INGOP Presses Gregg on Clinton
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V21, 42 Thursday, June 30, 2016 INGOP presses Gregg on Clinton Democrat Democrat won’t rule out John Gregg campaigning with Hillary, campaigned with Presi- but says GOP trying to dent Bill Clinton on ‘nationalize’ the race behalf of Hillary Clin- By BRIAN A. HOWEY ton in the BATTLE GROUND, Ind. – In April 2008 Indiana 2008 in the midst of an intense Indiana Democratic presidential primary, the question for John presidential Gregg might have been “boxers or briefs?” primary. Eight years removed, the question all inquiring Republicans want to know is whether the Demo- cratic gubernato- rial nominee will ever take the stage Fox News Poll today (see page 20), while Gregg has been with Hillary Clinton. In an elec- more circumspect with Clinton, whose negatives were at tion cycle where both presidential 55% in the ABC/Post poll. nominees have historic negatives Indiana Democrats don’t have to link Pence to and unfavorables, both Gregg and Gov. Mike Pence are Trump. The governor did that himself two days after the on record as supporting their presidential nominees. But May 3 primary, when he said in Terre Haute he would Pence has been more upfront with Donald Trump, who had support and campaign with Trump. But John Gregg has, a 70% unfavorable rating in the ABC/Washington Post Poll Continued on page 3 last week and is losing support among Republicans in a Gregg’s health care scare By BRIAN A. HOWEY INDIANAPOLIS – From the day John Gregg declared he was running for governor in 2011, that one is- sue, legislator health care for life, was one of those stirring in the shadows. That it would take Indiana Republicans until late June 2016 to make “I have indicated multiple times some hay out of it is one of those “who’d a thunk it” riddles that every day that goes by is one that makes Hoosier politics so day less to campaign. He is at- interesting. Indiana House Repub- tempting to overturn the will of licans have confirmed that the former House speaker the people. I won the primary. ” and his family have received - 8th CD Democrat Ron Drake $239,110.54 in employer matched health care coverage on David Orentlicher and a since Jan. 1, 2006. recount that hasn’t begun. It was an extension to a Page 2 2002 legislative package, forged in Republican Governors Association was the final hours of Gregg’s speakership, making a statewide buy. So the issue that gave all legislators free health is coming into your living room on July care for life. By 2003, I was getting 5. regular phone calls from former Gov. “John Gregg’s decision to pro- Bob Orr, venting at both Gregg and vide himself and his family taxpayer- then Senate President Bob Garton, funded health insurance for life, while who in the wee hours on the final day at the same time slashing education of a June special session pulled the spending, cutting state services, and proverbial “fast one.” freezing the salaries of state employ- Howey Politics Indiana In January 2006, when ees, proves that he is no fiscal con- WWHowey Media, LLC 405 Republican Speaker Brian Bosma servative,” said Marc Lotter, deputy Massachusetts Ave., Suite ascended to that office, he adminis- campaign manager for Gov. Pence’s 300 Indianapolis, IN 46204 tratively ended the health-care-for-life reelection bid. “At a time when our program, according to his spokeswom- state is seeking funding to expand www.howeypolitics.com an, Erin Reece, who confirmed the Gov. Pence’s Pre-K program and employer match numbers for Howey increase career and technical educa- Brian A. Howey, Publisher Politics Indiana. The program was tion in our schools, it is a shame that Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington statutorily repealed in 2007. taxpayers have already paid $200,000 Jack E. Howey, Editor Since 2006, some 29 for- mer House and Senate members Mary Lou Howey, Editor – or their spouses – are receiving Maureen Hayden, Statehouse state-subsidized benefits, includ- Mark Curry, photography ing former Republican Sens. Mur- ray Clark, Larry Borst and Garton, costing taxpayers $6 million. Subscriptions The story appears to be a HPI, HPI Daily Wire $599 precursor to a Republican Gover- HPI Weekly, $350 nors Association TV ad that will Ray Volpe, Account Manager debut on July 5 on behalf of Gov. 317.602.3620 Mike Pence’s reelection campaign. With Gov. Pence’s reelect email: [email protected] numbers, according to multiple Contact HPI sources, in the commode, he [email protected] needed that silver bullet to pierce through the din and create a Howey’s cell: 317.506.0883 Then House Speaker John Gregg with Republican badly needed buzz while damag- Paul Mannweiler. Both are receiving health care Washington: 202.256.5822 ing Gregg. The notion that Pence from the state. (HPI Photo by Brian A. Howey) Business Office: 317.602.3620 had to use the issue in June is a telling statement about how shaky © 2016, Howey Politics the ground is under his feet. to date and an estimated $36,000 this Indiana. All rights reserved. Health care for life came year alone for lobbyist John Gregg’s up in only cursory fashion during the health insurance.” Photocopying, Internet forward- 2012 campaign against Gregg. Most The Gregg campaign re- ing, faxing or reproducing in observers believed Pence would easily sponded, with spokesman Jeff Harris, any form, whole or part, is a cruise past Gregg, or win in a land- saying, “The facts are that John Gregg violation of federal law without slide, so they never put that bullet in and Republicans in the state legisla- permission from the publisher. the chamber. With the Pence reelect in ture passed bipartisan legislation to obvious trouble, the option of waiting update the health insurance lawmak- until voters are much more engaged ers received. When he retired after 16 in October appears to be a luxury. years of service in 2002, he enrolled in But after Abdul-Hakim Shaba- the plan and paid premiums to do so.” zz broke the story in Republican attack The $239,000 figure is an employer dog fashion Tuesday evening, and match. it was validated by the Fort Wayne Harris also noted that Pence Journal Gazette’s Niki Kelly Wednes- has been on taxpayer-funded health day morning, we learned that the care for much of his career as gov- Page 3 ernor and a congressman for 12 years. Gregg said in a When current Senate President David Long replaced Gar- 2003 report, “I didn’t have any problem signing off on it. I ton, he ended the program in the upper chamber. think it’s a benefit that’s deserved. It was already the law. So health care for life has some lethal qualities to We just hadn’t gone ahead with it.” The Pence office and it. In 2012, Pence had vowed not to campaign in negative campaign were asked to release any government match fashion, and he held on for a victory over Gregg by less for health coverage he receives from the state and federal than 3%. government and has not responded. In the rematch this year, Pence has vowed to con- Indiana Republican Chairman Jeff Cardwell also trast his record with Gregg’s, and it was inevitable that the weighed in, saying of Gregg, “He avoids taking responsibil- health care controversy would surface. ity, but the facts are clear: He was a leader in this effort The RGA has clearly become Pence’s attack dog. It to give himself, his family and other legislators free health has spent $1.47 million on behalf of Pence in June. The care for life at the expense of Indiana taxpayers, and even Fort Wayne Journal Gazette reported the RGA has put in shamefully called the perk well-deserved.” more than $3 million this election cycle. The Democratic The law was passed in the final hours of a Governors Association has given $526,000 to Gregg’s cam- June 2002 special session, with Gregg joining Garton in paign but hasn’t run any ads. Jared Leopold, spokesman the effort. It induced a great deal of controversy once the for the DGA, said they are committed to Gregg’s campaign, implications were assessed in 2003. The legislation passed but wouldn’t be specific about when or if the group might late in the process that was dominated by a property tax get more involved. “It is certainly one we will engage in as reform package. Gregg would say of Garton and Senate time goes on,” he said. “It is one of the top gubernatorial Finance Chairman Larry Borst at the time, “Garton and races in the country. We will see how this race plays out.” Borst apparently patched things up and worked together. Harris told HPI that the Gregg campaign is in No kidding, Garton is tops. He is the most underestimated touch with the DGA on a daily basis. guy in the place. If I were in a foxhole and could pick only Our sources are telling us the Pence-Gregg a handful, Bob G. would be one of them.” rematch is a tossup. The electorate is polarized in what Garton was defeated in the Republican primary in many believe is a referendum on Gov. Pence. 2006 by current Sen. Greg Walker, with that issue surfac- So the governor’s allies, sensing the broad mis- ing during the campaign along with Right to Life and Right trust in the “system” and with career politicians, are seek- to Work. Borst was defeated in the GOP primary in 2004.