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Thursday, Jan. 29, 2004 Volume 10, Number 23 Page 1 of 9 he The Region-to-Indy T axis of scandal Howey From the Steel City to IPALCO By BRIAN A. HOWEY in Indianapolis The question for Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter -- deep within the confines of Attorney General Steve Political Carter’s Statehouse office and three hours south of District Attoney Joseph Van Bokkelen’s Hammond digs -- was this: How do you respond to the idea that two Republicans are Report taking off the political heat? “That’s not my concern,” Prosecutor Carter respond- The Howey Political Report is published by NewsLink ed. “I’ve been prosecuting attorney for 10 years. When Inc. Founded in 1994, The Howey Political Report is you’ve been a prosecutor for 10 years in a county the size of an independent, non-partisan newsletter analyzing the political process in Indiana. Lake County, and particularly my own professionalism, you’re talking about your own legacy. Making sure the right Brian A. Howey, publisher things are done. Making sure that you’ve instituted those Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington writer right things. The political aspects of people wanting to attack Jack E. Howey, editor me, I can certainly withstand that. My obligation is to the people who elected me.” The Howey Political Report Office: 317-254-1533 PO Box 40265 Fax: 317-968-0487 A week ago, the two Carters and Van Bokkelen held Indianapolis, IN 46240-0265 Mobile: 317-506-0883 Unprecedented press conferences announcing a corruption [email protected] investigation task force combining their three agencies. www.howeypolitics.com While Van Bokkelen is seeking public corruption indict- ments going back to the 1999 East Chicago primary election Washington office: 202-775-3242; Business Office: 317-254-0535. and sidewalk scandal, Prosecutor Carter’s era of corruption begins with the May 2003 East Chicago and Schererville Subscriptions: $350 annually via e-mail; Democratic primaries. $550 annually including the HPR Daily Presumably in his sights is a former patron - East Wire. Call 317-254-1533 or 254-0535. Chicago Mayor Robert Pastrick - who was Lake County © 2004, The Howey Political Report. All rights Democratic chairman when Bernard Carter joined the ticket reserved. Photocopying, Internet forwarding, faxing or in 1994. reproducing in any form, in whole or in part, is a viola- And this legal troika signalled continued intrigue tion of federal law and is strictly prohibited without along the East Chicago-Gary-Indianapolis axis in what looks consent of the publisher. “Why rush to amend the constitution? We’ve Ticker: Davis backs Central Time p. 2 been wrong before.” LaPlante won’t run; Elex Board idle p. 5 Quoting Victor Hugo in Valpo p. 5 - State Sen. Earline Rogers, comparing Horse Race: Micon enters HD26 p. 7 the proposed amendment to ban gay marriage to Columnists: Dowd, Howey, Marcus p. 8 previous attempts to ban inter-racial marriage Bayh getting bipartisan backing p. 9 Thursday, Jan. 29, 2004 Page 2 of 9 to be an enfolding era of scandal. Attorney BMV hotspots. General Carter’s interest may go beyond Starting to get the picture here? the legalities. He is a Republican with When we said in our Dec. 18 edi- Lake County roots who knows he can tion of HPR: “Culture of scandal soften, if not take out, a Democratic spreads downstate: From the Region to machine that regularly rewards statewide the Statehouse,” we weren’t kidding. DAVIS SEES PR PROBLEM colleagues with 70,000-vote pluralities. There is no legal or governmental connec- FOR INDIANA; SUPPORTS And it isn’t as if the Democrats are tion between Lake County vote fraud, CENTRAL TIME: Indiana is the only active ingedient along the Lake- IPALCO, and FSSA. But there is a vivid suffering from a public rela- tions problem, Lt. Gov. to-Indy scandal axis. On Tuesday, political connection working these issues Kathy Davis said (Boris Republican Secretary of State Todd Rokita in a tit for tat mode. Ladwig, Columbus of Munster issued a press release dis- What could occur is that a high- Republic). “Indiana has cussing his “criminal” investigation into stakes game of legal chicken consuming great assets, but we’re not the IPALCO stock sale and saying that the 2004 governor’s race instead of the very good at telling our Mitch Daniels has been exonerated. race serving Hoosiers as a discussion of story. I think Columbus is “Over the last year my office has the vision needed to create a 21st Century the exception to that rule. It been conducting an extensive criminal state. really is an astounding investigation into the 2001 share exchange Hogsett called on Daniels to release place to live.” Davis was the transaction between IPALCO Enterprises all the documents of the Rokita investiga- featured speaker at Wednesday’s 95th Annual Inc. and AES Corporation,” Rokita began. tion. “My letter is intended in essence to Meeting of the Columbus “To date, our attorneys and investigators actually give the secretary of state and Area Chamber of have reviewed more than 100,000 docu- Mitch Daniels an opportunity to, with Commerce, which also rec- ments and five civil depositions and have authenticity and crediblity, put this issue ognized individuals and conducted approximately 38 hours of per- to bed and exonerate Mr. Daniels,” said businesses for community sonal interviews in an attempt to ascertain Hogsett. “I have no reason to believe involvement. Davis said, whether any violations of the Indiana Mitch Daniels and the IPALCO board however, that if the state Securities Act occurred in connection with were involved in any criminal wrongdo- wants to brand itself as the share exchange or the events that pre- ing,. If the documents are released, and “being in the middle of things,” it must become ceded it. the exoneration takes place, the record part of the Central Time “After a thorough review of the would reveal that Mitch Daniels as a Zone. “It costs us when documentary evidence and interviews, member of the board stood tall and looked people on the outside world depositions and statements accumulated to out for the interests of the shareholders. don’t know what time it date, our investigative staff has deter- Which is what he would do as governor.” is (in Indiana),” she said. mined that there does not appear to be a Daniels responded late Wednesday, justifiable reason to focus further specific “I’m glad to. My reputation means more SURGERY FOR SEN. BUD attention upon these non-employee former to me than any election.” MEEKS: State Sen. Charles members of the IPALCO Board of He said he favors releasing the "Bud" Meeks, R-Leo- Cedarville, will undergo Directors.” sworn statement he gave to Rokita’s surgery today in That brought questions from investigators last October. However, the Indianapolis to treat a Indiana Democratic Chairman Joe Daniels campaign doesn’t have that docu- restricted bowel, according Hogsett, a former secretary of state who ment and Rokita’s office said it cannot to his brother and fellow chided Rokita by saying, “There has been release any evidence because the investi- senator (Fort Wayne Journal no criminal investigation. It’s a regulatory gation is continuing. Gazette). Meeks, a 66-year- investigation.” By the end of Wednesday, Rokita’s old former sheriff, went to Hogsett said that to his knowledge, office was coming under fire from former the emergency room the IPALCO case has not been forwarded employee Keith Griffin, a former securi- Tuesday afternoon and was to Southern District Attorney Susan ties division attorney, who told WISH-TV, admitted to the Indiana University Medical Center Brooks or Marion County Prosecutor Carl “I think the outcome of the investigation Brizzi. Of course, Brizzi is investigating regarding Mitch Daniels was determined Continued on page 3 the Kernan administration’s FSSA and before the investigation began. I mean, I Page 3 of 9 Thursday, Jan. 29, 2004 don't think there was ever a real investiga- Lake County appreciate, this support. tion in regard to some of the parties.” Contrary to what people may believe, the Griffin, who was encouraged by people of my county want honest elec- Rokita to resign in May after news of the tions. A minority, and when I talk minori- subpoenas in that investigation broke, told ty I mean maybe a handful of people, the Indianapolis Star, “I genuinely don't don’t want it. And those are the people think Mitch Daniels has done anything who substantially benefit from some of later that day. He began bat- wrong.” the corrupt activities that occur in my tling colon cancer in 2002, What is clear about this sequence is county. The other 400,000 citizens of my but the cancer returned to that Indiana Democrats -- and not Gov. county want honest representation from his liver in spring 2003. He Joe Kernan -- are beginning to engage the electoral process and that is what they has been undergoing aggressive treatment since. beneath the candidate level. Just as are demanding and will receive. Now with the attorney general and the district attor- Indiana Republican Chairman Jim Kittle BURTON SEES POSTAL ney, we will achieve that.” is slugging away at the Kernan adminis- MELTDOWN: U.S. lawmak- tration’s underpinnings where scandals are The Carter investigations begin ers warned on Wednesday being investigated. with the May 2003 Democratic primaries that taxpayers might need in East Chicago and Schererville. Mayor to bail out the U.S. Postal But this is Lake County Robert Pastrick eked out a narrow victory Service unless drastic leg- over Councilman George Pabey. He then islative changes are made While there is intrigue lurking had to withstand Pabey’s suit in a civil to allow the embattled between the two parties' headquarters on trial.