Loading ...Council Wars; Chapter One
With a week to go before the election, City-County Council Democrats are asking their lawyers to see if sanctions can be filed against elected officials they say either gave false testimony this past summer regarding jail overcrowding or failed to do their jobs regarding the budget.
Democrats have asked their lawyers to see whether they can punish Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi over his statements regarding the early release James Stewart, one of the defendants in the Hamilton Avenue murders. Councilmember Mary Moriarty-Adams says Brizzi wasn’t being truthful when he said a front line deputy prosecutor was there arguing against Stewart’s release. Adams says a review of the transcript shows that was not the case.
A copy of that portion of the transcript had been posted for several days on Taking Down Words, a local blog operated by the spokesperson for the Indiana Democratic Party. The posting was extremely critical of Brizzi’s performance as Prosecutor when it came to Stewart’s release, accusing him of grandstanding regarding jail overcrowding.
In addition to going after Brizzi, the Democrats also accuse the Township Assessors, most of whom are Republicans of failing to provide them with county assessment figures, that they say they needed to compile this year’s budget. Council Vice President Joanne Sanders says some of the assessors committed sins of “omission” by not providing the Council with relevant information.
Sanders denies there is politics taking place, but Lawrence Township Assessor Paul Ricketts disagrees, calling it an election year trick.
That sentiment was shared by Matthew Symons, a spokesman for the Brizzi campaign, saying Democrats are upset over criticism that they cut the public safety budget which led to this past summer’s jail overcrowding problem.
Council Republicans say if Democrats go after Brizzi and the Township Assessors they will open their own investigations into alleged falsehoods and purposeful mistatements by the Mayor’s staff regarding the budget and police consolidation.
October 31st, 2006 at 12:02 am
Who’s got the over/under on how long it’ll take Aaron Haith to come up with such opinion? I’m thinking of a press conference, televised live, next Monday night.
October 31st, 2006 at 7:49 am
Well, here’s the real skinny, and it’ll probably make everyone mad (there’s something for everyone here, folks):
Brizzi did CYA on the jail population issue in front of the council. To say he lied may be a stretch, but he knew the truth would hurt him politically, adn he dodged. Bob and weave, in true Ali style. Mary Moriarty Adams is as sharp as they come and she feels misled, regardless of political timing.
Township assessors did not conspire to deliver tardy or inaccurate information. As a group, they’re just incompetent, and a perfect argument for elimination of township government. And they are represented in front of the council by Lawrence’s Paul Ricketts.
What you saw from Councilwoman Sanders, who’s usually very level-headed, is raw politics on two fronts:
1. They sense, accurately, that Melina is going to lose, and that Carl is a potential mayoral nominee next year. They want to begin the bloodying. That won’t be tough.
2. They also sense, correctly, that Ricketts is about to go under the water for the third time…he’s bloody and the sharks are circling. He may not lose this fall, but he’ll have a tough race, and he, too, is a potential 07 mayoral candidate in Lawrence. He’s spent three years waging and choreographing almost-constant war against the Mayor of Lawrence, often looking pretty silly in the process.
Joan took a wide swing and hit two people, Carl and Paul. Carl’s bloodbath is just beginning if he runs for mayor in 07.
Ricketts is another case altogether…most of the info Democrats want to use to bloody him, came from other Republicans.
What goes around, comes around.
VOte early, vote….oh well, you know.
October 31st, 2006 at 8:45 am
Vote Republican for a Change,
get the vote out on November 7th!
Richard Lugar for U.S. Senate
Eric Dickerson for 7th District Congress
Todd Rokita for Secretary of State
Tim Berry for State Auditor
Richard Mourdock for State Treasurer
Carl Brizzi for County Prosecutor
Angela Cypress for County Recorder
Donna Edgar for County Clerk
Jennifer Ping for County Auditor
Janis Wilson for County Assessor
Steve Davis for County Sheriff
Gary Loveless for Center Township Assessor
Kent Smith for Center Township Constable
Linda Ivey for Center Township Trustee
Atty. Darla Williams for Center Township Small Claims Court
Voter ID protects your right to vote!
October 31st, 2006 at 11:34 am
A few things:
1) Brizzi (win or lose) can’t run for Mayor. He’s going to have very little money left. If he looses (possibility), he’s done. If he wins (also a possibility), he does so by a much smaller margin than he was expected to. That said, Brizzi would look like a bumbling fool in a debate with Mayor Peterson.
2) MM Adams isn’t a political creature, or she would have moved beyond her seat into the leadership, or higher office. She’s a good public servant, and I think this is legit. The timing will hurt the merits of what might be a very valid point.