Brizzi’s Honor, Part II
Here’s my interview with Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi on Tim Durham which aired on the radio show this morning.
In part one Brizzi explains his relationship with Durham, the impact on his work as Prosecutor, his role on the Board of Fair Financial, Durham’s notable lifestyle and Brizzi’s other finances.
In part two we discuss whether Brizzi will return any of Durham’s campaign contributions, whether the two have spoken since the FBI raid and whether Brizzi will run for re-election.
If you are another media outlet you are free to use excerpts from the interview as long as you credit the audio is courtesy of the “Abdul in the Morning Show” on Newstalk 1430, WXNT-AM.
December 8th, 2009 at 7:48 am
Excellent and fair interview Abdul.
December 8th, 2009 at 9:07 am
[...] County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi about his relationship with Tim Durham. You can hear the interview here. Brizzi explains his relationship with Durham, the impact on his work as Prosecutor, his role [...]
December 8th, 2009 at 9:23 am
Way to lob softballs to your buddy, Abdul! Brizzi is no longer worthy of my trust and hence he will never get another vote from me, regardless of the office. The man is clearly lacking in character and integrity.
December 8th, 2009 at 9:29 am
What is Carl Brizzi's track record on prosecuting white collar crime and political graft?
Is Carl Brizzi fully cooperating with federal authorities?
Has he recused himself from conducting an investigation into violations of Indiana law under his jurisdiction?
Is Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller taking a role left void by Carl Brizzi?
Special prosecutor?
December 8th, 2009 at 10:05 am
“I'll decide whether to run again in 30-45 days”??? gee carl, way to think of your party. When is the R slating caucus? Jan? February? Where's the party leadership in all of this? gheeze. At this point it wouldn't surprise me that if old Carl were anywhere but in court or prison, he'd run again. WOW. Just WOW.
December 8th, 2009 at 10:54 am
I don't care if he runs again. We Dems can beat him, even if he decides to run, and even before this round of nonsense hit the fan.
He's vulnerable because he's stayed too long. And because he prosecutes white collar crime slowly, if at all. And because he didn't use sufficient discretion in his association with Durham.
We're certainly allowed to choose our friends. And our investments. To some degree, candidates can choose from whom to accept contributions.
Carl fell completely off the bus with this Durham thing.
The guy's a known playboy, loose with the facts, yet Carl parties with him and allows pictures to be taken at exotic locales with Playboy-bunny-types all around.
Then he invests in Tim's company.
Then he goes on one of Tim's boards.
There have been complaints and signals about this Durham fella for a couple of years. The potential severity may be new, but securities authorities have had Durham in their cross-hairs for at least a couple of years. If Carl didn't know that, he's criminally stupid.
The chief law enforcement officer in the county, shouldn't be taking $140 large from any one source. It invites all kinds of lousy comparisons.
Your interview today, Abdul, was impartial and pointed. I think you comported yourself pretty well.
But nothing in that interview, couldn't have been siad by Brizzi 12 days ago. He coldly and carefully waited on the sidelines to see what shoes would drop, before he said anythying.
Which is one more reason he should go.
Durham may end up completely innocent of all potential charges. I highly doubt it. The FBI doesn't move like this without just cause. And the warrants were signed by no less a Republican rightwinger than Judge Barker herself…who doesn't sign warrants lightly.
December 8th, 2009 at 11:29 am
Mr. Brizzi can't differentiate when his friend claims that banks are Ponzi schemes too? Hmm. That may explain a lot about the rest of his “judgement” in this matter.
December 8th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
I vote for Brizzi twice. That will never happen again. He lost all my confidence and the rest of my family wants him gone too. The GOP is falling apart here in Indianapolis. We have one of the worst mayors ever. We lost a city county member to the Libertarians. The GOP constantly votes for more money to the CIB and other groups. We're all done with the GOP. Is there any libertarians here I can ask some questions?
December 8th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
Samantha, far be it from me to cast my lot with the GOP. But don't despair.
The council member you lost to the Libertarians was no great loss. He still votes with the GOP on leadership issues.
The Republican Party had its way with indy for four decades via UniGov. The pendulum has swung back. Unless there are public opinion hailstorms, and unless the Democrats are divided, county-wide races will rarely be won by the GOP any more.
Hell Carl barely beat Melina Kennedy in 2006. He raised a couple million, she isn't from here, and she had zippo prosecutorial experience.
The real challenge for countywide leaders in the future, will be the vexing budget problem vis-a-vis property taxes. There are no easy fixes. There isn't the collective cerebral mass on the CCC to deal with it, so it has to be the big-ticket countywide officials who deal with it: treasurer, mayor, auditor, and from the crime perspective, prosecutor.
Carl just crapped in his mess kit because he can't distinguish between bosom buddies (build your own joke) and true friends for whom you'd lie down in front of a bulldozer. He went with glitz and glam. He's made his choice.
He's been a mediocre prosecutor anyway. Time to move on.
December 8th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
Marion Co. is becoming more socialist, as generations of welfare layabouts and bums continue to procreate and spread their demands for other people's money.
I purposely avoided buying a home in Marion Co./Indy for this reason. The ghetto is spreading to the surrounding townships. Some vinyl village neighborhoods on the far East and NE side are becoming the projects of the future. Some bad storms went by a couple years ago and there are homes still using tarps!! There has been at least one killing in what was a corn field maybe five years ago. Barf Peterson's government allowed for the construction of yet another Section 8 cesspool just east of Washington Sq. Mall, sealing the fate of the east side….but the more poor minorities he helped move into the area means it is more likely Warren Township remain in the D column.
A Democrat prosecutor won't be any better anyways. Marion Co. criminal “justice” system is anything but. Thieves constantly being released within hours of being locked up…after stealing their fourth, fifth, sixth…whatever, vehicle over a 10-15 year time span.
Now the Socialist in Marion County are targeting the “metro area” for yet another “regional” tax. The socialists on the CCB, Democrats and Republicans, are so drunk with spending other people's money..now they want to add more people to the mix to steal from, because everyone living in Indy/Marion Co. is tapped out.
December 8th, 2009 at 7:29 pm
John Doe, you have John Birch holding on line two.
And 1959 called…they want their paranoia back.
December 8th, 2009 at 8:46 pm
1959 didn't have nearly as many welfare cases, in raw numbers or as a percent of the population, by any measure of race or ethnicity you care to study.
And Republicans understood the difference between private business and public obligations, unlike today.
Maybe on that score, we can get the number off caller ID? Something needs to change.
December 9th, 2009 at 4:27 am
“John Doe, you have John Birch holding on line two.
And 1959 called…they want their paranoia back.”
When the only comeback someone has is jokes and silly little sayings, you know everything the other person said was true. All one has to do is listed to Afternoon with Amos and they can hear a good number of the socialists in this town who demand more money from other people.
December 9th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
You took it easy on Brizzi, Abdul. I think he came across pretty relaxed and confident in light of how big this is, but who knows if he got to look at the questions in advance or even help to draft the questions. I don't put anything past a politcian.
Also, I'll never forget that I was removed from Brizzi's FB page for posting a concern months back. He's MY public servant. I even voted for him….TWICE. He should answer questions and concerns posted on his FB page by constituents, not boot them.
Curious though, why didn't you let Brizzi field questions from your listeners about his record on white collar crime prosecutions? It is relevant.
December 9th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
You took it easy on Brizzi, Abdul. I think he came across pretty relaxed and confident in light of how big this is, but who knows if he got to look at the questions in advance or even help to draft the questions. I don't put anything past a politcian.
Also, I'll never forget that I was removed from Brizzi's FB page for posting a concern months back. He's MY public servant. I even voted for him….TWICE. He should answer questions and concerns posted on his FB page by constituents, not boot them.
Curious though, why didn't you let Brizzi field questions from your listeners about his record on white collar crime prosecutions? It is relevant.