V25, N34 Thursday, May 14, 2020 Hupfer: Nexus of pandemic politics GOP convention to be virtual; says gov faces no easy decisions By BRIAN A. HOWEY INDIANAPOLIS – Kyle Hup- fer continues find himself in the thick of pandemic era politics. The day before this Howey Politics Indiana Interview, the state Republican chairman announced the Indiana Republican Convention “The delegates are going to be met with a tough would move to a virtual format on June 18. choice,” Hupfer noted. “He has been an attorney general As Gov. Eric Holcomb’s campaign manager, he de- who has built relationships. They like that aspect. But they scribed the nexus of a sitting governor seeking reelection are also being faced with the reality that this is a now ex- in the midst of a pandemic. And he observed the contro- tremely flawed candidate who will have difficulty winning versy surrounding the Indiana Supreme Court suspension an election in November.” of Attorney General Curtis Hill and the decision facing GOP Continued on page 3 delegates next month. Hill & GOP delegates By BRIAN A. HOWEY INDIANAPOLIS — In the hours after the Indi- ana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission suspended Attorney General Curtis Hill for groping four women at a sine die party, the biggest parlor game was how Gov. Eric “This is not about transparency. Holcomb would respond. Hill said he accepted the sanctions with “humility The White House is always going and respect.” Indiana Republican Chairman Kyle Hupfer released to be in favor of transparency. a statement, saying, “The Indi- This is about the minority leader ana Supreme Court unanimously confirmed that Curtis Hill commit- trying to use the bureaucracy at ted battery against four female the CDC to bog down the econo- victims. Hoosiers would be best served by having a new Attorney my. ” - U.S. Sen. Mike Braun, after General. I have faith in our del- he blocked release of a CDC egates.” Some saw it as the gover- reopening plan. Page 2 nor, his hands full with the coronavirus to pick McCormick’s successor after pandemic, throwing the decision to General Assembly Republicans shifted Republican convention delegates. that office to gubernatorial appoin- But that was dispelled by a tee. If the Supreme Court rules that Supreme Court filing by the governor’s the AG’s office is, indeed, vacant for legal counsel on Tuesday seeking 30 days until June 17, just a day be- Howey Politics Indiana “clarification whether the Court’s May fore the GOP’s virtual convention, it WWWHowey Media, LLC 11, 2020 Order suspending Attorney stands to place unprecedented power c/o Business Office General Hill from the practice of law in this governor’s hands. PO Box 6553 for a period of 30 days means that he Hill sent a letter to delegates is not ‘duly licensed to practice law in this week saying that while he will Kokomo, IN, 46904 Indiana’ as set forth in statute. abide by the suspension “to reflect www.howeypolitics.com “If Attorney General Hill on lessons learned,” he would be does not have the requisite qualifica- “Standing Strong.” Brian A. Howey, Publisher tions for the office, an issue arises as “And on June 17th, I will Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington to whether a ‘vacancy’ exists under come back stronger than ever, com- Article 5, Section 18 of the Indiana mitted to my service to Hoosiers,” Hill Mary Lou Howey, Editor Constitution and/or Indiana Code wrote. “I will NEVER stop Standing Susan E. Joiner, Editor § 3-13-4-3(d) such that the Gover- Strong for the values you and I hold nor must name a successor for the dear.” Subscriptions remainder of He told delegates Attorney General that those values include HPI, HPI Daily Wire $599 Hill’s current term. defending the right to life HPI Weekly, $350 The Office of the on abortion, as well as the Lisa Hounchell, Account Manager Attorney General 2nd Amendment, while (765) 452-3936 telephone is of great impor- standing “shoulder to shoul- (765) 452-3973 fax tance to the State der with President Trump” [email protected] of Indiana and its as a “duly elected attorney citizens, with the general.” Contact HPI Attorney General His delegate letter [email protected] being the chief law takes aim at the Republican Howey’s cell: 317.506.0883 enforcement officer for Indiana, and, “establishment” and “moderates.” therefore, the clarifications being “And I don’t need rhetoric,” Washington: 202.256.5822 asked of this Court are necessary for Hill wrote. “I’ve got a Record!” He Business Office: 765.452.3936 the Governor to fulfill his constitution- continued: “The people that had my al and statutory obligations.” back were you, the delegates. You © 2020, Howey Politics Thus, it became clear: Gov. have that power. You’re in control.” Indiana. All rights reserved. Holcomb was going to play hardball. Worth noting is that the For GOP delegates who chose Indiana Supreme Court is hardly a Photocopying, Internet forward- Hill and Supt. Jennifer McCormick in bastion of moderates. All five justices ing, faxing or reproducing in any two contested convention races in were chosen by conservative Republi- form, whole or part, is a violation 2016, it’s either an opportunity for a can governors. of federal law without permission “do over” with two constitutional of- That GOP “establishment” from the publisher. ficers who went astray, or backing a includes Gov. Holcomb, Lt. Gov. Su- popular governor in crisis. zanne Crouch, U.S. Sen. Mike Braun Hill flamed out at a March and then-House Speaker Brian Bos- Jack E. Howey 2018 sine die party when he got ma and then-Senate President David editor emeritus drunk and accosted a Democratic leg- Long, all who called for Hill to resign 1926-2019 islator and Republican Senate staffers. in July 2018. Holcomb cited “zero McCormick bolted reelection, saying tolerance” for sexual harassment and she was tired of “politics” after stray- assault in state government. ing from the party line on such GOP Gov. Holcomb has kept to pillars on school choice issues. She that vow, dismissing Department of even flirted with joining a Democratic Child Services Deputy Director Todd gubernatorial ticket with State Sen. Meyer for sending “creepy texts” Eddie Melton last summer. to an intern, and Indiana National Holcomb is already poised Guard Adj. Gen. Courtney Carr after Page 3 a defamation lawsuit was filed by a female contractor he happens.” State Sen. Karen Tallian added, “Now it is even had had an affair with. more imperative that Indiana women, and Indiana men Hill has until noon Friday to respond to the gov- who support them, must say no. Now, more than ever, ernor’s motion. Holcomb’s counsel has asked for a swift we need a strong woman to be the nominee for attorney clarification before Hill’s suspension begins next Monday. general.” Between Hill’s drunken antics at the sine die And Decatur County Prosecutor Nate Harter, who party and the surfacing of a General Assembly investiga- had been a friend of Hill’s and is now challenging him for tion in June 2018, the attorney general reportedly had the GOP nomination, said, “The Supreme Court ruled that been urged by some social conservatives at the Republican he committed a crime and violated our basic rules of eth- Convention in Evansville to challenge Gov. Holcomb in this ics. Today’s announcement reflects the unavoidable fact year’s primary, due to his support of a broader marriage that my friend Curtis Hill has lost the trust of Hoosiers and plank in that cycle’s platform. has compromised his ability to do the important work we That would have been a fool’s errand, but it re- deserve. There is simply too much at stake to risk losing vealed Hill’s thirst for power. the position to a liberal Democrat who will undermine our This year’s virtual convention will, courtesy of the limited government, pro-life, pro-2nd Amendment values.” pandemic, take the biennial confab from convention hall Republicans will be facing freakish headwinds alcoves and nearby restaurants and bars into the realm of this fall, with a sudden double digit unemployment rate phone calls, Zoom conferences, texts and emails. and the dicey decision on when to reopen the economy, as What Republican delegates should keep in mind is well as fallout from the Trump administration’s pandemic that their duty is to nominate electable candidates. There response. President Trump’s approval is falling. He won’t can be little doubt that Hill is deeply flawed. have Hillary Clinton as a foil, and Trump cleaned up on The two Democratic candidates see an opening. voters who just couldn’t vote for her in 2016. “He has embarrassed himself and the office which he It will be fascinating to see how Hill’s appeal for holds,” said former Evansville mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel. political longevity will fall with Republican delegates in the “It is now up to the voters to hold him accountable and I next month, if he survives the Supreme Court clarification will work every day through November to make sure that this weekend. v ald Trump’s ticket. Holcomb won a three-ballot Republican Hupfer, from page 1 Central Committee caucus just three months before the And he said that the 15-person 5th CD primary election, then crested the Trump wave to upset Democrat has become a tossup race, where the eventual nominee John Gregg. could win with “15 or 16% of the vote,” adding, “I was the “A couple of weeks after this pandemic started, 5th District chairman and I don’t have a good sense where I was getting bombarded with calls,” Hupfer told HPI.