This Is What Happens When I Leave Town…
Despite the fact I enjoy covering Indiana state and local government and the politics that permeates them both, every once in a while I like to leave and return to the home state of Illinois. I check on the house, play comedian, visit with old girlfriends, make new girlfriends and have the best alcoholic beverages a couple bucks can buy at a place called the Brewhaus in downtown Springfield. However, things still take place here that require my attention. Allow me to elaborate on a few items to keep track of…
Brizzi v. Kennedy
Although they won’t speak to me, I think I can make an educated guess that the Kennedy camp is taking advantage of the latest bad news to hit Republican opponent Carl Brizzi. In last Thursday’s Star it was reported that the Indiana Court of Appeals overturned an ex-FSSA caseworker’s conviction for obstructing justice in the death of a four-year old boy placed for adoption.
I read the opnion and the panel ruled the criminal charges were filed too late against Denise Moore of Indianapolis. Under Indiana law a prosecution for a Class D felony is forbidden unless it is commenced with five years of the offense. Moore’s attorney had raised the issue at the trial level but was overruled. The Appellate Court ruled that Moore’s acts occurred on November 11, 1998, more than five years before the charges were filed on February 19, 2004. The court also held Moore did not have the requisite intent to obstruct justice in the investigation. They did find her negligent, but that is not a crime under Indiana law. Brizzi’s office plans to appeal to the Supreme Court. My money is they will argue that Moore’s actions continued past the November 11 date and therefore were within the statute of limitations.
Obviously this is not good news for Brizzi’s office and the Kennedy folks probably had that in mind with a number of billboards apparently up around town. I came across two on west 16th street. They look like the Kennedy campaign sign, except it reads “Results Matter?” I was a little confused at the sign at first not knowing if it was pro-Kennedy or pro-Brizzi? I later pulled up closer and saw that it was paid for by the Kennedy campaign. The billboards make perfect sense as long as the public knows what’s being hinted at. People who read this posting do as you tend to be more informed than the average person. It remains to be seen if they will resonate with the public.
I called the GOP for their reaction (remember the Kennedy folks don’t speak to me) Marion County GOP Executive Director Mike Biberstine told me if results matter, then the public should know when Kennedy was the head of economic development the city’s unemployment rate increased. In those words reveals an interesting strategy that if under Kennedy’s economic leadership the unemployment rate increased, then it would also stand to reason that as unemployment increases, so does crime. You connect the dots.
Regardless, Kennedy will have a victory this week at the City-County building as the Council takes up the ordinance that would fine sex offenders. It is being sponsored by Mary Moriarty-Adams. Kennedy and Adams announced the proposal at a joint news conference a while back.
Voting
I’m preparing a piece on the state of voting in Indiana. Friday a federal judge upheld Indiana’s Voter ID law. Meanwhile, counties across the state have been having problems with ES&S and its voting machines. Marion County has shelved its electronic machines. This will be a little complicated so give me a couple days.
Mitch Goes to Iraq
The Governor went to Iraq this weekend to spend time with Hoosier troops. I’m working on getting him on the air in the next few weeks to talk about that and few other items so stay tuned.
Poltical Time Bomb
I’m told there is a possible ticking political time bomb regarding one candidate in Marion County that could impact every race on the ticket both Republican and Democrat. I’m tracking it down, so check back from time to time.
See what happens when I leave town. Not to mention the weather getting silly. Lord only knows what will happen to this place if I ever decide move on to a bigger market.
