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McAtee Attack

The Marion County Election Board today turned back a challenge that would have removed Republican Bart McAtee from the ballot in the May primary.

At issue was whether McAtee’s candidacy was in violation of the Little Hatch Act which prohibits state and local government employees from running for public office if their jobs are partially funded with federal dollars.

As an officer, McAtee was paid overtime over the years with federal dollars, but by the time he officially filed his candidacy in 2010, he had changed to a new position which did not receive federal money.    However, McAtee had formed an exploratory committee for Sheriff in 2007, which did raise money while he was covered by the Hatch Act.

The Election Board held that while there may have been past violations that the law addresses only current and future violations and that whether McAtee should be held accountable for  past violations was not within their jurisdiction and should be left up to the voters.

McAtee is challenging Dennis Fishburn who is the GOP’s slated candidate.

The primary is May 4.

Posted: 03|5|10 at 12:20 pm by Abdul Hakim-Shabazz
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  • Hector

    Tom John loses another round in his attempt to manipulate the voters' choice for sheriff.

  • Think Again

    Stand aside, Hector (tee-hee). I Love Republican food fights. Let them have at it.

    But here's a short primer on Marion County politics: when Republicans controlled things, the names “Cottey” and “McAtee” were feared for a reason. Now, they're mainly associated with corrupt sheriff's department administrations. I laugh every time I see the You Tube security cam video of Cottey re-claiming his towed Camaro at the Delaware/South tow lot. If there's a more puffed-up gasbag in Marion County politics, please point him out.

    Let 'em nominate a McAtee. Frankly, it's be better for us than the dad of a severely-wounded LEO.

    It's ours to lose, Hector. Stand back and watch 'em duke it out.

  • Hector

    Yes, that YouTube video of Sheriff Cotty at the auto impound lot is a classic. It shows the idea of republican privilege.

  • varangianguard

    No Hector, it shows the idea of a bully of a Sheriff's privilege. Besides, Republicans aren't alone in having some of their “members” act out in that type of fashion.

  • Think Again

    We've got some goofs on our side who act the same, Hector. But a drunken Cottey telling the desk attendant to “get that M—-F—— (Lot owner) out here and tell him it's Jack Cottey waiting. I'll have his f——license pulled. He doesn't know who he's messing with. I'm the f—– sheriff of this f—— county.”

    Priceless stuff. All the sillier 'cause he's half-looped, and his hairpiece is curling up on the sides. (Doesn't he have any mirrors in his house?)

    Yeah, yeah, right…please, please Marion County Republicans….give us more Cotteys and McAtees. We gave you plenty.

  • Indy4U2C

    I wish someone would post the amount of money the McAtee family donated to democrats, especially democrat Frank Anderson.

    How many members of the McAtee family are on the Sheriff's payroll…and how many cronys of the McAtee family are on the Sheriff's payroll.

    How many make-work, do-nothing, non-posted jobs were made for McAtee cronys?

  • Think Again

    Indy, that's the LEAST of your worries about McAtees. LOL

    Hector, this is gonna be fun. They're eating their young.

  • pogden297

    You all do realize don't you that Joe McAtee and Cottey were sworn enemies and that Cottey back Schneider over McAttee in 2002. Lumping them together doesn't is like trying to associate me with Tom John because we're both Republicans. Perish the thought.

  • Indy4U2C

    Is Wilson Allen running to be the democrat nominee for sheriff?

  • Think Again

    Nice try at deflection, you tool.

    But it won't work. I may cross over and take a GOP ballot to vote for McAtee…he's poison on the fall ballot. Rat poison.

  • ibviral

    David and John,

    All you have to do is look on the records. It's right there.

  • wilson46201

    Is Jocelyn Tandy going to be running for dog-catcher? It's the only office she hasn't tried for yet!

  • pogden297

    McAtee will be able to raise money. Fishburn is going to find himself left to his own devices which isn't good. The Ds would be fools for wanting to running against McAtee instead of Fishburn.

  • Hector

    On the other hand, the GOP has Fishburn who is a low level member of the department with very little experience. It boggles my mind why they thought he was up to the job…….that will be a real campaign issue…….

  • Think Again

    Hector, here's a smalltown political trick that has some relevance here: (with no disrespect intended at ALL)

    Whenever a county chair couldn't find someone to run against the clerk or auditor, the best avenue was often: find a recent widow(er). Regardless of party. It almost always works.

    There is enormous empathy out there for the Fishburn family. He's not a widower, but he came too damned close to losing a son, and we're all grateful for his son's tremendous sacrifice. I'm not sure Capt. Fishburn needs any police experience to garner more votes than McAtee could in the fall. I'm told he is tremendously respected among the LEO ranks. A very nice guy; no barnacles whatsoever.

    The GOP wants this office back. I don't understand why–they've spent over seven years trashing its occupant and the office itself. I don't know if the office-trashing was a goal, but the spillover from slamming Anderson has been tremendous–a real scortched-earth situation.

    We're still a 57-58% Democratic county. But the Fishburn candidacy worries me far more than any McAtee candidacy. Put your ear to the ground–there is still tremendous chuckle factor for anything Cottey-McAtee. They were resounding failures and you don't have to search very hard to find some Republican PCs and ward folks who think both were corrupt as hell.

    We're just going to have to hustle our vote to the polls in November, Hector. It can be done. One more reason, frankly, to lay off the 2011 shenanigans, and all attendant hubbub. We have much good work to do.

  • ibviral

    He does not have a chance, thats why TJ and DB wanted McAtee out. McAtee will cost Fishburn a lot of money, which he does not have.It makes sence that the two demos on the eleciton board wated to save McAtee.They want both GOP guys to speend all of their money in the primary.

    Its really pretty simple why the chose Fishburn, he will be a puppet for TJ and BD and not even know it,
    kind of sad really.If Ogden is correct there may be some hinky stuff with Fishburn and Wishard anyway.
    Either way it's going to be the most interesting of the campaigns.

  • pogden297

    Fishburn will have no money and has no experience as a candidate and limitied experience in supervision.

    Joe McAtee left as a very popular Sheriff. Granted that's been years ago. I don't get this whole trying to connect McAtee and Cottey as they never were in each other's political camps.

    The Ds would rip Fishburn to shreds and he'd have no money to defend. They are much better off facing Fishburn.

  • lawrenceofarabia

    He doesn't have limited experience at supervision, he has NONE unless you count supervising prisoners. I hear he was the guy that held the doors while the other officers ran into stop fights.

    Tom John already got burned with Motsinger and Durham and was in real danger with Roy had it went to court. He hates McAtee with a passion because McAtee doesn't do what TJ wants him to and quite frankly doesn't appear to even care what TJ wants. They pulled fishburn out to run on his sons name and he BARELY won the slate even after TJ threatened all the precinct people with how to vote.

    I say good for Joe voting for a Democrat. Look at what happened to Schnieder after he lost the election. If Bart follows in his dads footsteps to put the Marion County people over the will of the Marion County GOP then we will be better off. Only time will tell.

  • lawrenceofarabia

    TJ has already told Fishburn that they wouldn't be helping him financially and that he was on his own. Tom John would rather loose then have someone he cant control in the Sheriffs position.

  • Think Again

    Wow, Paul, we surely lived in different worlds. True, they weren't completely in one another's political camps, but both left as very-much unliked. Ask around.

    And not very effective. One might even say corrupt. Think jail food contracts. Constable interaction. Vehicle purchases.

    If the GOP wants to nominate a McAtee, I'd be thrilled. Ecstatic. (Shhhhhh!) Almost a third of the current electorate never voted for either one of them.

  • lawrenceofarabia

    Think Again,
    Im afraid I have to agree with Paul on this one. I have lived here all my life and I dont recall any of the fraud and voter distrust under the previous McAtee administration. He left a VERY well liked (contrary to your position) and still has a ton of supporters including many on the force today. That says a ton when the guys who used to work for you still support you by an overwhelming majority. But thats really besides the issue. Your trying to project the actions and your opinions of Joe McAtee on his son. If you have issues with Joe than thats fine, your welcome to that but its a bit unfair to somehow assume that Bart will support your distrust by his actions. If you look at Barts career on the force I think you will see someone who is an outstanding officer that really cares about the people that work for him and around him. The fact the he doesnt put politics first is why Tom John doesn't like him. He isn't going to be manipulated into doing their will and thats why they are so threatened by him. I look forward to an honest election where the will of the people not the will of TJ chooses who the best candidate is. its situations like that were the people of Marion county win and thats whats really important.

  • ibviral

    TA, if you were listed on IPSE.com I would buy the hell out of your stock.You get the whole thing.It's refreshing.

  • varangianguard

    lawrenceofarabia,

    You might be confusing political patronage with being “well liked”. Of course he had a significant set of supporters inside the Sheriff's Dept. They may even have liked him like you said, but they also owed him their job and their rank. Significant distinction from freely providing allegiance. When one has been at the apex of a system designed to perpetuate one's own political position, it is certainly not surprising to find that that position is supported by those wholely dependent upon the largesse of the “alpha” politico.

  • Think Again

    Keep on dreaming, folks. The McAtee name is: 1) not that well known by 30-40% of voters; and 2) associated with an unsuccessful MCSD. You can re-invent history all you want. That's the way it is.

    The McAtee name is about 10% above the Cottey name in the respect department, among voters who remember. And that's not very high. The voters who don't remember can easily be reminded.

    Look, I don't care what the GOP does in the priamry. But when you enter the election 5-10 points down in party baseline vote, you can do worse than pick a name that is associated favorably due to a relative's near-death experience. The real trick will be the Fishburn folks' use of that name. It is a tricky equation: sympathy-vs-practicality.

    I'll watch closely. From over——————here. We've got PC level work to do in our own priamry, because we have opponents to the slate.

  • lawrenceofarabia

    Think again,

    To use your own argument, he is therefore well known by 60-70% of the voters. I'm sure ANY party would love to have their candidates name recognition at even a fraction of those levels. I guess that the side of the isle someone is from gives them a unique perspective on the success and/or failure of an organization. I doubt that those still in the Sheriff's department would call it unsuccessful but to each their own!

    At the end of the day I want the most qualified person I can get representing my party and my interests. I would hope that you feel the same way. What has the GOP given to the Marion County residents if they put up someone completely and utterly unqualified simply because they tow the party line and do the bidding of some corrupt chairman.

  • Think Again

    Lawrence, I don't know Tom John well, but he's not corrupt. By my standard, he's wrong on a lot of issues, but that hardly convicts someone of a crime. Ask Rico. He thinks if someone disagrees with me, they should be a saint.

    I've decided to re-think my McAtee line. Go ahead and put him on the ballot. Please. I think he's the single-most-qualified man to ever run for sheriff in the history of Indiana. Ever. He walks on water, his dad walked on water, everyone around him walks on water.

  • lawrenceofarabia

    My job is done..

    ;)

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  • beverly mcatee

    hello my name is Beverly McAtee. I am the daughter of Lester &Reva McAtee & the granddaughter of Roy & Emma McAtee. here is my e-mail address. beverly1954@hotmail.com would like to hear from any of the McAtee!s out there please beverly mcatee