Dear Mr. Hakim-Shabazz,

Your continued vilification of Ms. Heather Bolejack, former executive director of the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute, is reprehensible and borders on slander. Today, you once again revert to the spineless old “sources tell me” tactic to create a story where there is none.

If these “sources” don’t have the courage or integrity to stand up and identify themselves, let alone offer any substantive evidence to support their theories or allegations, then your so-called reporting is nothing short of a digital version of the wall of my old boys’ bathroom at IPS School 50.

You have done nothing over the past eight weeks but ignorantly regurgitate the baseless claims of Ms. Bolejack’s critics and blindly assent to the conclusions of the Inspector General’s report. I encourage you to review the report once more and demonstrate to your audience and the public that any hard evidence exists to prove fraud, nepotism, monetary gain or any of the other criminal or ethical acts presumed to be committed by Ms. Bolejack. The report is exceptionally long on allegation, conjecture, speculation and presumption, but strikingly lacking in substance.

Your inexplicable parroting of those with personal agendas in this matter is disheartening to say the least. Ms. Bolejack is a bright young woman of high moral character who has done her best to be forthright and cooperative during this entire ordeal. I respectfully ask that in the future you make at least a superficial effort at balancing your remarks, or take an even higher road and exercise a modicum of restraint. The personal toll your self-righteous crusade is taking on Heather and her family continues to be devastating. Enough is enough.

In the interest of transparency, I make it clear that I have served as Ms. Bolejack’s communications advisor. Unlike her critics, I make no effort to conceal my identity or to apologize for my professional relationship with her. I agreed to represent her because I sincerely believe in her innocence and personal integrity. Where mistakes were made, she has admitted them. Where responsibility has been appropriately assigned to her, she has accepted it.

I do not ask anyone to share my perspective based solely upon face value. I only ask that all who would render an opinion on this talented and courageous young woman to set aside the veiled comments and innuendo proffered by her enemies and instead look at what has been smugly and irresponsibly characterized as “evidence.” Better yet, why not apply the fundamental precept of our American legal system upholding the presumption of innocence? But then, I suppose that doesn’t make the “story” nearly as interesting.

Sincerely,

Ernie Reno – President
Avatar Communications Group

Very interesting the disparity in treatment between Bolejack and Schneider.

Hey Ernie,

Name one time I’ve been wrong on this issue. You know where I work and what I do for a living. I’ll be more than happy to take your call and chat.

Abdul

It’s only slander if it’s not true.

And, working in the public sector made Heather a public figure.

PR people love to throw around words like “slander” and “libel”… it means nothing.

Actually, it’s only slander if it causes injury or harm to one’s reputation. Do you think Ms. Bolejack’s reputation has been injured in this instance? I believe so.