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A couple interesting news items from Marion County. Give it a read!
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
The political rumor mill is abuzz. I found out today that Marion County Democrats might be getting ready to eat two of their own. My sources tell me Council Member Patrice Abdullah (District 15) and Angela Mansfield (District 2) are both in their party’s sights. Because the two stood up against the bar at 300 East as well as the Savoy on west 86th Street, I’m told they probably won’t get slated in next year’s municipal elections. It would be a shame if that were to happen. While I disagree with Abdullah and Mansfield philosophically on some issues, they are still honorable people who want to represent their constituents. Please note, both the Savoy and 300 East were owned by local Democratic power broker Bill Mays and Monroe Gray, the Council President also had an interest in 300 East, through his wife who was an investor in the establishment. And if you’re counting that makes three Democrats who’ve been targeted by their own. Democrats threatened to run an opponent against Sharron Franklin because she did not vote for consolidation.
From Michigan Road to Martin Luther King Dr.
It just never stops, this morning. Some local elected officials want to change the name of Michigan Road to Martin Luther King Dr., in Indianapolis. The change would take place on Michigan Road from 38th Street to 96th Street. They say it’s a way to honor Dr. King. And they accuse anyone who opposes the idea of being a racist. I have to laugh really loud at this one. Many of the residents oppose the change because of Michigan Road’s legacy and historic status as a major thoroughfare of the Underground Railroad. Proponents of changing the road name will call them racists, although the head of the organization leading the fight is the son of one of the Tuskegee Airmen. I think I’ve rattled some more cages today and will probably get shot at before it’s all over.
October 24th, 2006 at 9:57 am
Dems have to worry about THIS election before worrying about the next one. Unfortunately Patrice is an innercity seat and it won’t flip, maybe one of Julia’s outlaw grandsons can run for that seat. It would be very good if Angela’s and Sherron’s seats would flip to the R’s. This city’s leadership is so corrupt it makes Lake County look good.
About extending the MLK name from 38th to 96th - I got one better let’s name ALL the streets after black leaders. We can have Malcom X Avenue, Medgar Evers Blvd, Bill Mays Street, Jesse Jackson Road, and Mmoja Ajabu Way. You know since Peoria, Illinois wouldn’t do it just for good measure we’ll put on in for Richard Pryor too. That should bring in all kinds of jobs and make black folks feel real good all over. You know Dr. Andrew J. Brown’s street is doing really well these days.
October 24th, 2006 at 12:17 pm
Oh Hail sometimes you’re full of it.
Angela is a better councilwoman asleep than most Republicans are awake. She will win again if she runs, but I haven’t heard a definitive answer on that.
Those who would oppose her at slating, I’m guessing, will see their influence drop dramatically in about two weeks. Not disappear, but diminish. Not soon enough for me.
Sherron needs to go, though, because she’s a goof. Plain and simple. And I’m sick to death of police and fire personnel voting on the council. I respect their community service, but they need to get off the council.
But by doing their jobs, Patrice and Angela should not havhe to feel political repercussions from within their own party at slating. They probably will have some sabers rattled at them, but each is a powerful vote-getter among Republicans, too. Angela is tough. So it Patrice. He made the mistake (horrors!) of asking his constituents how they felt about the 300 East Carson Center bar. What a concept.
Angela, in the Savoy case, never once asked the neighbors’ politics. If she had, I’m pretty sure she’d have seen 80-90% Republicans surrounding her. To her, it didn’t matter. Their issues were succinct and correct. Regardless what Amos Brown says. It’s not about race. It’s about respect for the zoning laws.
She also refused to stand up beside Ron Gibson during his press conference theatrics. That, more than anything else, will probably get some long knives out for her within the party. Which is sad. She did that out of respect for the police officers, who shouldn’t have had to endure Ron’s (alleged!) nonsense.
Abdul, this rumor has been out there for over a month.
October 24th, 2006 at 3:11 pm
You need to change your flavor of Kool-Aid.
The Dems of Marion County have FAILED. You’re about to find yourself in Gary South. Corrupt and crime-ridden.
Though Angela is on the other side of the aisle she seems to have a bit more sense than many of the other Dems. I only get a sense of “what’s in it for me” from Patrice, though I admire his stance against the big money Bill Mays and Sweet Pea Shake Gray.
If that bar does go thru this is all the fire the GOP needs and we’re coming on the attack next year.. first things first though we need to get Carl Brizzi re-elected, Steve Davis and Eric Dickerson elected first. Then focus on 2007.
October 24th, 2006 at 3:22 pm
Marion County Surprise…
Hmm…
Could it be that one of the candidates for Marion County Prosecutor wasn’t legally able to be an attorney before she decided to run.
Could it be that she decided being an attorney wasn’t what she wanted and allowed her law license to expire.
THAT IS A MARION COUNTY SURPRISE!
October 24th, 2006 at 8:30 pm
Saw Eric Dickerson at a gathering the other night — pretty impressive as I had heard he was from others. I hope the poll that has him leading is right.
On Melena Kennedy, my wife is constantly taking classes to keep up her health professions license and we couldn’t believe it when it came out that a candidate for office who has to be a licensed lawyer had let it lapse. Glad to hear from the previous entry that maybe the Republicans will bring this back up.
October 26th, 2006 at 4:44 am
Here’s a link to a petition if you’re AGAINST the name change.
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/nowaymlk/
October 27th, 2006 at 4:59 pm
IS THE 7TH DISTRICT FOR SALE?
Carson: Bought and Paid for
Campaign Finance: an alternate perspective part Deux
Taken from OpenSecrets.org
Julia Carson (D)*
Laborers Union $10,000
United Auto Workers $10,000
Operating Engineers Union $6,500
American Federation of Teachers $5,000
American Fedn of St/Cnty/Munic Employees $5,000
Congressional Black Caucus PAC $5,000
Intl Brotherhood of Electrical Workers $5,000
Machinists/Aerospace Workers Union $5,000
National Education Assn $5,000
Sheet Metal Workers Union $5,000
United Steelworkers of America $5,000
Amerus Life Insurance $4,100
LGBT Fairness Fund $4,100
Siebert, Brandford et al $4,000
National Cmte for an Effective Congress $3,000
Winston Terrell Group $2,632
AT&T Inc $2,500
Carpenters & Joiners Union $2,500
Credit Union National Assn $2,500
FedEx Corp $2,500
French Pharmicie $2,500
This is the list of PACs and groups that contributed to Julia Carson’s campaign this year for a total of $96,832. $64K (66%) of which is from the corrupt labor unions which pretty much hand out money to anyone with a “D” as their party affiliation. $3K from a left-wingnut group (Nat’l Cmte for Effective Congress). $4100 from the gays, $5K from the liberal CBC. French Pharmicie is NOT a drug company. It’s a hoidy-toidy shop in Broad Ripple owned by one Stacy Kosene, whose given money as herself and her company essentially double dipping to bypass campaign finance laws. Kosene - a relative of the Kosenes that are real estate developers, and friends of Mayor Bart Peterson who is also a real estate developer by profession. Just connecting the dots!
Interesting CUNA gave her $2500 - they think they are paying for help from the banking committee, thinking she might get the nod for committee chair if by some miracle she wins this election. Imagine Julia Carson being in charge of the House Banking Cmte? EEE-GADS! I can just see her sitting there asleep supposedly listening to Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke’s testimony and waking up to say there was just a little girl in her lap and she was eating Julia’s food and she disappeared? NO THANK YOU!
UPDATE: Gary Welsh of Advance Indiana has this update to the campaign finance story:
Carson is also getting last-minute help from some of her congressional colleages. Rep. Mel Watt (D-NC) and Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) kicked in $2,000 each this past week, and Rep. Ed Pastor (D-AZ) and Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) kicked in another $1,000 a piece. She picked up another $1,000 from a banker’s PAC. One has to wonder why her colleagues are bothering to give her any money
So she has an additional $6000 to play around with? For a seat the flyover media thought was safe its turning out the Dickerson campaign is getting attention. Much more than the previous candidates.