Donnelly Still in Insen Driver's Seat
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V24, N10 Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018 Donnelly still in INSen driver’s seat Kavanaugh effect hasn’t given Braun an edge; issues shift to health care By BRIAN A. HOWEY and JACOB CURRY INDIANAPOLIS – We are three weeks out and not much has changed in the Indiana U.S. Senate race. FiveThirtyEight’s data fore- casting gives Sen. Joe Donnelly a 77% chance of winning reelection, with a projected vote share of 51.3%, Re- publican Mike Braun at 46.2% and Libertarian Lucy Brenton at 2.4%. A Gravis Re- search Poll released by Real Clear Politics on Wednesday showed Donnelly with a 44-40% lead over Braun with Brenton at 7%. The margin of error operatives that he was “coasting” last month. U.S. Sen. is 5.1%. It’s close enought we still label it a “tossup.” Joe Donnelly raised $3 million in the third quarter and Braun has pumped another $2.4 million of his own enters the final three weeks with $4.5 million cash, com- money into his campaign. He posted $5.6 million for the third quarter after enduring some criticism from GOP Continued on page 4 #Metoo at the Statehouse By BRIAN A. HOWEY INDIANAPOLIS – Now comes the curious case of Speaker Brian C. Bosma. It involves an alleged incident more than two decades ago with an intern, married and of legal age for consensual sex, which is vociferously denied “America’s basic and fundamen- by the speaker, one of the most powerful (married) men in the tal values demand a suspension state. The storied rumor has of arms sales to Saudi Arabia. been rattling around the State- I continue to believe that Sec. house for years, verging into the realm of myth or legend. Mnuchin should not attend the But it was a $40,000 payment investment conference in Riyadh to lawyer Linda Pence at Smith- Amundsen and its appearance next week.” on Bosma’s campaign disclosure reports that brought it to the - U.S. Sen. Todd Young, reacting present day. A year-plus into the to the murder of Jamal Khashoggi Page 2 #Metoo movement, the real extraordi- nominee Mike Braun. Holcomb cited nary aspect is that up until this point, “zero tolerance” for any type of sexual no such allegations had surfaced at harassment or assault in his call for Capitol & Washington. Hill to step down. The former intern, Kandy Hill decried the lack of due Green, told the Indy Star that Linda process. In a July press conference in Pence used the funds to conduct which he refused to field questions, an exhaustive background check on Hill explained, “I was not afforded Howey Politics Indiana her in a way that caused alarm for fairness in this investigation. I have her family members. They felt in- now been called upon to resign by WWHowey Media, LLC 405 timidated. Democratic Chairman John the governor and others. I respect Massachusetts Ave., Suite Zody reacted, saying, “We believe 300 Indianapolis, IN 46204 that Speaker Bosma’s actions appear www.howeypolitics.com to be tactics used to intimidate… That women must fear coercion and strong-arming by powerful elected Brian A. Howey, Publisher officials to discredit and deter them Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington from coming forward is sickening. Cameron Carter, Editor If the allegations of intimidation are Joel Weyrauch, Editor true, they are deeply troubling.” Mary Lou Howey, Editor But Bosma said in a state- ment to the Star, “This unsubstanti- Mark Curry, Daily Wire, photo ated story from over 26 years ago is Jacob Curry, Statehouse unequivocally false. My engagement Jack E. Howey, Editor of Linda Pence, a well-respected Emeritus attorney and Democrat, was for the purpose of protecting my reputation from a false story by the Indianapolis Subscriptions Star.” HPI, HPI Daily Wire $599 This story gets complex due the governor. I believe him to be an HPI Weekly, $350 to the events of March 15 at AJ’s honorable man, but I wish he had HPI Mobile, $5.95 monthly Lounge, and their public disclosure in reached out to me regarding these ac- early July. Most of us know the details, cusations before rushing to judgment. Ray Volpe, Account Manager but a quick synopsis is in order: Attor- Calls for my resignation came in the 317.602.3620 ney General Curtis Hill was accused of same breath as calls for investigation email: [email protected] making sexually inappropriate ges- by the inspector general.” tures and comments to a Democratic With the Hill allegations, legislator, Mara Candeleria Reardon, there will be some resolution as Hol- Contact HPI and three legislative staffers. comb’s appointed inspector general, [email protected] Bosma and Senate President Lori Torres, and a special counsel Howey’s cell: 317.506.0883 David Long engaged a law firm to appointed by Marion County Prosecu- Washington: 202.256.5822 conduct what was essentially a human tor Terry Curry (former Adams County resources review that consigned guilt prosecutor and current Fort Wayne Business Office: 317.602.3620 on Hill. But the investigator never attorney Dan Sigler) review the allega- sought Hill’s take on those events and tions. © 2018, Howey Politics at least one witness, Tony Samuel, But when it came to Bosma, Indiana. All rights reserved. says he was with Hill and didn’t see Holcomb deflected, telling reporters in Photocopying, Internet forward- the behavior. There were discrepan- a rare media avail last week, “This is cies in the Taft law firm report and not in my court or authority. There is a ing, faxing or reproducing in others reported in the media involving process to pursue this and it wouldn’t any form, whole or part, is a Rep. Reardon. be fair for me to comment on any of violation of federal law without When the report leaked to the specifics on a story with no benefit permission from the publisher. the press, there were cascading calls of a report to review.” for Hill to resign from Bosma and Within hours, some 64 House Long, then Gov. Eric Holcomb, Lt. Gov. Republican members or candidates Suzanne Crouch, Democrat legislative issued a statement expressing solidar- leaders and Republican U.S. Senate ity with their speaker. “Having worked Page 3 alongside the Speaker, some of us for decades, we know rallies in Elkhart and Evansville with President Trump dur- him to be a man of integrity, and we believe him,” the ing this campaign cycle, informed and reliable sources tell Republicans said in the joint statement. “We stand by him HPI he has not ruled out appearing with Trump at future 100% as he continues to lead our state forward.” official events. What might be the difference between Don- This all made for awkward theater in the “Big ald Trump and Curtis Hill? Well, Trump is president of the Tent” Friday night at the annual GOP fall dinner. Hill had a United States. sponsored table, but was ignored by Vice President Pence 6. President Trump’s “you can grab ‘em by and Gov. Holcomb, who did recognize Bosma. The Indy- the pussy” is recorded Access Hollywood history. Yet, Vice Star reported this morning that Hill was left off the party’s President Mike Pence serves as a loyal lieutenant to the “Bronze” donor list for the event. Essentially, this was a snub in front of the full party. So, how should we process all this? Here are several of my observations: 1. In the #Metoo era, a simple allegation can end a career. Or, perhaps, allegations. Charlie Rose and Les Moonves of CBS, NBC’s Matt Lauer, the late Roger Ailes and Bill O’Rielly at Fox, U.S. Sen. Al Franken and Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein all were forced from their jobs when multiple, credible allegations surfaced. Others accused, notably Indi- ana native Tavis Smiley and NBC’s Tom Brokaw, have denied similar allegations and are fighting back. 2. Bosma said he spent $40,000 to protect his career from an unsubstantiated claim. There man he routinely calls one of our greatest presidents and are dozens, if not hundreds, of lawyers compiling billable leaders. And Second Lady Karen Pence, reportedly ap- hours defending clients who have had legitimate allega- palled by Trump’s comments, also can be seen on stage tions made against them, and others who face weapon- with the president. I mean, he’s the president! Apparently, ized assertions from individuals seeking retribution under “zero tolerance” does not apply when it’s the president. #Metoo cover. There has been a tendency for media cov- (History may not be so kind.) erage of an allegation to assume what Attorney General 7. President Trump enjoys wide support Hill has described as the anti-American notion of “guilty among evangelical leaders ranging from Revs. Franklin until proven innocent,” which is a 21st Century twist on Graham to Jerry Falwell Jr. to Tony Perkins (who gives the time-honored American and common law principle of Trump a “mulligan” for his adulterous one-night stand with presumption of innocence. porn star Stormy Daniels). On Tuesday, we watched our 3. Bosma is likely to survive this story, but president call the porn star “Horseface” and she responded only if it’s the only such one out there. Should multiple, by calling him “Tiny.” We have fallen that abjectly far in credible allegations surface against the speaker in its the cultural realm. Evangelical leaders cite King Cyrus from wake, this could commence a sequence of wholesale the ancient Book of Ezra – a heathen king who was an ally changes in legislative leadership – with Long giving way to the people of God.