about the former senator as he’s This disgusting excuse for a still the greatest living member of my national candidate utterly refused to fraternity, Beta Theta Pi, and a world- acknowledge that when Curiel moved respected model of cordiality and of to California, he served as a distin- respect for the law and our democratic guished assistant U.S. attorney for the Howey Politics Indiana processes. Central District of California and was WWHowey Media, LLC 405 Contrast that with the so intimately involved in drug prosecu- Massachusetts Ave., Suite pathetic spectacle we’ve seen in just tions that he was actually a target of 300 Indianapolis, IN 46204 the last few days as Donald Trump drug cartel death squads for having has chosen to hit a new low with his sought to extradite two drug kingpins www.howeypolitics.com attacks on U.S. District from Mexico. Curiel was Court Judge Gon- so highly thought of Brian A. Howey, Publisher zalo Curiel of Southern for his work with the Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington California (pictured). U.S. attorney’s office Jack E. Howey, Editor Just when you’re that he was appointed confident that Trump to a California Superior Mary Lou Howey, Editor has sunk as low as he Court vacancy by then Maureen Hayden, Statehouse can go, he chose in Republican Gov. Arnold Mark Curry, photography a fit of uncontained Schwarzenegger. fury to attack the Raising Curiel’s judge hearing one of status as a Mexican- Subscriptions the class action cases American and trying to HPI, HPI Daily Wire $599 alleging fraud by the point to his ethnicity as HPI Weekly, $350 now-defunct Trump a means to debase this Ray Volpe, Account Manager University. honored son of Indiana 317.602.3620 As part of is the last refuge of Trump’s “grudge” a scoundrel. I cannot email: [email protected] tour after claiming believe that my fellow Contact HPI the nomination, he Hoosier lawyers of what- [email protected] took an astounding 12 minutes of ever political stripe can abide this de- Howey’s cell: 317.506.0883 his campaign speech last Friday to basement of our profession and of the demand that Judge Curiel recuse judiciary by this reckless demagogue. Washington: 202.256.5822 himself because he was a “hater” and We all take an oath to “maintain the Business Office: 317.602.3620 “very hostile” to Trump and should “be respect due to courts of justice and ashamed of himself. ” Trump com- judicial officers” and I would hope that © 2016, Howey Politics plained about “getting railroaded” by even the most rabidly partisan Re- Indiana. All rights reserved. a “rigged” legal system while mention- publican colleague of mine in the bar ing Curiel was nominated by President would think twice before endorsing or Photocopying, Internet forward- Obama. He conveniently neglected the backing Trump or ever voting for him. ing, faxing or reproducing in fact that Curiel’s nomination was ap- Even though Judge Curiel any form, whole or part, is a proved unanimously by the U.S. Sen- has apparently ruled Trump’s way on violation of federal law without ate on Sept. 22, 2012, on a voice vote various motions in the case, including permission from the publisher. with not a single Republican voting in granting the request by Trump’s law- opposition. yers to postpone the trial until after Trump then went on to the election, that’s not good enough slam the judge as “Mexican” seeking for Trump. It wasn’t enough to simply to elicit whoops and hollers from his take exception to the judge’s latest crowd as if attacking yet another im- ruling, but to attempt to smear the migrant. Again, Trump’s pathetic habit judge and accuse him of bias for hav- of lying about opponents and anyone ing released the documents showing he perceives as hostile or critical of just what a consummate fraud Trump him was in plain view yet again. As University really was. Page 3

Fortunately, even conservative lawyers like Josh Hoosier lawyers should echo the sentiments of Blackman, who transcribed Trump’s remarks about Cu- Prof. Charles Geyh, a legal ethics expert at IU Law School riel at Friday’s rally, have taken him to task saying “his who said very clearly to Reuters that Trump’s behavior jaw-dropping comments reflect an utter ignorance about could earn him “sanction for indirect criminal contempt what judges do and amounts to dangerous attacks on the of court. He has impugned the honesty of a judge in a fairness of our court system.” David Post, an adjunct at pending case and has done so in the context of a political the conservative Cato Institute, wrote that Trump’s rant rally that seems calculated to intimidate by inciting anger “is truly appalling and given that this guy could become among his supporters.” president, terrifying.” Certainly, there’s a line that cannot be crossed and I’m hopeful that Republican lawyers in Indiana Hoosier lawyers – of all political stripes – must know that including those who serve in the Indiana legislature will Trump has now crossed that line. v also challenge this outrageous conduct and think twice about giving their endorsement to Trump. As David Post Shaw R. Friedman is former legal counsel for the put so well in his column, “Our form of government will Indiana Democratic Party and a longtime HPI col- not work if the executive branch does not respect the umnist. He can be contacted at friedman@netnitco. legitimacy of decisions made by the judicial branch.” net

and phone calls from Sanders activists. Parker said that Presidential, from page 1 those outreaches have been counterproductive. Philadelphia, despite growing pressure to coalesce around In recent polling, Quinnipiac had Clinton lead- the former secretary of state, who is in a statistical tie with ing Trump 45-41 in a poll released Wednesday. Another Trump in a spate of recent polls. Most of those polls show Quinnipiac head-to-head had Clinton leading Trump 40- Sanders with comfortable leads over Trump. 38% with Libertarian Gary Johnson at 5% and Jill Stein “Democracy is not always nice and quiet and at 3%.The NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll on May gentle,” Sanders said in late May. 22 showed Clinton leading Trump 46-43%. Sanders was “So what? Democracy is messy. up 54-39%. A Fox News poll showed Every day my life is messy. But if Clinton trailing Trump by three points, you want everything to be quiet but Sanders ahead by four points. A CBS and orderly and allow, you know, News/New York Times poll had Clinton just things to proceed without leading Trump by 6%, but Sanders was vigorous debate, that is not what up 13%. democracy is about.” “Virtually every poll taken in the Clinton has a 1,769 to last two months has me doing better 1,501 lead in delegates won via against Trump than Hillary Clinton,” primaries and caucuses, but has a Sanders said on CNN in late May. 537-to-42 lead among super del- In recent state polling, Clinton led egates. The nomination requires Trump 43-39% in Michigan in a 2,382. Of the Indiana super News/WDIV-TV Poll, while Sanders had delegates, Dean Boerste, Cordelia a 52-33% lead. In a Boston Herald/FPU Lewis Burks, Joe Andrew, U.S. New Hampshire Poll, Clinton and Trump Rep. Andre Carson, U.S. Sen. were tied at 44%. In a Monmouth Poll in Joe Donnelly, David Frye, Lacy New Jersey, Clinton led Trump 38-34%. Johnson and Elkhart County Democratic Chair Shari Mellin And in a Gravis Poll in , Clinton led Trump 45-41%. appear to be in the Clinton camp. U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky Trump led Clinton in a Cititas Poll in North Carolina 42- and Indiana Democratic Chairman John Zody have not 38%, while PPP had Trump up 47-43%, and Sanders led declared a preference. Trump there 48-44% in a second PPP matchup. Former Indiana Democrat chairman Dan Parker, In a pre-primary WTHR/Howey Politics Indiana who helped coordinate the Clinton campaign here, said Poll, Clinton trailed Trump 47-39% in Indiana. In a Bell- that the seven “have been on board from Day One” and wether Research Poll conducted last week, Trump led added, “No one is moving away from Hillary.” HPI reached Clinton 40-31%. In that survey, Clinton had the backing of out to Donnelly’s Senate office to gauge whether he’s been 52% of Hoosier Democrats who voted for Sanders, while under pressure from Sanders supporters, but his press Trump received 10%, with more than 30% of those voters operation declined comment. Several Democratic sources undecided. Trump led Clinton 36-25% with independent tell HPI that super delegates have been contacted by email voters with a huge pool of undecideds there. Page 4

Parker said that Clinton will likely lock up enough got to get your governor to get going. She’s got to do a delegates in New Jersey on June 7, but that includes super better job. OK? Your governor has got to do a better job. delegates. Clinton has a skinny 2% lead in California and She’s not doing the job.” received the endorsement of Gov. Jerry Brown, an old In San Diego, Trump said of Judge Curiel, “I’ll be nemesis who battled during the 1992 Indiana seeing you in November, either as president. I think Judge Democratic primary. A loss in California would create a Curiel should be ashamed of himself. I think it’s a disgrace perception problem for Hillary Clinton, but Parker and that he’s doing this. The judge, who happens to be, we other Democratic sources tell HPI that there is little fear believe, Mexican. I think the Mexicans are going to end up of Clinton super delegates peeling away. Clinton leads loving Donald Trump.” Sanders 45 to 43%, with 12% undecided or unreported in The problem with that is Judge Curiel was born a Field Poll released today. The results in the latest Field and raised in East Chicago, received his undergraduate survey mirror those of the NBC News/Wall Street Journal/ and law degrees from Indiana University, and has devel- Marist poll out Wednesday evening, which showed Clinton oped a reputation on the bench for his willingness to take with a lead of 49 to 47%. on the Mexican drug cartels. He’s a Hoosier and an Ameri- “If Hillary Clinton loses California that is a political can. earthquake,” said MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough on “Morning The shot across the bow for Republicans is: Em- Joe” today. brace Trump at your own risk. Clinton campaign manager Robbie Mook made a There are varying degrees of aligning with Trump. decision prior to the May 3 Indiana primary not to spend Rep. Young told HPI in May, “As I’ve said before, I don’t money in the state. Indiana Democrat sources believe this think we can afford a third term for Barack Obama. That’s was a blunder, feeding the Sanders alternative for much of exactly what we’d get if Hillary Clinton is the next presi- May even when Clinton had the nomination mostly sewed dent. I’m going to support the Republican, but at the same up. Mook and the Clinton campaign made decisions based time I’m going to be focused on holding this Senate seat.” strictly on delegate counts, ignoring the perception that Others have tried to simply say they will back the since then, Trump has closed the gap in national and some Republican nominee. That was a stance that Gov. Pence state polls. tried, but after the primary, knowing he will need the back- While the delegate/perception reality persists, ing of Trump supporters (Pence support is falling off from both here in Indiana and nationally, Clinton’s grip on super Trump’s in Indiana polling), the governor said, “I’m going delegates appears to be firm. Wins in New Jersey and Cali- to campaign hard for the Republican nominee because fornia next Tuesday would allow her to shift full attention Indiana needs a partner in the White House. I just think to Trump, while creating a bridge to Sanders supporters. it was very exciting to see presidential candidates in both parties traveling all across the state of Indiana and I look Hoosier GOP leaders and Trump forward to supporting our presumptive nominee. I think The bookend to Democratic disconnect between Donald Trump will do very well in the Hoosier State.” voters and leaders has been the Republican trickle to em- Most politicians guard their brands with fervor. brace their nominee. Thus far Gov. Aligning, endorsing and campaign- Mike Pence, U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita, ing for or with Donald Trump is Senate nominee Todd Young, Na- akin to playing tennis with a hand tional Committeeman John Ham- grenade or petting a rattlesnake. mond III, and U.S. Sen. Dan Coats From the Pence perspec- are all on record as either endors- tive, Trump has already said so ing or preparing voting for the many outrageous things that he nominee. has become the true Teflon Don. Coats was the latest, saying Thus far there isn’t much evidence last week, “I fear if we do not unite Gov. Mike Pence greets Donald Trump and New that such an alignment will rub off, to support Donald Trump, we will Jersey Gov. Chris Christie at the Governor’s Resi- and, in fact, Pence is lagging be- again open the door for at least dence in April. Pence said after the Indiana primary hind Trump in several polls. Pence another four years of Washington he would support and campaign with Trump. needs Trump supporters, but he implementing a left-wing agenda.” risks further alienating moderates But aligning with Trump is not without risk. Within and independents who see Trump as a demagogue. hours of Coats coming around to Trump, the nominee re- What we aren’t seeing is a groundswell of conspic- buked New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, who also chairs uous Trump endorsements from statehouse officeholders, the Republican Governors Association, and then last Fri- legislative leaders, mayors and county chairs. day, the nominee castigated Federal Judge Gonzalo Curiel A few, like Hendricks County Republican Chairman in San Diego. Mike O’Brien and State Rep. David Ober, R-Albion, have In Albuquerque, Trump said of Martinez, who had been openly critical of Trump. In a May 18 post O’Brien not endorsed him and did not attend his rally, “We have wrote about Robert Kagan’s Washington Post article “This Page 5

Is How Fascism Comes to America,” tweeting, “Every if we nominate this guy.” single word of this ... the most important thing you’ll And on May 5, RNC delegate Joshua Claybourn read.” On May 10, he Tweeted, “Trump’s victory is leading of Evansville announced he wouldn’t attend the conven- to lunacy in high places.” tion, saying, “He opposes free trade, he’s skeptical of free In a March 1 IndyStar column, Matthew Tully speech and free association, he peddles fear and mean- quoted Ober as saying, “I just don’t understand what spirited insults, and he lacks a mature temperament people see when they look at Donald Trump and when needed at home and abroad. More often than not Mr. they listen to him, and how they think that is a tempera- Trump simply takes the most politically expedient posi- ment we want to see in a president. I am outspoken tion, and thus lacks the principles we need to trust where because I think we are making a huge mistake as a party he stands on other critical issues.” v

system, but so does Republican nominee Donald Trump. A race to This makes Hillary, the mother of ObamaCare, the most conservative candidate on national health care remaining in the presidential race. the bottom Representing New York in the United States Sen- By MARK SOUDER ate moved her from being a Cubs fan to a Yankees fan, FORT WAYNE – Politics this year has been truly which was certainly symbolic of her philosophical shift amazing to watch. Both major parties seem poised to as well. By accepting a job in the Obama Administra- nominate candidates for president so unpopular that tion, Hillary drifted even more leftward on foreign policy. President Obama is beginning to look better every week Her appalling contributions to the foreseeable debacle to many Americans. The President’s approval rating in the in Benghazi ranged from inaction to placing blame on a latest Gallup poll is the highest video, and then making sure enough emails were de- it has been since May, 2013. stroyed that knowing the truth is probably impossible. But A common complaint has Bernie, and for that matter, Trump, manage to stay to her been that all the choices were left on foreign policy. bad. “Can’t we do better than Let me pause to say to whining Republicans this?” is often asked. The clear who say that I shouldn’t continue to bring up Trump’s answer should be, “No. Your actual past as opposed to his current promises that he expectations are totally out of needs make to unite the party. Suck it up. Not everyone is whack with reality.” buying his act in spite of your yelling at us to line up and The Democrat choices salute. may have lacked charisma, Hillary continues to display an awesome lack but even tail-enders Martin of charisma. Her passion seems to be manufactured if O’Malley and Jim Webb had de- existent at all. In truth, she’s displayed a pretty consistent cent records of public service. Webb represented the right lifetime of liberal involvement. But she most often seems flank of the former Democrat Party, and O’Malley was once like a hectoring busybody about it. a hope of the liberal branch (moderates in the current And she just can’t get Bernie to go away. We all party). The only thing missing from the Democrat options can sense the increasing testiness in her very core. You were African-Americans and Hispanics. But the Democrats can see her thoughts written in her facial expressions. did offer lots of diversity among whites. “Why won’t this guy just go away! I played the good wife Hillary Clinton is one of the last remnants of the (actually, team player, but this was just too good a line to neo-liberal Democrat Party who were led by Southern gov- pass up) when Obama defeated me. I didn’t try to con- ernors such as Jimmy Carter and her husband Bill Clinton. tinue to undermine Obama because we needed to defeat While Hillary was the liberal half of the Clinton marriage, the neanderthal Republicans. You can be certain that I she was still no socialist (except on conservative talk ra- won’t appoint Bernie my secretary of anything!” dio). As the last primaries unfold, the socialist While heading President Clinton’s health keeps beating the obvious nominee of the Democrat pri- care task force as First Lady, she led efforts to central- mary, the one destined to be the first female president of ize health care. I personally appreciated her failed efforts the United States if he would just go quietly away. to launch a form of national health insurance because Down-ballot Democrats appear almost as pan- it became a centerpiece of my successful 1994 upset of icked as Republicans. Gov. Mike Pence took a lot of flak incumbent Congresswoman Jill Long. Today not only does for his initial indecisiveness in endorsing a presidential Bernie Sanders favor the more radical single-payer socialist candidate in the Indiana primary. Because he said some moderately nice things about Trump supporters, he was Page 6 viewed as wishy-washy by critics. Pence senators. They were bright people, who cut an ad for Ted Cruz. What more was he thought about issues, most with experi- supposed to do in a hotly contested presi- ence. Plus Trump. dential primary, in which he clearly favored The problem this cycle was not other candidates than the presumptive the lack of choice, or the qualifications nominee? of the candidates. The problem is that His Democrat opponent, John voters are demanding unrealistic and Gregg, seemed to be vacationing in opposite things. They also want no Florida or somewhere during the similarly compromise. So why is it surprising hotly contested Democrat primary. No one that the likely Trump-Clinton match-up seemed to comment much on Gregg’s is a confusing mess in the polls? Sand- flight. A former Hillary statewide leader, in ers people defect in huge numbers to her hour of need, Gregg was no profile in Trump because both promise statist, courage. He seemed to want nothing of ei- simplistic solutions. ther candidate. Does he still support Hillary Some of us hold out a faint hope or not? Why isn’t Gregg being pressured that a Republican candidate still emerg- as to why he supports Hillary, or opposes es. Right now our best hope seems Bernie, or whatever he believes? Why is only Governor to be that Bernie decides to run as a socialist indepen- Pence, who did take a courageous stand, being criticized? dent, opening up the opportunity for a fourth candidate, a As for Republican presidential choices in the conservative option to Trump, Hillary and Bernie. But most primaries, we had every flavor of conservatism plus Trump. likely, from my perspective, we will have a choice between We had everything: Rand Paul was an intellectual leader Herod, Pontius Pilate, or a protest vote. It’s sad that our of libertarians, there were flavors of evangelicals, Lindsey decent choices came down to this. v Graham spoke for defense conservatives, and Chris Chris- tie for the prosecutorial types. We had an African-Ameri- Souder is a former Republican congressman from can, two Hispanics, a female, former and current gover- Indiana. nors of populous states, and multiple current and former Page 7

truck. Gregg’s tenure as House speaker will be woven into What Holcomb, Hale that argument, Holcomb promised. He offers the “been there done that” portfolio when he served as Daniels’ deputy chief of staff and saw do for their tickets his boss grapple with deficits, a broken BMV and a new era By BRIAN A. HOWEY of “asset management” when Holcomb was dispatched to NASHVILLE, Ind. – The tickets are set. Democrat rival union halls to forge the Major Moves toll road deal. John Gregg brought rising star State Rep. Christina Hale The most conspicuous hallmark of that success came at into the fore as his lieutenant governor nominee three the 2008 Democratic Jefferson/Jackson Dinner that fea- months after Gov. Mike Pence replaced Sue Ellspermann tured Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, with sponsoring with Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb. union banners flanking the podium, and both unions had So what do Hale and Holcomb mean to the Pence/ endorsed Daniels for reelection. Gregg rematch between now and November? The mod- When Holcomb kicked off his U.S. Senate cam- ern LG nominee is more like salt and pepper, as opposed paign in 2015 (which he suspended when Pence selected to a key ingredient in the political stew which is going to him as LG), Holcomb’s message was one of inclusion, com- be a referendum on Pence. They ing during the same week of Pence’s RFRA debacle. “This are selected to stoke a particular campaign will be about what we are for, not simply about demographic group, whether it is what we are against. This campaign will seek to attract with the broader electorate or to people of diverse backgrounds and perspectives and expe- soothe part of the political base. riences. We will welcome and engage them.” With legisla- With Holcomb, Pence tive Republican leaders announcing this week they will reached out to a former aide to study and propose LGBT civil rights legislation in the 2017 Gov. Mitch Daniels and U.S. Sen. General Assembly, Pence would be wise to seek Holcomb’s Dan Coats as well as a past state Republican chairman counsel. under both governors. After Pence ignited a simmering Having said all of that, the fact that Pence had feud between the GOP’s to select Holcomb to unite a social conservative wing and divided GOP is an ominous the economic “Daniels wing” sign, as evidenced by the with the disastrous Religious recent Bellwether Research Freedom Restoration Act Poll that showed the governor last year, Holcomb was seen leading Gregg 40-36 percent as a bridge between the but with his reelect number at two spheres. a low 36 percent, and a job Some believe that approval in the low 40s. An Holcomb will be sunny incumbent with numbers in Pence’s “attack dog,” which the lower 40th percentile is in does not comport to his big trouble. genial manner. What we’ve Gregg’s selection of Hale heard from Holcomb at the is designed to signal and GOP’s spring dinner in April reach a wider electorate. Hale and at the campaign kickoff is a bright face fronting a earlier this month is an in- probing, practical mind. She dictment of the past, based caught my attention when on fact. Holcomb laid out she pondered a U.S. Senate some themes that will be candidacy in the spring of used in the coming months, 2015, observing that some reminding Republicans that 350,000 Hoosier children live Democrats left the state in in food insecure homes; one $800 million debt in 2005, in six girls are sexually as- owing local governments saulted by the time they get and schools tens of mil- in high school; and household lions of dollars, raiding the income has been declining Teacher Retirement Fund since 2000. These on top of and at the Bureau of Mo- State Rep. Christina Hale with Democratic gubernatorial nominee the HIV/opiod epidemic that tor Vehicles, “It took seven John Gregg (top); while Gov. Mike Pence is with Lt. Gov. Eric Hol- had surfaced in Scott County hours, not seven minutes” comb at his swearing in ceremony last March. (HPI Photos by Mark a few months earlier, which to get a license or register a Curry) Hale framed as “third world Page 8 problems” festering in her home state. Christina, you’re always going to be a loser.’” And she should know, having served as chief “I’ve always learned that no matter what happens communications officer for Kiwanis International, a global in life, you have to keep moving forward,” she said. “And service organization, working of health issues in Asia. I learned the value of hard work. I bring this up because When Gregg introduced her last Tuesday, she that is what Hoosiers need to do.” brought a narrative that will resonate with many Hoosier Pence is sideways with female voters. In the April women, and not just on the professional side of things. “I WTHR/Howey Politics Indiana Poll, the governor was trail- grew up in a middle-class family in Michigan City, Ind., and ing the Democrat with female voters 52-41 percent, and I had a pretty solid idea of how my life was going to turn independent women voters 54-40. out until I became a single mom at 19,” said Hale. “A lot So the tickets are set. Hoosier voters have six of people at that time told me, ‘Game over.’ In fact, I had months to weigh and decide which one to punch. v a number of people very close to me who said, ‘Face it,

the recount commission has until mid-August to declare a Drake, Orentlicher winner, but Orentlicher doesn’t think that it will go on that long. Drake has been more critical of the process, telling await 8th CD recount the commission in late May, “Every day that goes by is By THOMAS CURRY another day we lose to make our case.” INDIANAPOLIS – Two Democratic 8th CD candi- U.S. Rep. Larry Bucshon, R-Newburgh, gets dates are waiting for the Indiana Recount Commission to what is essentially auxiliary time to campaign to defend his schedule a retally in a race where Ron Drake leads David seat without a Democratic nominee who can raise money. Orentlicher by 50 votes. When a winner is finally declared, Bucshon will have the Last week, Orentlicher’s petition for recount was advantage of facing a candidate who is now, by even the unanimously approved by the Indiana Recount Commis- quickest estimates, two months behind in the fall cam- sion, chaired by Secretary of State Connie Lawson. Sched- paign. uling of the recount was to be determined this week. Both Chris Sautter, who is a leading expert in the field Drake and Orentlicher tell HPI that they have not been of recounts and who has played a role in both Bush v. contacted by Recount Director Philip Sicuso to discuss a Gore and the famous 1986 McCloskey recount, said that schedule. the current 8th CD recount is not a usual set of circum- Angela Mussmeyer, Indiana stances. Sautter explained that primary Election Division Democrat representa- recounts are rarer than general recounts tive, observed, “These recounts require because “usually the political party encour- a great deal of coordination between ages the apparent loser to not proceed,” the recount commissioners, attorneys, due to the time and money required for the State Board of Accounts staff, Indiana recount. State Police and 21 county clerks. It However, Orentlicher reportedly raised will take time to choreograph the work more than $200,000 for his primary cam- to ensure the process is transparent paign and had no trouble paying both the and the findings are organized and ac- David Orentlicher (left) and Ron Drake. $6,590 fee needed to approve the recount curate.” petition as well as the legal fees that go into More than 58,000 votes are involved in the re- hiring counsel. That explains why Orentlicher is patient count. The candidates and their lawyers, as well as state with the process. The other side of the coin is that Drake, election officials, will be looking over the recount process who waived his right to legal counsel and is representing to insure the accuracy of the tally. That is going to take himself in all recount matters, raised a mere $25,000 and time. could use all the time he could get to start fundraising and To add to that timeline, the Recount Commis- campaigning. sion also approved a recount in SD36 between Democrats Ultimately, Sautter describes it as a trade-off. On Jesse Karbanda and Sean Gorman, where Gorman leads one hand the candidates lose time and money to fundraise 4,768 to 4,729. That recount will involve close to 10,000 and organize the campaign, but on the other hand they votes. get a boost in name recognition from media coverage of Orentlicher remains patient with the process, the recount. Sautter said that of three or four primary telling HPI he expects results for his race sometime near recounts he has participated in, all of the candidates that the end of June and expects a schedule this week. By law, went through a recount ended up winning anyway. v Page 9

cycle, and had $296,000 cash on hand. In contrast, Hol- 9th CD race has signs lingsworth raised $409,000 for the quarter, $1.103 million for the cycle, including $400,000 from the candidate. By the primary, the candidate had pumped in $1.2 million. of a potential upset USA Today reported that virtually all of the Hollingsworth By BRIAN A. HOWEY campaign money came from his father, John Hollingsworth INDIANAPOLIS – The Garin-Hart-Yang Poll that Jr., who also pumped in money through a super PAC. Democrats released on the 9th CD race between Shelli Yo- “Trey Hollingsworth is the poster child for what’s der and Republican Joseph Albert “Trey” Hollingsworth III, wrong with campaign finance these days,” Parker said. showing the pair tied at 41%, generated a few headlines Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer, one of in Indiana. But it was really aimed at Democratic campaign the leading critics of super PACs, used the 9th CD as an decision makers in Washington. example, telling USA Today the practice is a “flat-out eva- It gives a glimpse into what could become one of sion of campaign-contribution limits” and makes a “mock- those “perfect storm” scenarios at the congressional level. ery” of election laws. Those include at attractive second-time female Democratic “The notion that a super PAC funded by a family nominee, running against a carpetbagger Republican who member … is independent is simply an oxymoron,” Wert- won his nomination after he and heimer said. Howey Politics Indiana had reported prior to his dad spent more than $2 mil- the primary that the Hollingsworth campaign had posted lion. Other than millions of dollars B-roll from a video shoot last winter where TV ads from to spend, Hollingsworth has virtu- the super PAC could then use the video for its “indepen- ally no ground game or even allies dent” advertising. in the 9th CD Republican Party. In HPI normally doesn’t give much credence to fact, some Republicans might be campaign-generated polling. A similar poll from the Hol- inclined to settle for two years of “U.S. Rep. Yoder” with lingsworth campaign in March from an unknown polling the notion of recouping the seat with a true Hoosier in firm did not include top lines, cross tabs or a memo from 2018. It comes with a controversial Republican presiden- the pollster. But the Garin-Hart-Yang poll was conducted tial nominee in Donald Trump, who has the potential of by Fred Yang, who polled for HPI in 2012, and included a setting off a national wave dynamic, and a weakened Gov. memo from the pollster. Mike Pence, who faces an array of issues confronting what Yang explained, “The 9th Congressional District many see as a key election voting bloc – suburban, moder- remains challenging territory for Democrats, with Presi- ate and independent women. dent Obama’s approval rating Essentially, the 9th CD at 36% and Donald Trump is loaded with wild cards. leading Hillary Clinton by When the 2011 maps 51% to 37% in the election created the new 9th CD, early for president. Yet despite the Howey Politics Indiana analysis 9th CD’s Republican leanings found it to be reliably Republi- – voters prefer a Republican can, rating +9 on the Cook Par- over a Democrat for Congress tisan Index. It is different than by 50%-36% – there is a real the old 9th, which was centered opportunity for Democrats to in the Louisville and Evansville win this seat due to the unique media markets with campaigns vulnerability of the Republican using some Indianapolis area candidate and the impressive cable. The new 9th requires In- appeal of the Democrat. In dianapolis and Louisville adver- fact, Shelli Yoder starts the general election locked in a tie tising, a more expensive propo- Monroe County Councilwoman Shelli Yoder’s campaign is with Trey Hollingsworth in the sition. But our analysis was that floating a Garin-Hart-Yang Poll that shows her tied with Re- initial Garin-Hart-Yang trial heat in the right brew, the 9th had publican Joseph Albert Hollingsworth III. the potential to be competitive. at 41% with 18% undecided. In her 2012 race The polling data clearly show against U.S. Rep. Todd Young, Yoder lost 55.4 to 44.6%, that Hollingsworth has been hobbled by attacks on his or by a little more than 32,000 votes. It was Young’s recent residency by fellow Republicans during the GOP first reelection campaign and his war chest was massive. primary, which he won with an unimpressive 34% of the According to former Indiana Democratic chairman Dan vote. While he has 59% name recognition, he also has a Parker, Yoder has more cash on hand now than her entire polarizing image among voters (18% positive, 18% nega- 2012 campaign. In her first quarter FEC report, Yoder tive), including a lackluster showing among Republicans posted $109,000 raised for the quarter, $353,000 for the (28% positive, 12% negative).” Page 10

Yang continued, “By contrast, Yoder, who has 43% “Today, we make good on that promise with the distribu- name recognition, is well regarded, has a positive image tion of funds to local governments to further improve by nearly four to one, and shows bipartisan appeal with a infrastructure and spur economic development and quality net positive among independents AND Republicans. Fur- of life in communities across Indiana.” thermore, among respondents who know both candidates, On April 22, the state made a one-time, special Yoder leads Hollingsworth by a sizable margin (57% to distribution to counties for distribution to other local units 32%), suggesting that as she becomes better known, her using excess Local Option Income Tax (LOIT) reserve common sense, pragmatic record, and impressive personal funds. SEA 67 required county auditors to distribute all background can garner her support among swing voters.” funds to local government units before June 1 in the HPI Horse Race Status: Leans Hollingsworth. amounts determined by the Department of Local Govern- ment Finance. As part of the distribution, counties, cit- Governor ies, and towns received $435 million that can be used for transportation infrastructure maintenance. Other local Pence announces $505 million government units received $70 million for deposit in their to local governments rainy day funds. Further evidence of the power of the office on In his State of the State Address, Gov. Pence out- campaigns was revealed on Wednesday when Gov. Mike lined a plan to provide more than $1 billion in new funding Pence announced that county auditors have distributed to preserve and maintain state and local infrastructure, $505 million to local government units, including $435 without raising taxes. In addition to SEA 67, Gov. Pence million that can be used for transportation infrastructure also signed into law House Enrolled Act 1001, which pro- maintenance for counties, cities, and towns as part of Sen- vides for additional state infrastructure maintenance funds, ate Enrolled Act (SEA) 67, which was signed into law on while also fully funding the Regional Cities Initiative. March 23, 2016. “Early this year, we committed to investing signifi- New Pence, Gregg TV ads cant new funding in state and local infrastructure mainte- This week brought new TV ads in the governor’s nance to preserve the Crossroads of America,” Pence said. race. The Pence campaign had First Lady Karen Pence in the campaign’s third ad talking about education issues. Page 11

“Our scores are up, our gradu- did not appear with Clinton at any ation rates are up,” Mrs. Pence of her Indiana events prior to the says. primary. “Hoosier students, In an email on Wednesday, the teachers and administrators are Republican Governors Association doing great work in Indiana’s pointed out that “Gregg served as classrooms,” said Marc Lotter, honorary chairman in Indiana in deputy campaign manager of Hillary Clinton’s presidential cam- Mike Pence for Indiana. “Being paign.” It also noted that he gave a school teacher by trade, Mrs. the “maximum possible donation Pence is delighted to discuss to the Clinton campaign for the how Gov. Pence’s administra- 2016 primary.” tion has provided the largest There was also an RGA increase in spending in history attempt to tie Gregg to President for our children’s schools, imple- Obama, who visited Elkhart on mented the first ever Hoosier Wednesday. “John Gregg Is Ready Pre-K program to help children For Obama’s Third Term,” the get a jump-start on life, and RGA proclaimed, noting that he has provided more parents the donated to the 2012 Obama re- opportunity to choose the right election bid, praised “Obamacare school for their child.” as a game changer” and said he The Pence ad men- “defended the Obama administra- tioned his pre-K pilot program, tion’s coal-killing, Clean Power but that opened the door for Plan.” HPI Horse Race Status: Democrats to remind voters that The Gregg campaign’s second TV ad features former Tossup. Pence refused to apply for an Republican State Rep. David Yount (top), while the Pence $80 million federal pre-K grant, campaign has First Lady Karen Pence talking about edu- Statewides emailing out more than a dozen cation issues. critical articles and editorials blasting that decision. GOP faces a superintendent choice The Pence campaign ran the ad during Sunday’s Among the choices state Republican delegates ABC Sports broadcast of the 100th running of the India- will face at the party’s convention in June is nominating napolis 500. a candidate best suited to regain control of the Indiana Gregg posted its “Work Hard” ad, more of a biog- Department of Education from Democrat Glenda Ritz, raphy piece noting Gregg’s Sandborn roots, his six years as who is seeking reelection four years after she pulled off a Indiana House speaker, and his interim Vincennes Univer- major upset against a GOP incumbent (Schneider, IndyS- sity presidency. It is an attempt by the Gregg campaign to tar). Republican power brokers are throwing their support define the candidate early. In the April WTHR/Howey Poli- behind Jennifer McCormick, a school superintendent from tics Indiana Poll, Public Opinion Strategies pollster Gene Yorktown, who they believe has the public school experi- Ulm described the largely unknown Gregg as a “blank ence to right what they argue is wrong with Ritz’s admin- slate.” istration. But McCormick has competition for the party’s This ad features a first, former Republican State nomination at the June 11 convention. Her opponent, Tea Rep. David Yount, who says, “In the face of the recession, Party-backed Dawn Wooten, is traveling the state with a John joined my fellow Republicans to balance the budget message appealing to dogged social conservatives, the and fund education.” belief that the state’s academic standards remain too Democratic sources were saying this morning that much like the controversial national set called the Com- Pence is “preparing to go negative,” with initial plans to mon Core. As McCormick goes into the convention consid- cancel the current ad buy and replace it with one from the ered the favorite to win the nomination, Wooten says she RGA that is expected to be critical of the Democrat. The hopes this year’s political climate, dominated by a sense source said that changed when the RGA couldn’t get the of dissatisfaction with the establishment, will give her the lower candidate advertising rate. same boost it did Donald Trump in his clinching of the GOP nomination for president. Republicans tie Gregg to Clinton A key component the Pence campaign will use McCormick picks up chair endorsements against Gregg is to tie him to likely Democratic presidential With the Indiana Republican Party State Conven- nominee Hillary Clinton. Gregg has been conspicuous in tion just days away, McCormick picked up endorsements avoiding association with Clinton. While he showed up at from county chairs from across Indiana, including: Will a Bernie Sanders Steelworkers union rally in April, Gregg Page 12

Two direct mail pieces that went out the Wednesday before election day helped Indianapolis Councilman Jack Sandlin defeat the slated Jefferson Shreve.

Statom of County; Daniel Elliot, Morgan County; ing strategy, allowed Sandlin to join Indianapolis Council- Mike O’Brien, Hendricks County; Russell Willis, Madison ors Christine Scales and Jenny Cain, as well as State Sen. County; Don Hayes, Dubois County; Ethan Manning, Miami Brent Waltz, who defeated Senate Finance Chairman Larry County; Barbara Hackman, Bartholomew County; Richard Borst in 2004, as candidates who beat the slate. McClain, Cass County; Mark Flint, Pike County. Statom Sandlin will face the winner of the Democratic said, “Jennifer is bright, well-spoken, and the best qualified SD36 recount. Sean Gorman has a small lead over Jesse candidate. She has excelled at every level of education. Karbanda. She will unite Hoosiers and listen to their ideas, a quality that is non-existent in the current State Superintendent’s 3rd CD: Snyder nominated by Libertarians office.”HPI Horse Race Status: Likely McCormick. Huntington County resident Pepper Snyder will represent the Libertarian Party on Indiana’s 3rd Congres- General Assembly sional District ballot in the fall (Howey Politics Indiana). Snyder was picked by the Indiana Libertarian Party’s Sandlin 4th candidate to beat the slate State Central Committee and has filed paperwork with the Indianapolis Councilman Jack Sandlin became only Federal Election Committee. “I look forward to taking my the fourth candidate in four decades to beat the Marion message of individual liberty and fiscal responsibility to the County Republican Party slate when he upset Jefferson voters of Indiana’s 3rd Congressional District,” Snyder said. Shreve in SD36. “We ran a good ground game,” Sandlin “Too often candidates look to government to micromanage told HPI. “We touched a lot of doors.” He estimates he and both society and the economy. I am the only candidate his 30 volunteers knocked on some 6,000 doors. Many of running in the 3rd Congressional District who wants gov- those came in Johnson County. ernment out of both our personal lives and our wallets,” The campaign noted that Shreve did not buy cable added Snyder. v in Johnson County. “So we walked seven of 12 precincts,” Sandlin said. He was able to essentially tie Shreve in Marion County, losing by just five votes there, while rolling up a 421-vote plurality in Johnson County. Then there was the “birds nest” direct mail piece put out by Marion County Republicans on behalf of the slated Shreve, accusing the councilman of “feathering his nest.” Sandlin and his campaign media consultant Blair Englehart said they anticipated the mailer that came out on the Wednesday before the primary, and responded with a mailer that proclaimed, “Let’s stop the negative cam- paigns!” “We dropped that mailer on the same day,” Sand- lin said. That, along with a strong absentee and early vot- Page 13

by a contested convention got smashed in the process. What a difference What looked to be a mixed martial arts slugfest at the Re- publican National Convention in Cleveland, now promises to be a patriotic, telegenic lovefest of delegates singing a month makes “Kumbaya” and waving the Trump flag. Oh sure, there will By CRAIG DUNN be some heartburn from a four-day diet of eating crow, KOKOMO – What a difference a month makes! but it will be a far cry from fistfights in the aisles projected One month ago, Republicans in Indiana were drawing by the gleeful national media. battle lines in the rarest of rarities, a primary that actually Hillary Clinton has seen her head-to-head national meant something. In a ham-handed deal, John Kasich and poll numbers sink quicker than the Lusitania over the Ted Cruz worked up a “deal” in an effort to derail Donald past month. From a staggering, insurmountable lead over Trump’s express train to the Republican presidential nomi- Donald Trump to a neck-to-neck polling status, lingering nation. Kasich cleared the field questions over Clinton’s trustworthiness, honesty and com- and Cruz crowed that without the petence have returned her to the land of reality. distraction of a third candidate, Indiana played a big role in Clinton’s descend- he would put the Donald in his ing poll dance. The openly avowed socialist in the stealthy place. Socialist Democrat Party, Bernie Sanders, gave Hillary a One month ago, liberal good old-fashioned Hoosier whoopin’ and guaranteed that and conservative pundits predict- she cannot act more conservative until well after the Cali- ed that the Republican presiden- fornia primary in June. tial race would come down to a Democratic presidential candidates have long contested convention that would used the strategy of running along the left wing of their destroy the Republican Party. party until the nomination is closed out and then, with the One month ago, Hill- nomination safely in hand, moving to the right in an effort ary Clinton led Donald Trump in to capture those swing voters in the center. This strategy national polls by nearly 20 percent. relies on low-information voters, a compliant national One month ago, with the elite of the Indiana media and a totally unscrupulous candidate. While this Democrats backing her, Hillary Clinton looked to win the sounds like a situation tailor-made for Hillary Clinton, Ber- Indiana primary and close out the Democratic presidential nie Sanders has Hillary’s tootsies held firmly to the fire and race. she is forced to act in public like she really doesn’t have a One month ago, John Gregg was shopping for a hot line to Goldman Sachs. big old comfortable chair for his future digs in the gover- This brings us to Democrat gubernatorial can- nor’s office, while counting his big labor donations to his didate John Gregg. There was a time in the post-RFRA gubernatorial campaign. afterglow when Gregg must have felt that his path to the This immediately brings to mind a song by the governor’s office had been cleared by the gods of fate. great songstress, Dinah Washington, “What a Difference With an alliance of angry teachers and the GLBT com- a Day Makes.” Make that a month and, well, you get the munity to sustain him, Gregg toured the Hoosier State point. Things have changed. beating the RFRA dog to death. While persevering on his In the past month Donald Trump absolutely limited message, a funny thing happened along the way. destroyed Ted Cruz in the Indiana primary and, with his Gov. Mike Pence began piling up a big string of economic victory, any chance to stop Trump from becoming the pre- development victories across Indiana. sumptive Republican nominee for president. Okay, Craig, Polling has informed us that the voter problems take a deep breath, count to 10 and repeat after me, associated with the Religious Freedoms Restoration Act “Donald Trump will make a great president. Donald Trump have largely faded and have been replaced by heightened will make a great president.” voter attention to job growth and economic opportunity. Most talking head pundits, and I now number This has played directly into Gov. Pence’s hand and bodes myself amongst their muddled and befuddled ranks, got it well for his eventual reelection in November. absolutely wrong by predicting a contested Republican Na- The brief glimmer of hope that Gregg may tional Convention. We’ve learned in the past 30 days just have experienced over a fractured Republican Party has exactly how angry the voters are. They are fed up and been replaced by the realization that with Donald Trump not going to take it any longer. I guess the media literati on the Republican ballot, an army of voters who, by a two- and those of us who sit in the ivy-covered palaces of the to-one margin, declare the economy to be their number Republican establishment elite were just clueless as to the one concern, will flock to the polls. No one can dispute pent up anger raging in the American public. Now we are that Gov. Pence and Indiana have been on a long streak not. of economic development and jobs victories. Leading the With the smashing Trump victory in Indiana, the Midwest in job growth because of Republican policies and myth of a disintegrating Republican Party being destroyed priorities has put Gov. Pence in prime position to win a Page 14 race that once looked very much in doubt. As Democratic ing good-paying jobs or allowing transsexuals to pick the strategist and media gadfly James Carville likes to say, “It’s restroom of their choice, jobs will win every time. the economy, stupid.” The economy is where Pence holds What a month it was! Assumptions shattered. all of the cards. Trends reversed. Sacred cows sacrificed. We now know Prospective voters are now learning that John how quickly the world can spin and the political world be Gregg has largely been an empty suit when it comes to turned on its head. Just imagine what changes the next providing a vision for Indiana. Gregg has ridden the GLBT five months will bring as the 2016 elections unfold.v pony into the dust and much of the teacher angst has been alleviated by the elimination of the ISTEP exam. Dunn is chairman of the Howard County Republican To the average Hoosier, when it comes to either creat- Party.

suggests they are a short-lived phenomenon. Still, this Targeted by Koch offers a great opportunity to explain what universities do with private grants, contracts and donations. The research center where I work receives con- and Soros on campus tracts or grants to answer a research question such as By MICHAEL HICKS “What happens to household location decisions when a tax MUNCIE – Last week a small protest group, rate changes?” Typically, we’ll use the bulk of this money unKoch My Campus, appeared at Ball State. This group is to hire students. For graduate students we usually offer funded by billionaire (and convicted inside trader) George nearly free tuition and a stipend. For undergrads we offer Soros, through a grant to Greenpeace. This group clearly pay, experience and mentorship. None of the center’s staff aims to intimidate into silence any faculty and students receives extra pay for this. with whom they might disagree. Now this is a serious ac- The work we do is challenging and fast-paced. cusation; how do I know it is about free speech and not We have no time for an ideological litmus test on employ- about Koch Foundation funding, ment. We care about work ethic, skills, and almost noth- as they claim? It’s simple really; ing else. I am very proud to say that in my 16 years as a they targeted me. Their repre- professor, I’ve helped support the education of more than sentative told the local paper I a hundred students. am “among their [Koch’s] most My university needs more, not less of this, and if trusted academics.” you want to help please drop me a line atcberdirector@ Flattering as that may be, bsu.edu. there’s just one problem with that Here at Ball State, the Koch Foundation along claim. I’ve never submitted nor with “Papa John” Schnatter are funding entrepreneurial received a grant from the Koch education. While some folks might tremble at the thought Foundation, never been paid by of thousands of American college graduates starting their the Koch Foundation nor received own business, I don’t. But, against this notion the Soros- any gifts or honoraria from them. funded youngsters offer neither an opposing argument, Though I give about 50 talks per nor money to support education, research or free speech. year, I’ve never knowingly given a speech to or attended This isn’t about ideas, it is about intimidating a Koch-sponsored event. The reason for this is simple; the faculty and students into rigid intellectual conformity. It Koch Foundation doesn’t typically fund the type of re- is exactly this sort of intolerant nonsense that any honest search my research center performs. faculty and student body must vigorously reject. v My apparent connection is having a co-author whose employer took about 1.0 percent of its funding from Michael J. Hicks, PhD, is the director of the Cen- the Koch Foundation. By the way, that research was instru- ter for Business and Economic Research and the mental in ending a failed $1.4 billion corporate give-away George and Frances Ball distinguished professor of program in Michigan. Ironically, among those recipients economics in the Miller College of Business at Ball were several in which Mr. Soros had financial interests. State University. Now there’s a story. So, make no mistake about it, this is merely an effort to intimidate people with whom the Soros Founda- tion disagrees or finds intellectually (or financially) incon- venient. The stunning hypocrisy of this new McCarthyism Page 15

eliminate worker protections, cut investments in things like President Obama takes education, it would weaken the safety net, it would kick people off health insurance, it would let China write the rules for the global economy. It would let big oil weaken a victory lap in Elkhart rules that protect our air and water, and big banks weaken By BRIAN A. HOWEY rules that protect families from getting cheated, and INDIANAPOLIS – President Obama closed an early cut taxes for the wealthiest Americans to historic lows,” loop of his presidency in the twilight of his second term Obama said. in Elkhart Wednesday, using the RV industrial cluster to “I know it sounds like a strange agenda for highlight the economic recovery during his tenure. politicians claiming to care about working families. But When he took his first trip out of Washington as these are their plans. You can find them on their websites. president in February 2009, the jobless rate in Elkhart When I hear about working families voting for those plans, was 19%. When he returned Wednesday, it was 4%. The then I want to have an intervention.” White House touted his impact, saying that the city is “is “Fortunately, there’s another path that leads to symbolic of America’s recovery.” more jobs. Higher wages. Better benefits. A stronger “By almost every economic measure, Ameri- ca is better off than when I came here” seven years ago, Obama said. “But we would not have come this far – Elkhart would not have come this far – if we hadn’t made a series of smart decisions. The result proves our focus has paid off. Elkhart proves it.” It was Obama’s third visit to Elkhart County, which didn’t reward him for the stimulus package he pushed in 2009. In 2012, Republican carried 62% of the vote in Elkhart County. In 2008, Obama carried 44% of the vote in the county in his race against Republican U.S. Sen. John McCain. When Obama came to Elkhart in 2009, he recalled campaigning door-to-door in the city in his 2008 primary race against Hillary Clinton. “I have not forgotten,” Obama said at Concord HS that day. “What I’m trying to underscore is what the people President Obama speaks at Concord HS in Elkhart on Wednesday, a return of Elkhart already know: This is the worst economic to his first visit as president in 2009. crisis since the Great Depression.” “I came here precisely because this county votes Republican,” Obama said on Wednesday. “If the safety net,” said Obama as Elkhart’s Republican Mayor Tim economy is what is really what’s driving this election, Neese watched in the crowd. “A fairer tax code. A bigger then it’s going to be voters like you who have to decide voice for workers. Trade on our terms. It will make a real between two very different visionsof what’s going to difference for the prospects of working families. It will strengthen our middle class.” grow the middle class.” Now with a 4% jobless rate, Obama used the Obama had praise to Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, reunion to wade into the controversial 2016 race to replace who he had sparred with prior to his first visit in 2009 him, saying, “If what you really care about in this elec- when Pence was in Congress. As Obama pushed his tion is your pocketbook; if what you’re concerned about is stimulus package, then U.S. Rep. Pence said, “I believe who will look out for the interests of working people and the American people rejected that under Republican con- grow the middle class, then the debate isn’t even close. I trol, and I believe that’s the reason why support for this don’t care whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat or stimulus bill is collapsing by the hour. The American people an Independent. Why would you do that? Less oversight know we can’t borrow and spend and bail our way back on Wall Street would only make another crisis more likely? to a growing economy. Tthe only thing this bill’s going to How can you say you’re for the middle class and then you stimulate is more government and more debt.” want to tear down these rules?” But on Wednesday, Obama noted, “To his cred- “Don’t think that actually this agenda is going to it, he did expand Medicaid,” a reference to Pence’s HPI 2.0 help you?” Obama continued. “It’s not designed to help Medicaid expansion after months of negotiation with the you. And the evidence of the last 30 years, not to mention U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Indiana common sense, should tell you their answers to our chal- Democrats note that the Pence HIP 2.0 success story that lenges are no answers at all.” has enrolled more than 350,000 Hoosiers is actually part Obama continued, “One path would lower wages, of Obamacare, which Pence has stridently opposed. Page 16

An opinion column by Gov. court (Vandenack, Elkhart Truth). Pence that was published by the In an interview Wednesday at Elkhart Truth attributed the state’s Elkhart’s Lerner Theatre with PBS recovery to a business-friendly envi- NewsHour co-anchor Gwen Ifill, ronment as well as strong work ethic, he also talked about the ongoing character, and ingenuity, not to the presidential campaign, lament- president’s efforts. “Mr. President, we ing the harsh tone of some of the welcome you back to Elkhart since rhetoric. He alluded to some of your first visit since 2009,” wrote the tough talk in the Republican Pence, who did not attend the event. presidential campaign, but, when “I believe the people of Elkhart and pressed by Ifill, wouldn’t men- my fellow Hoosiers have brought our tion Donald Trump, the presump- economy back in spite of the burdens tive GOP nominee, by name. But that higher taxes, mandates and in- he did let Trump’s name slip out creasing regulations from Washington, once. “He seems to do a good job D.C. have placed on them. Our state mentioning his own name,” said has experienced an economic come- Obama, who met with Ifill and back because the story in Indiana has took part in a PBS town hall gath- been very different.” President Obama with Gwen Ifill at the Lerner The- ering at the Lerner. U.S. Sen. Dan Coats re- ater in Elkhart on Wednesday prior to a nationally Speaking more generally during acted to the President’s visit, saying, televised town hall. (Elkhart Truth Photo) the town hall meeting, responding “Elkhart is in the national spotlight for to questions put to him from the its remarkable resilience. Hit hard dur- audience, he lamented the “reality ing the recession, the citizens of Elkhart persevered and culture” and the “talk radio culture” for encouraging brash dramatically changed the city’s trajectory for the better. To- political talk. day’s visit by President Obama should not be about glad- “And so if you’re civil and quiet and polite, no- handing but should instead be a celebration of Elkhart’s body covers you,” Obama said from the main stage of the strong work ethic and renewed economic success. I hope Lerner, where the town hall meeting was held. “But what the president also acknowledges the pro-growth policies I would say is that every voter here, Democrat or Republi- pursued by the state of Indiana, which have made our can, if you want more civility, then you vote for folks who state one of the nation’s economic success stories.” are civil… and not just somebody who’s popping off. And But U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly cited “absurdity” in that’s true whether it’s on the left or the right.” v the Republican response, saying, “I have to laugh at the absurdity of those who are using the President’s visit to claim or deny credit for Elkhart’s economic recovery. The truth is that Elkhart is an example of the type of economic progress we can achieve when we work together. I thank the President for his commit- ment to Elkhart and Indiana from Day 1. We’ve come a long way, and the only way we will continue to get things done is by working together.”

PBS town hall President Barack Obama joked, discussed the economy and talked about his waning pres- ence on the basketball Page 17

vs. the nation’s 2.080 percent. However, in 2014 itself, the Pence and Gregg tell U.S. advanced by 2.7 percent while Indiana achieved an increase of only 1.9 percent. That’s the chief lesson of these data on jobs and tales like they usta earnings; however good things seem to be in Indiana, By MORTON MARCUS they are less than mediocre compared to what’s happening INDIANAPOLIS – They’re telling tales now, like in America. Our share of the nation’s jobs and the earnings they never usta. they provide is in long-term decline. Short-term thinking My now-departed friend, George Bond, sent me won’t correct our problems. many emails with verses to that old refrain, “They’re laying Maybe we should focus less on chickens and eggs eggs now, like they never usta, ever since the roosta came and find a good rooster.v into our yard.” It comes into my head, and doesn’t leave, every election year. Mr. Marcus is an economist, writer, and speaker I’m told a hen will lay eggs who may be reached at mortonjmarcus@yahoo. whether or not there is a rooster, but com. some say she’ll be more productive with the noisy fellow about. Politicians tell tales whether or not there is an election, but they are more proficient at it during election periods. The referendum Gov. Pence and former Speaker Gregg are running about the Hoosier barnyard crowing about on Gov. Pence our economy. The governor proudly By JACK COLWELL points to many thousands of new jobs for Hoosiers during SOUTH BEND – If the election is a referendum on his term in office. Speaker Gregg laments Hoosier earnings Gov. Mike Pence, he will lose. are lagging. Both have facts on their side, perhaps some- That’s why the governor needs to shift the focus what embellished, but facts none the less. away from him and get voters to look critically at Demo- Let’s look at those facts. The governor was inau- cratic challenger John Gregg. But gurated in January 2013, so let’s say his influence started Gregg seeks to keep the focus right in April of that year. From April 2013 to April 2016, private where it is, on Pence and the con- sector jobs in Indiana increased by 146,600. troversies during the Pence admin- Our growth in private sector jobs was 5.9 percent istration. vs. 6.8 percent for the nation. If we merely matched the Polls show trouble for national average growth rate, there would be 24,700 more Indiana’s Republican governor as he jobs in Indiana today. Our growth in public sector jobs seeks a second term, dangerously equaled only 400, a 0.1 percent increase vs. the nation’s high disapproval percentages and 1.0 percent rise. Indiana saw strong growth in manufac- many voters, especially women vot- turing jobs, 6.2 percent compared to 2.4 percent nation- ers, saying they would prefer a new ally, but that strength is in the weakest sector of America’s governor. Those controversies, particularly over education economy. Yes, there are more jobs today in Indiana (and and the religious objections law that Pence signed, have the U.S.) than at any time in history. Currently, Hoosier taken a toll. “He cannot run on his record,” Gregg said as jobs are up 3.1 percent from 2007, yet the nation ad- he talked about his rematch with Pence during a South vanced 5 percent. Bend stop to introduce his running mate for lieutenant Now let’s look at average earnings (includ- governor, State Rep. Christina Hale. ing benefits) per job. The data take us to only 2014. In “He will have to take the focus off his record,” that year Indiana hit a milestone, the average Hoosier job Gregg said. Gregg and Hale seek to prevent that shift in earned over $50,000 for the first time in history (without focus. Gregg hit at the controversies and portrayed Indi- accounting for inflation). Sounds good, but the U.S. passed ana as with an economy “not working for working people” that milestone six years earlier. and with roads and bridges neglected. Hale talked of “the In Indiana, average earnings per job were below gaffes of the past four years” and portrayed Pence as an the national average by at least 10 percentage points ideologue abandoning bipartisan cooperation. every year in this century. And you have to go out a few Pence is defending his record, citing unem- decimal points to find something good to say about the ployment rate improvements, tax cuts and building a sur- growth of our earnings per job. From the start of the plus. He knows, however, that he can’t let focus be just on Great Recession (2007) and well into the recovery (2014), his record, not with those disapproval ratings. Pence wants Indiana’s average earnings grew by 2.088 percent per year voters to look at the race not as a referendum on him but Page 18 instead as a comparison to determine which of the two agree to that, though labeling Pence as extremely conser- candidates would be the better governor for the future. He vative. The selection of running mates shows the differing wants negative focus on Gregg as not fiscally conservative, strategies. In picking Hale, a state representative from as a Democrat who would spend too much and tax more Indianapolis with a reputation of bipartisanship, Gregg to pay for it. stressed a moderate image for the ticket. The soft-spoken, That’s why Pence, who renounced negative issue-oriented Hale clearly wasn’t selected as a partisan campaigning in 2012, went on the attack right after the attack dog. primary election this time, denouncing Gregg’s record as Also, in picking a woman, Gregg, needing to a former speaker of the Indiana House. That’s why Gregg continue to do well with women voters, drew a contrast quickly defends his time as speaker back in 1996-02, say- with the removal of a female lieutenant governor from the ing it was a time of bipartisanship, and seeks to keep focus Republican ticket. With Sue Ellspermann off the ticket, on Pence as a promoter of social issues sought by a nar- replaced as lieutenant governor by Eric Holcomb, a former row segment of voters, not by moderates in either party. state Republican chairman, Pence has a running mate who He seeks the middle ground, courting independents and can seek to nail a negative image on Gregg. Ellspermann those he calls “Dick Lugar and Mitch Daniels Republicans.” had disdain for negative campaigning. She also wasn’t in As Pence launched his campaign, he spoke di- total agreement with Pence on the religious objections is- rectly about Gregg’s effort to make the race a referendum sue. She now is president of Ivy Tech. on the governor. Both campaigns went on television with ads right “My opponent says it’s about my record,” Pence after the primary. Both will stay on TV right up to the Nov. said. “He’s half right. It’s about his record as well. John 8 election, turning to a fierce presentation of differing Gregg has a record. He spent 16 years at the Statehouse. messages, Gregg seeking a referendum on the governor, His record couldn’t be any more different than mine.” Pence seeking to build an unfavorable opinion of Gregg in Pence certainly is more conservative. Gregg would a quest for a successful comparison contest. v

former Mayor Keith Soderquist, is awaiting sentencing A return of the after pleading guilty to embezzling $16,000 from the city court. Soderquist pleaded guilty to trying to cover up the theft by trying to replace the money. infamous ‘bar tab’ Carter has said he is concerned the reporting fail- By RICH JAMES ures could involve hundreds of drivers. MERRILLVILLE – It would appear it is one of those Noted defense attorney Thomas Vanes, who “déjà vu all over again” kind of things. Just like the loqua- represents Brakley, said his client is a scapegoat and that cious Yogi Berra used to talk about in television commer- all courts should be checked. It was some 30 years ago cials. that the Lake County court system hit a low when the Nevertheless, the handling of the disposition of re- “operation bar tab” probe into the fixing of drunken driv- cords involving drunken driving cas- ing tickets was in full swing. Hundreds of drunken driving es in Lake County, at least in one of records were involved in that probe as state police investi- the courts, is about to come under gators found that scores of conviction records never were the microscope. Lake County Pros- sent to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. ecutor Bernard Carter has asked In most cases, it cost the driver $1,500 to have the state police to investigation the his records disappear. While some of the officials involved handling of drunken driving cases in didn’t receive any kickbacks, they were convicted of Lake Station City Court. There are helping cover up the wrongdoing. Two small claims court allegations that documentation from judges, the county clerk, a deputy prosecutor, bailiffs and drunken driving convictions aren’t lawyers were convicted and went to jail. Operation bar tab being sent to the Bureau of Motor played out for several years in U.S. District Court in Ham- Vehicles. That documentation can mond. result in the suspension of driving privileges and higher Unfortunately for Lake County’s reputation, some insurance rates. appear to be choosing to bring back the same scheme that The allegation from Mayor Christopher An- left the county in disgrace many years ago. v derson, who was city judge when the alleged wrongdo- ing occurred, was that court clerk Miranda Brakley was Rich James has been writing about state and local responsible for transmitting the DUI conviction information government and politics for more than 30 years. He to the state but never did. Brakley, the step-daughter of is a columnist for The Times of Northwest Indiana. Page 19

Paul Mannweiler, IBJ Forefront: After Don- sion is well documented by the research. More veterans ald Trump won the Indiana primary and his opponents will leave their jobs and lose their health care. More will dropped out of the race, the political elite began pontifi- join the ranks of the working poor and rely on govern- cating on the great division in the Republican Party. The ment assistance. More veteran-owned construction busi- Washington Post, and all the major nesses will close. More state construction contracts will go networks led with stories about this huge chasm and how to out-of-state firms, using less-skilled workers. The U.S. detrimental it could be for the Republicans in November. military now trains fully 20 percent of the skilled construc- The Democrats must have felt ignored. While tion apprentices in the United States because Hillary Clinton attempted to turn her attention to it understands that the best way to address Trump and to unite her party, an even more dan- veteran underemployment is to help us prepare gerous division has developed in the Democratic for middle-class career options in our nation’s Party. Bernie Sanders continued to win primaries fastest growing industries. It is sadly ironic that (he’s won 11 of the last 19 contests), his sup- the wage-cut law that disproportionately impacts porters were incensed by the Clinton machine Indiana veterans was signed into law during the tactics in the Nevada state convention and petitions have same month that honors those veterans who gave the been filed for the Democratic National Chairwoman to step ultimate sacrifice in defense of freedom. That’s not exactly down in light of her continued bias for Clinton. Talk about “supporting the troops,” is it? v party unity? v Stephen Collinson, CNN: It’s all about Donald Laura Asher, NWI Times: It’s one thing to sup- Trump. From his condemnation of journalists to his racially port bad economic policy. It’s another thing to choose tinged attacks on a judge presiding over a lawsuit related policies that disproportionately attack the livelihoods of to Trump University to his feud with New Mexico GOP Gov. Indiana veterans. Nearly one year ago today, with one Susana Martinez, there’s one thing in common about the stroke of a pen, Gov. Mike Pence and his allies in the mounting Trump controversies: The presumptive Repub- Legislature managed to do both. In repealing Indiana’s lican presidential nominee is aiming to make the entire prevailing wage law — known as the common construction 2016 campaign about himself. American politics is littered wage — Pence disregarded the overwhelming consensus with larger-than-life personalities. But no presidential can- of economists who have concluded these policies do not didate in living memory has built a campaign so exclusively increase construction costs but do promote stronger local on the foundation of his own personal, brand, self-congrat- economies and lower poverty. Earlier this month, first of ulatory rhetoric and life story as Trump. And don’t expect its kind research from VoteVets.org exposed an arguably anything different if he makes it to the White House. more troubling impact of Pence’s wage cut. It dispro- “You think I’m going to change?” he told reporters at a portionately impacts military veterans, who work in the press conference this week. “I’m not going to change.” v skilled construction trades at substantially higher rates than non-veterans. The research also shows states with Michael Gerson, Washington Post: For those prevailing wage laws see even more veterans join in the of us with a certain political bent and background, this is construction workforce and a reduction in poverty among the most depressing moment of all. The best of the GOP those veterans by as much as 31 percent. Those of us who — Marco Rubio and Paul Ryan, the intellectually serious have borne the cost of defending this country understand reformicons who have called attention to issues of pov- coming home from war can be just as trying as war itself. erty and the need for Republican outreach — are bending There are physical and psychological wounds to heal, their knee to the worst nominee in their party’s history. strained family relationships to bridge and a difficult transi- Ryan drags himself slowly. Rubio eventually went with a tion to civilian employment to undertake. These challenges quick Band-Aid pull. But the largest political choice each have been well documented — in VA backlogs, suicide man has made this year will be one of the worst mistakes and divorce rates, an unemployment rate for post-9/11 of their careers. How do I know this? It doesn’t require veterans that consistently outpaces the national average fortune-telling. Just days before Rubio offered to speak on and a poverty rate among veterans that has been climbing Trump’s behalf at the Republican convention, the presump- nationally and is approaching 8 percent in Indiana, accord- tive nominee declared the 1993 suicide of to ing to the Department of Veterans Affairs. For generations be “very fishy,” especially given Foster’s “intimate knowl- of veterans like me, a job in skilled construction was the edge of what was going on” with the Clintons. And Trump best way to avoid becoming one of these statistics. It was attacked the Republican governor of New Mexico, Susana a way to put the leadership and problem-solving skills I Martinez, for allowing Syrian refugees to be “relocated in learned in the military to work in my community in a way large numbers” to her state. “If I was governor,” he said, that could support a middle-class life for my family. But “that wouldn’t be happening.” This is Trump on his best one year ago, Mike Pence and the Legislature decided we behavior, trying (once again) to act “presidential.” v should be forced to take a pay cut. The effect of their deci- Page 20

the United States finds that the pre- The number of minimum-security Pence email sumptive Republican presidential nom- inmates has fallen under new sentenc- inee and his businesses have been ing guidelines passed by the General account hacked involved in at least 3,500 legal actions Assembly in 2014 and 2015 that called in federal and state courts during the for people convicted of Level 6 (for- INDIANAPOLIS — No, Gov. past three decades. They range from merly Class D) felonies to be restricted Mike Pence and his wife, Karen, are skirmishes with casino patrons to from state prisons beginning January not stranded in the Philippines and million-dollar real estate suits to per- 1, 2016, the department said. The don’t need you to wire them money sonal defamation lawsuits. The sheer overall prison population has fallen (Groppe, USA Today). Pence’s per- volume of lawsuits is unprecedented by more than 1,100 inmates — from sonal email was hacked for a presidential nominee. 27,246 last July 1 to 26,142 as of April by a scammer asking No candidate of a major party 30, the department said. All of the for money, and Pence has had anything approach- reductions have occurred at prisons has since changed the ing the number of Trump’s housing minimum-security offenders. AOL account. “Although courtroom entanglements. I hear the Philippines is Just since he announced his Bloomington passes lovely this time of year, candidacy a year ago, at least you may be relieved to know that we 70 new cases have been filed, about public safety tax are safely in the Hoosier state and evenly divided between lawsuits filed quite well,” Pence said in an email by him and his companies and those BLOOMINGTON — A proposed Wednesday to those who had re- filed against them. tax increase to fund public safety got ceived the fake communication. “All a key green light Wednesday night kidding aside, I do apologize for any McConnell urges (Banta, Bloomington Herald-Times). inconvenience this may have caused Bloomington City Council members you.” The counterfeit email claimed Trump tax release unanimously supported a 0.25 per- the Pences had been attacked on their cent local option income tax increase way back to their hotel, losing their WASHINGTON — Senate Ma- dedicated to public safety. The nine- money, bank cards and mobile phone. jority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ken- member city council holds 59 of the “I’m urgently in need of some money tucky, is calling for Donald Trump to 100 votes on the county income tax to pay for our hotel bills and my flight make his tax returns public, reviving council, which includes fiscal bodies ticket home, will definitely REFUND as months-long questions over whether throughout Monroe County, and thus soon as back home,” the fake email the presumptive Republican nominee has majority power to approve the said. “Kindly let us know if you would will release the documents before the proposed tax increase. be able to help us out so we can for- general election (CBS News). “For the ward you the details required for wire last 30 or 40 years, every candidate Tharp resigns as transfer.” Impostor scams, in which for president has released their tax Howard Dem chair someone impersonates someone else returns, and I think Donald Trump to commit fraud, were the third most- should as well,” McConnell told Busi- ness Insider on Tuesday. KOKOMO — Kokomo Mayor common complaint reported last year Greg Goodnight announced Tuesday to the Federal Trade Commission. The State closing that city development specialist David nation’s consumer protection agency Tharp will replace current Deputy received more than 350,000 com- Henryville prison Mayor Randy McKay, who announced plaints of impostor fraud. his retirement earlier this month. INDIANAPOLIS — The state Tharp will assume the deputy mayor Trump involved in Department of Correction will close position on June 4, one day after its minimum-security Henryville Cor- McKay’s retirement becomes official. 3,500 lawsuits rectional Facility in southern Indiana McKay, the city’s first deputy mayor, by July 1 in a cost-saving move, the will remain in his position as president WASHINGTON — Donald agency announced Wednesday (Asso- of the Kokomo Board of Public Works. Trump is a fighter, famous for legal ciated Press). The 140 inmates at the In addition, Tharp announced Tuesday skirmishes over everything from his prison about 20 miles north of Louis- he will step down as chairman of the golf courses to his tax bills to Trump ville, Kentucky, will be moved to pris- Howard County Democratic Party, a University. But until now, it hasn’t ons in Branchville or Edinburgh, and move he said was necessitated by the been clear precisely how litigious he its 36 staff members will be offered extensive responsibilities of his new is and what that might portend for a vacant positions at prisons in Edin- position. Trump presidency. An exclusive USA burgh, Branchville and Madison, the TODAY analysis of legal filings across department said in a news release.