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If you have any news tips, gossip or rumors you would like to share or any ideas for future post. Please send an email to: 6vwts@notsharingmy.info or contact us on Twitter: @IndyRepublicanX

You do not have to leave your name. We appreciate greatly your support.


Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Merry Christmas!

INDY REPUBLICAN just wanted to wish you all a belated Merry Christmas! Here’s old Burl Ives wishing you a Holly Jolly Christmas!



Thursday, December 12, 2019

Did Governor Eric Holcomb’s Administration Improperly Waive Safety Fines for Amazon?


Governor “Mad” Eric Holcomb 


Lindsey Erdody of the Indianapolis Business Journal wrote an article about the 2017 death of 59 year old Phillip Lee Terry at the Plainfield, Indiana Amazon warehouse.  Terry’s death by itself might just sound like a tragic accident on the job. But as Erdody reports there appears to be much more to this than an unfortunate accident.

Erdody writes:

An article, published Monday by Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting, details the death of 59-year-old Phillip Lee Terry and the state’s investigation into whether Amazon was liable. Terry died on the job at the Amazon warehouse in Plainfield in late September 2017 after a 1,200-pound piece of equipment dropped and crushed him.

The Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration was sent to investigate the death, and safety inspector John Stallone concluded a forklift had not been propped up as it should have been when Terry was working under it, according to the Reveal article.

Stallone asked Amazon for proof that Terry had been trained on how to properly work on the equipment, but the company did not provide adequate proof, so Stallone issued four safety citations for a total fine of $28,000, according to the story.

That same month, Holcomb directed state officials to try to lure Amazon into locating its second headquarters in the state. The Seattle-based company announced it was in the market for another location and had promised a $5 billion investment and 50,000 new jobs to the winning region.

In November 2017, while the public bidding war for Amazon’s HQ2 was still playing out, Stallone and his boss, Indiana OSHA Director Julie Alexander, called Amazon officials to talk about the citations and fine related to Terry’s death, according to the article. Stallone recorded the call, and Alexander can be heard telling Amazon officials how to reduce the fines and shift the blame to “employee misconduct,” according to Reveal.

In a podcast posted by Reveal that included some of the audio from that conversation, Alexander is heard telling Stallone “I hope you don’t take it personally if we have to manipulate your citations.”

Stallone told Reveal that a few days after that call, he was called into a meeting with Indiana Labor Commissioner Rick Ruble and Holcomb, who allegedly brought up the Amazon deal and said it would mean a lot to the state to land the headquarters.

Ruble then told Stallone to either back off the Amazon case or resign, according to the story. Stallone told Reveal that he quit soon afterward.

Holcomb’s office denied that meeting ever happened.

“The claim against the governor is absolutely untrue,” Holcomb spokeswoman Rachel Hoffmeyer said.


Ms. Erdody points out that the Indiana Department of Labor on September 14, 2018 waived all proposed fines against Amazon. Click here to read the IDOL’s settlement with Amazon. Click here for the story by Reveal News which sparked interest in this case. Also check out Reveal’s podcast “Amazon: Behind The Smiles”. 

Our story doesn’t end here though. Governor Eric Holcomb and has responded in a most interesting way to media inquiries into their alleged conduct surrounding Amazon and the death of Phillip Lee Terry. In a follow up article on December 4th, 2019 Lindsey Erdody wrote:


Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb and the Indiana Department of Labor insist that the investigation into an Amazon employee’s death in 2017 was handled appropriately, even though the safety violations that were initially issued were eventually dismissed.

Reveal, part of the not-for-profit Center for Investigative Reporting, recently highlighted the investigation as part of a report on working conditions in Amazon facilities across the country. The Indianapolis Star also published the Indiana-specific section of the Reveal article, which alleges Holcomb was involved in getting Amazon’s fines eliminated after the September 2017 death of a maintenance employee in Plainfield as part of a strategy to win Amazon’s coveted HQ2 project.

Holcomb has repeatedly denied the allegations, even taking the unusual step of issuing cease-and-desist letters to Reveal and the IndyStar. On Tuesday, he said he believes the Department of Labor and the Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration handled the case correctly.

Let’s stop and think for just a minute here. The Indianapolis Star and Reveal publish a story alleging that Governor Eric Holcomb and the Indiana Labor Commissioner sought to avoid making Amazon pay a fine in the death of one of it’s employees. All so that the state could hope to lure Amazon into placing a distribution center in Indiana. But rather than logically refute the story. Mad King Eric AKA High Tax Holcomb decides to do his best  imitation of a Soviet apparatchik and send cease and desist letters to Reveal and The Indianapolis Star merely for exercising their free speech rights, and for upsetting Governor Cry Baby. Such behavior from former Governor Mitch Daniels personal slave is not surprising. Indiana deserves better than Eric Holcomb. This is clearly the age of the second rater as far as Indiana government goes. 

Click here to read the text of Governor Holcomb’s childish cease and desist demand letters.


Fortunately several Indiana journalists have decided they are not going to bend over and let Holcomb slap them into submission. Neither Reveal or The Indianapolis Star have backed down or retracted there stories regarding Holcomb and Amazon. 

The Fort Wayne News-Sentinel published an editorial denouncing Holcomb’s antics. The Indiana Society of Professional Journalists also wrote an open letter to Eric Holcomb criticizing his attempts to quell free speech. We will end this post by reproducing the SPJ’s letter in full:

Dec. 3, 2019

Honorable Eric J. Holcomb
Governor of Indiana
200 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204

Dear Gov. Holcomb:

The Indiana Professional Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists takes exception to your call for the Indianapolis Star and Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting to cease and desist reporting stories about your administration’s handling of worker safety investigations at Amazon facilities in Indiana.

Our organization, which represents professional journalists throughout Indiana, feels this move is a threat to press freedom.

According to Article I, section 9 of the Indiana Constitution: “No law shall be passed restraining the free interchange of thought and opinion, or restricting the right to speak, write, or print, freely, on any subject whatever: but for the abuse of that right, every person shall be responsible.”

In our view, your cease-and-desist letters, issued on Nov. 29, are designed to intimidate reporters and journalists looking into your administration. The letters also add to the overall climate in the nation that looks to undermine the credibility of journalists and media outlets.

Although you might not agree with the contents or conclusions of the report in Reveal and the Indianapolis Star, an unusual call by your office for a cease-and-desist order against the media could chill efforts to report an ongoing story.

Indiana Pro SPJ stands behind the efforts of local and national journalism outlets to report issues of public importance and hold leaders accountable. If there are disputes over accuracy, there are ways to address those concerns without issuing a cease-and-desist order.

Indiana should set an example for the rest of the nation to follow when it comes to press freedom. Our officers would welcome the opportunity to meet with you and discuss this issue further.

Sincerely,

The Board of Directors
Indiana Professional Chapter
Society of Professional Journalists

For more information, please contact:

John Russell, chapter president
(317) 250-6261

Michael Puente, chapter vice president
(312) 342-0056

UPDATE: An alert reader directed us to an op-ed and a report over at IndyStar you should all see about Holcomb’s dirty deeds. Click here and here for more information.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Happy Veterans Day

We wanted to pay tribute all those who have served, fought and died for these United States. To all those who have sacrificed for the freedoms we to often take for granted, in this the greatest, most noble country in the history of man. We give you our sincere thanks. 

A little something for all of you servicemen and women. 
Enjoy!



Monday, November 4, 2019

Open Letter To Senator Rand Paul

To: The Honorable Senator Rand Paul of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

From: Disgruntled former supporters of Senator Paul

Subject: Senator Paul’s betrayal of conservatism and libertarianism.

Dear Senator Paul,

We would like to start by saying that we are very glad to see you have recovered from the attack you sustained in 2017. Now that we have dispensed with the pleasantries, we would like to discuss some areas in which your conduct has made it impossible for us to EVER support you again in the future. As you are well aware your brethren in the House of Representatives are conducting an impeachment inquiry into President Trump, and his pressuring of the Ukrainian government into investigating his possible presidential opponent Joe Biden. Leaving aside the issue of whether or not the President should be impeached. Your conduct today at a rally with President Trump has shown you have completely sold out to the forces of big government socialism. 

At the rally in question you demanded that the press release the name of the whistleblower in the Ukrainian scandal. Notwithstanding the media may not know who the whistleblower is. The whistleblower’s identity is protected by federal whistleblower laws. Therefore by encouraging others to publicly out the whistleblower you could possibly be encouraging possibly criminal conduct on the part of the media. 

You would do well to read what Congressman Justin Amash who backed your 2016 presidential bid had to say about whistleblower’s:


Also take a look at Congressman Joe Walsh’s response to your asinine defense of unlimited government power:


Government transparency, openness and rule of law are the cornerstones of true conservatism. These ideals have been part and parcel of the values we conservatives hold dear, since before Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan. Your selling your nonexistent soul to the apostle of unlimited statism Donald Trump is sad and unfortunate. Mostly for you Senator Paul. You could have chosen to be a man and stand up to the powers that be. Instead you decide to emasculate yourself so much you make Richard Simons look butch. Well if you ever grow or craft a pair. We would welcome you back to the cause of truth and human liberty. Till then take care and try to keep your pandering to Vladimir Putin to a minimum. You would look like human scum in Russian clothes.

Sincerely, 

Indy Republican and the Gang AKA Human Scum




Wednesday, October 9, 2019

A Closer Look at Trump’s GOP Presidential Challengers

Understandably most of the media attention has been focused on the contest among democrats in their presidential primaries. There also are some republicans who seek to deny President Trump renomination. The announced republican challengers to Mister Trump are: Former Massachusetts Governor, U.S. Attorney, and 2016 Libertarian Vice Presidential nominee William Weld. Also running is former South Carolina Governor and Congressman Mark Sanford, and also another former Congressman and talk show host Joe Walsh. Of the three challengers Bill Weld and Joe Walsh have been the most visible. 

Like many Reagan/Buckley/Goldwater conservatives Indy Republican opposes the renomination of Donald Trump and we have already endorsed Joe Walsh for the 2020 GOP Presidential Nomination. However should either Governors Weld or Sanford knock off Donald Trump we will back them.

We hope to go into more detail soon about the merits and demerits of the three men who have chosen to challenge Donald Trump. For the moment we thought we would share some videos of these three men and links to their campaign websites. Please peruse the following videos and websites.

Interviews/Ads of Joe Walsh:






Interviews/Ads with Bill Weld:










Interviews/Ads with Mark Sanford:








Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Some R.E.M. Mood Music

Good evening our children! INDY REPUBLICAN is on the rise in INDIANA! We will get back to our regular blogging soon, but for tonight we thought we would unwind with this enduring REM Classic. It’s The End Of The World As We Know It Babies! And We feel fine! 

Enjoy!



Tuesday, October 1, 2019

America’s Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s Continued Dive Into Madness

We can remember how not long ago we once were great admirers of former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani. His leadership during September 11th, 2001 and his refusal to be railroaded by others was admirable. But due either to hitting the bottle too often, or having an unknown head injury for which he refused to seek treatment for. Rudy Giuliani has forever tarnished his name and will be remembered among the ranks of the dishonored. His role in the whole Ukraine incident and his being a slavish follower of the Democrat plant Donald Trump are beneath contempt. Chris Cillizza has a little video that breaks down Giuliani’s decline:



Monday, September 30, 2019

Carmel Businessman to Primary Governor Holcomb


Brian Roth Republican Challenger to Eric Holcomb 

The IR posse has been deluged with work and article requests this past month. We came across an article written on September 10th, 2017 by Lindsey Erdody for the Indianapolis Business Journal  in which Ms. Erdody wrote about Brian Roth. Erdody writes that Brian Roth is:

a Carmel resident and president of a consulting and leadership development firm called Employment 2 Deployment LLC, has filed paperwork to create a committee to run for governor.

According to Roth’s LinkedIn profile, he graduated from Taylor University in 1988 with a degree in physics and served in the U.S. Navy for 24 years.

Lindsey Erdody says that there has not been a contested Republican gubernatorial primary in Indiana since 2004.

As our readers are aware neither INDY REPUBLICAN, Paul Ogden or the late Gary Welsh care at all for Eric Holcomb and would glad see the worthless fool thrown out of office on his ass. We say that a contested GOP primary for governor is long overdue. We wish Mister Roth well. And if we get more information on Roth we will blog about it. 

Friday, September 13, 2019

Erick Erickson Keeps Running Towards Gomorrah

Erickson's tirade occurred in July. But we felt it important enough to blog about. In order to draw more attention to the moral, spiritual and intellectual bankruptcy of today's fake conservatives and Christians like Erick Erickson. Just when we thought Erick Erickson couldn’t stoop any lower in his never ending quest to be the propaganda minister of The Fellowship of The Pharisees. He continues to exceed our increasingly low expectations of him. Back in July Mad Little Erick went on two more of his LSD induced twitter tirades that he has become increasingly known for. First he decided to out of nowhere deride South Bend Mayor and Democratic Presidential Candidate Pete Buttigieg’s understanding of Christianity:



This prompted the following response from a reader of Erickson’s and a disastrous response from Erickson:




We also found an interesting reply to Erickson calling him out for criticizing Mayor Pete’s lifestyle choices by contrasting them with Donald Trump’s:



Not to be outdone Erickson then proceeded to try to claim that Trump is more moral than Pete Buttigieg because Trump honestly refuses to repent of his sexual sins. And Buttigieg won’t repent of being gay:


This pitiful attempt at excusing the many moral failings shows Erickson has become a moral relativist. Erickson is childishly arguing that because Trump won’t lecture people about his unrepentant that means he gets a free pass on everything. It is possible that by the time this piece hit's the blog. That Erickson will have deleted many of these insane tweets. Erickson does not have the manliness of spirit to own up to his blunders and foibles. We just couldn't let Erick's drivel go unanswered. For a comprehensive takedown of Erickson's betrayal of conservatism. Read the following article by the very gifted and talented David Leach of "The Strident Conservative" fame. Also for a theological critique of our fellow Christians who have committed the apostacy of worshiping Trump and throwing away Jesus Christ, read Ben Howe's book "The Immoral Majority".

UPDATE: As we had previously speculated Erickson has since deleted his earlier tweets. For God’s sake Erick grow a pair!

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Ex-Congressman and Radio Host Joe Walsh Challenges Donald Trump for GOP Presidential Nomination



Joe Walsh announces his candidacy 

Earlier this morning on ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos”, former Republican Congressman and talk radio host Joe Walsh announced that he will run in republican primaries next year for President against Donald Trump. Congressman Walsh is the second republican to date that has taken on the Herculean task of attempting to dislodge Trump as the GOP nominee for next year. Back in April former Massachusetts Governor, US Attorney, and 2016 Libertarian VP Candidate Bill Weld threw his hat in the ring against Donald Trump. So far Governor Weld has failed to gain much traction in his campaign against Trump.

IR believes inspite of the baggage that Joe Walsh has. That he would be a far more effective candidate against Trump from the Right than Bill Weld. Walsh has said some incendiary things in the past. However he has been man enough to apologize and face them. Unlike any other candidate running for President next year. INDY REPUBLICAN would like to take this opportunity to say that we are endorsing Joe Walsh for the 2020 GOP Presidential nomination. Is Walsh Perfect? No. Has he made mistakes? Yes. Is he better than Trump or any socialist Democrat running in 2020? Yes he is. We undoubtedly expect to be chewed up every which way by everyone over our endorsement of Walsh. We don’t really care. Opposing Donald Trump is the right choice. And Joe Walsh is the right man to attempt this task. We all pray that Walsh is successful at the very least in loosening Trump’s hold on our Grand Old Party. 

Saturday, August 10, 2019

The Suicide of Jeffrey Epstein w/update




Recently we had promised to write more about former Bill Clinton and Donald Trump’s BFF Sex Trafficer and Financier Jeffrey Epstein. Now it appears that the 66 year old died last night in a Manhattan jail cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center. Although we find the timing very suspicious regarding Epstein’s suicide at this point INDY REPUBLICAN doesn’t have enough information to form an opinion one way or another as to how Epstein died. The late great Gary Welsh wrote extensively about Epstein and his ties to the Clinton’s and Epstein’s former attorney now Trump apologist Alan Dershowitz. Epstein had been on suicide watch since July 23rd after a previously unsuccessful suicide attempt about three weeks ago. The conspiracy theory wheels are all going into overdrive now. Oh what IR and the gang wouldn’t give to get Gary Welsh’s take on this. Epstein as we have said before had strong ties to both President’s Clinton and Trump. Some of our Pro-Trump friends are already trying to make hay out of Epstein’s suicide as way to emphasize the corruption of the Clinton’s.

INDY REPUBLICAN has nothing but loathing and contempt for Bill and Hillary Clinton. Just as we do for Donald Trump. A word of warning though to our Trump supporting friends: Do you really want to go down this road? Already many  democrats, and media personalities are citing Epstein’s death as being tied to President Trump and Vladimir Putin. See the following tweets as an example:




Scarborough appears to be making a not so subtle dig at Alan Dershowitz when he says a “Harvard professor or two”. Regardless of how Epstein died what he did to lead to his indictment must be investigated. Hopefully we will learn more over time. Former Redstate Managing Editor and Mediate writer Caleb Howe has an in depth look at Joe Scarborough’s Trump like conspiracy rambling.

UPDATE: According to NBC News Epstein was not on suicide watch at the time of his death. Law professor Jonathan Turley has more information on his blog about Epstein’s death. Politico also has an article saying that members of Congress are demanding answers in Epstein’s death. Another interesting tidbit was yesterday court documents revealed accusations against former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson (D-NM) and former U.S.Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell in connection with Epstein’s sex trafficking. This situation just keeps getting weirder and weirder.

Friday, August 9, 2019

Then there were four...Another Texas Republican Calls it Quits


Representative Kenny Marchant (R-TX)

It’s official after having served 14 years in Congress Texas Republican Kenny Marchant has decided to throw in the towel. According to The Hill Marchant released the following statement as to his retirement from congress after almost a decade and a half of service:

"It is time for me to announce that I will not seek another term as Congressman from the 24th District of Texas," Marchant said. "I am looking forward to finishing out my term and then returning to Texas to start a new chapter."

Marchant, 68, was elected to Congress in 2004 and later became a founding member of the House Tea Party Caucus. He previously served in the Texas state House for nine terms.

"I want to thank the constituents of the 24th District of Texas for letting me serve and I look forward to being back in Texas full time," Marchant said.

Marchant is the fourth republican congressman from Texas to announce their retirement. One of our most favorite Congressmen Will Hurd also of Texas has decided to retire. Although IR wishes that Hurd would run for re-election. We can understand his desire to not go down on the bad ship the S.S. Trump next year. Texas is also becoming a lighter shade of red as of late. Last year Beto O’Rourke came within three points of beating Ted Cruz and Democrats made impressive inroads into the Texas state house and elsewhere at the county, local and congressional levels. To illustrate just how much ground the Democrats have gained in Texas. In 2008 Barrack Obama carried the 5 largest metro counties in Texas by 80,000 votes. Beto O’Rourke In 2018 carried them by 800,000. Tarrant County were Fort Worth is, Trump won that county in 2016. By 2018 Beto O’Rourke carried the county. 

Our fellow republicans had better wake up and realize that we are losing suburban voters at an increasingly larger rate each election. Especially the problems we face in Arizona, Georgia and Texas is that the suburbs of Phoenix, Dallas, Houston, Fort Worth and Atlanta are now voting more like the suburbs of Chicago, Los Angeles and Seattle. At this rate we are looking at a decade or more of decline and stagnation of our Grand Old Party.

Sunday, July 14, 2019

INDY REPUBLICAN’s Tribute to Advance Indiana’s Gary Welsh


Gary Welsh Blogger and Friend to all Good Americans 

We wanted to say something to all of our friends and readers. IR has enjoyed writing for the last three years and we intend to blog until we leave this world. It has just dawned on us now. That in all the time we have been blogging, we have never taken the time to express how much we appreciated, honored and loved our dear friend the late great Gary Welsh. The talented, charming, much beloved genius who authored the irreplaceable blog Advance Indiana. We did mention briefly now and then we missed him. And this blog is dedicated to carrying on his crusade for freedom and good government. However we all were so determined to write this blog, and to help our brothers-in-arms Paul Ogden, and Jon Easter. We never paid a proper tribute to Gary. Well that changes now. Gary Welsh was in the highest and greatest sense a man. He fought for the rights of all, and inspite of the odds he won more often than he knew. His writing style and prose were of the quality that all should aspire to. He was willing to stand alone if need be. We miss him to an extent, that our sorrow cannot be adequately expressed by the limitations of human speech. 

His blog is still read by all of us to this day. We can never bring ourselves to remove the link to his blog. To do so would make us guilty of impoverishing all who visit this blog. We are proud to have been his friends for over a decade. He helped many of us survive times that almost destroyed us. Though we miss him like we miss a father, teacher and friend. All of us are blessed to have known him. We have no doubt that regardless of whatever differences he might have had with IR and Paul Ogden. Gary Welsh was a true men, and a patriot without equal. He was and would have been proud to continue working beside us. We beseech you our readers to remember that inspite of our differences as Lincoln put it: “We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.”

Yes the tensions along political, religious and partisan lines are immense today. We have faced far darker moments than we find ourselves in. We will survive this. Don’t let yourself become discouraged. Even if it seems the whole world is against you. Hold fast to your principles, your values. Make them matter to YOUR lives. Develop within yourself the satisfaction that although thanks and approval from others are not inherently bad. And you will sometimes receive them. It will not always come right away or every time you do right. As long as you hold to the knowledge and firm conviction that what you are doing is right. Your actions, your life will and does matter. The seeds you plant will eventually bear fruit. Rome was not built in a day. Our task, our calling will be lifelong. 

Our ultimate goal as expressed once again by that great republican Abe Lincoln is this: “With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.”

Farewell Gary Welsh! You will never be forgotten. Your detractors as some have already will wither away. Your life, your work will forever stand resolute against the powers that be. Exactly as the 300 at Thermopylae held firm. As we close this tribute to the master himself. We issue a call to arms to any and all to aid us, Paul Ogden and our allies in pursuing the holy cause of freedom.

Here’s a little civil war song to get you all motivated to fight the good fight! Praise be to God! AMEN!



Friday, July 12, 2019

Indiana's Inspector General Continues to Cover Up Crime

Something that INDY REPUBLICAN and all right thinking Hoosiers figured out long ago is, that in this state the powers that be enforce the laws only when they wish to. Since 2005 when "Godfather Governor" Mitch Daniels created the office of Inspector General to cover up investigate and ferret out wrongdoers. The amount of criminal activity and corruption has exploded a thousand fold in this state. Earlier this week one of IR's favorite Indiana journalists Kara Kenney had an outstanding story about a Department of Corrections Supervisor accused of running a business on state time:

The Inspector General’s office launched an investigation in October 2018 following a complaint about a Department of Correction supervisor selling essential oils during work hours.

According to the complaint, an IDOC employee told investigators the supervisor approached her about selling products during an IDOC meeting and gave her a product sample.

“Employee also indicated that she saw another DOC employee give the supervisor money during state time for what she assumed was payment for the purchase of essential oils,” read the OIG report. “Employee alleged that the supervisor recruited at least three other DOC employees to sell the products.”

In an interview with an OIG investigator, the supervisor said she began offering and promoting products through a private company during the fall of 2017, but stopped when IDOC launched an internal investigation.

The supervisor also said three of her Department of Correction subordinates joined the company and engaged in the business outside of work.

The OIG investigation found the IDOC supervisor received a percentage of the application fee for the three IDOC employees who obtained company memberships through her.

IDOC investigators found an email the supervisor sent from her state email related to the essential oils business.

“Although the investigation revealed the supervisor engaged in limited misuse of state property and a violation of DOC policy, her misuse of state property was low in volume and spread over a time frame of several months,” read the report.

The Office of Inspector General found “insufficient evidence” to bring a formal complaint against the IDOC supervisor before the State Ethics Commission.

“The evidence did not clearly show how much state time the supervisor spent promoting or offering products because some of this activity occurred during the supervisor’s lunch hours and after state work hours,” read the OIG report, dated May 23.

But fear not fellow hoosiers! Because even though the IG has declined to bring a formal complaint against the IDOC employee who by their own admission engaged in a commercial venture on state time. An offense that could get an employee terminated by the state. The IG has agreed to take the following action so that they not be forced too often to pretend to investigate wrongdoing at the state:

The OIG recommends the Indiana Department of Correction distribute a written notice to all IDOC employees reminding them that if they engage in any outside business, they must do so on their own time without using state time or state property/resources.

The Inspector General also recommends IDOC and its supervisors use caution when talking to subordinates about outside businesses they’re involved in.

Yeah have IDOC actually explain to DOC employees that they aren't supposed to engage in outside business on state time. That'll teach people not to commit ghost employment! As for recommending that IDOC and the supervisors their us caution when discussing outside business at DOC. Why not just tell them NOT to talk to anybody at work about outside employment? You know due to something called common sense and professionalism.

Lastly the Inspector General's office had this final bit of Solomon-like wisdom to offer the DOC:

“The OIG encourages DOC to consider providing additional training or instruction for all DOC employees in supervisory or managerial roles on the ghost employment and use of state property rules,” read the report. “Employees in authoritative positions often have the ability to wield undue influence over their subordinates, even if unintentional.”

Our response to the IG is "No Shit"! There are single celled organisms that know that people in authority have the ability to wield undue influence over their employees. Kudos to Kara Kenney for this outstanding report. Feel free to read the IG's so called report here if you wish. This reminds us all here of a similar case of blatant ghost employment reported on by Kenney back in 2012. Both Gary Welsh and Paul Ogden blogged about the case at that time. Paul Ogden had this interesting observation of that case:

Let me get this straight.  I write a memo to the Commissioner of the Indiana Department that my supervisor was misappropriating money from the title insurance division that I ran and committing other legal violations.  Within minutes of getting that memo, I am immediately fired and left two years short of my pension.  I'm not alone.  Whistleblowers who are routinely fired by the state and I am not aware of a single one who has ever prevailed in court. Judges do not enforce the laws protecting state employee whistleblowers.  

If you are a state employee who dares to report ghost employment, the whistleblower can expect to be fired and have absolutely no recourse.  Meanwhile the state employee who commits the ghost employment gets a short suspension and continues on in state employment or gets his full pension should he choose to retire. 

In the interest of saving taxpayers money at this point the Indiana General Assembly should just abolish the Inspector General's office. After 14 plus years of existence it has only served to shield wrongdoers from being held accountable. And to punish those employees who have tried to uphold the laws and protect the taxpayers money. In the past the IG has used their office to cover up and protect former Indiana Secretary of State and Congressman Todd Rokita. The administration of former Governor Mike Pence further allowed the Inspector General's Office to cover up wrong doing by a former BMV official.

Inspector General Lori Torres

Given the track record so far of Governor Eric Holcomb we can expect more, not less of these incidents to occur. Seeing as Holcomb is a servant to his demonic master Mitch Daniels it is not surprising that he has appointed Daniels flunky Lori Torres to the post of Inspector General. Torres was Commissioner of the Indiana Department of Labor for part of Daniels time as Governor. So naturally she has continued to do the bidding of her masters in hoosier politics. What we suggest to our readers is that they write, call and email Ms. Torres and her office until she decides to actually do her job. Also contact Governor Eric Holcomb, as well as your state legislators about this. Tell them that Gary Welsh called and he wants to give them all an earful.

You can reach Miss Torres at:

Office of the Inspector General
315 West Ohio Street, Room 104
Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
Telephone: 317-232-3850
Toll free:  866-805-8498
Email: info@ig.in.gov
Twitter: @LoriTorres2013 

Governor Eric Holcomb when he exits his coffin can be contacted at:

By Phone: 317-232-4567

By Mail:
Office of the Governor
Statehouse
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-2797
Or contact Eric Holcomb via twitter: @HolcombForIN, or @GovHolcomb
Click here to contact your state legislators and give them a piece of your mind. Come on everybody! Let's go out there and raise some hell for Gary Welsh! That's it friends! Troll the living daylights out of the political class! DEFY Eric Holcomb! Call and tweet like hell motherfuckers! Till next time this is your favorite midwestern brigands and rabble rousers saying "Keep up the good fight"!

Tuesday, July 9, 2019

Erick Erickson Goes Off The Deep End w/Update


Erick Erickson Trump Propagandist/Anti-Christian Spokesman


We were originally going to blog about the long overdue arrest of financier and sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein that occurred a few days ago. And hope to blog about that more soon. Gary Welsh over at Advance Indiana wrote extensively on Epstein and Epstein counsel, now Donald Trump apologist Alan Dershowitz. In a not-so-shocking turn Erick Erickson, once a man who billed himself as the conscience of conservatives and the guardian of opposing the RINO-Lib Dem Donald Trump. Has continued his turn to evil. By deciding to make light of the sexual abuse of Jeffrey Epstein.

Erickson had this to say:

We have addressed Erickson’s descent into madness and sycophancy last month. But this ill timed and pitiful attempt at making a joke about Epstein’s victims is a new low. Before the objections to our portrayal of Erick’s poorly chosen words. Whether or not what he said is true or not is irrelevant. Also Erick President Trump like his former BFF former President Bill Clinton has strong ties to Epstein. So we thought that it might interest you to know the candidate you are supporting for President next year is so close with a pedophile. We wonder if Erickson will cowardly delete his tweet from today. Just as he has since deleted his tweet stating that he was backing now independent Congress Justin Amash of Michigan and Donald Trump in their re-election bids in 2020. Erickson’s attempt to play both sides against the middle by attempting to placate Trump and his former Never Trump allies will succeed only in making Erickson more and more of a joke. So Erick hope you enjoy being part of the Fellowship of the Pharisees. Because that’s who you have sided with. Let’s all pray that Erickson’s apostasy and fall from grace ends eventually. We do so hate to see someone destroy themselves for less than nothing.

UPDATE: This apparently is not the first time that Erickson has made light of allegations of sexual assault. Back in 2017 Erickson wrote an article entitled “Why I Don’t Blame Roy Moore’s Voters for Sticking With Him”. Of course after seeing this it makes Erick’s tweet makes more sense. After all Epstein did oversample 12-18 year olds, just like Roy Moore.

Sunday, July 7, 2019

Narcissism Thy Name Is Donald Trump

Before we get back to our regularly scheduled programming. We just thought we would share perhaps the most insane thing we have seen to date on President Trumps twitter feed. The President starts out fine by praising America. But he then ruins it by thanking himself for America’s greatness. 





All of us here called President Obama the “Narcissist In Chief” with justification when he was the in office. We had hoped whoever followed him wouldn’t also deserve that title. But Donald Trump as he is prone to do has decided to be Barrack Obama on Steroids. We conservatives and republicans need to realize that if something is bad coming from Obama or Hillary having Trump do it does not make it any better. Those of us like Paul Ogden, George Will, Joshua Claybourn, Charlie Sykes, Joe Wilson, and Bill Kristol who have stayed true to our conservative principles in the face of Trumpism. We must continue to hold our ground. History will thank us for it. Unless we want our national two party system to keep going down the path of being a “Unibrow Party” system of socialist authoritarianism. We must and will resist the growing pressure to be mindless drones working for a matrix of fat cat political hacks and empty talking heads. For the sake of our brothers gone before us like the late, great Gary Welsh. Like Barry Goldwater, Bill Buckley and Ronald Reagan. Let us seek to bind up the nations wounds. We shall fight for the ideals of the founders. Praise be to God! AMEN!

Saturday, June 29, 2019

GOP Strategist Mike Murphy Explains Why Trump Is Beyond Saving

Just found this snippet of an interview that Hollywood Producer, Screenwriter and longtime GOP strategist Mike Murphy did with Bill Kristol back in 2017. The whole interview is well worth watching in its own right on YouTube. Also we recommend Murphy’s weekly “Hacks On Tap” podcast where he discusses politics with Democratic Strategist David Axelrod. Enjoy the clip:


Wednesday, June 26, 2019

IBM Ordered to Pay $78 Million to the State Ending Decade Long Lawsuit

Good afternoon friends! Well it appears that the decade long shit show IBM-FSSA lawsuit has come to an end. IBM has been ordered by the Indiana Supreme Court to pay $78 Million to the state over the bungled welfare privatization performed during Mitch Daniels “reign of error” as Governor. Olivia Covington over at The Indiana Lawyer gives the lowdown on this case:

In its second opinion issued in the years-long dispute between Indiana and IBM Corp. over the failed contract to create a new Hoosier welfare system, the Indiana Supreme Court has allowed IBM to collect post-judgment interest on its $49.5 million damages award. However, that interest will date back only to a 2017 judgment on remand, not the original judgment entered in the company’s favor in 2012, and only serves as an offset to the greater sum IBM owes the state.

Justice Steven David wrote for the court in the Wednesday opinion in International Business Machines Corporation v. State of Indiana, acting on behalf of the Indiana Family & Social Services Administration19S-PL-19. The justices, excluding Justice Mark Massa, heard their second round of arguments in the case in February.

At issue in the litigation is a contract between IBM and the state requiring IBM to develop a new welfare system that utilized a centralized call center to handle customer requests. The new system, colloquially known as “modernization,” was meant to be a shift away from the prior welfare system that emphasized face-to-face contact with customers.

But the state terminated the IBM contract in 2009 after modernization began experiencing problems. Instead, the state created its own welfare system, known as “hybrid,” that combined the call center with the former face-to-face model.

Both parties filed breach complaints, and the Marion Superior Court initially determined modernization’s failure was not a breach of IBM’s contract. Instead, the state was ordered in 2012 to pay IBM $49.5 million for the costs of equipment and assignment fees.

Barnes & Thornburg attorneys John Maley and Peter Rusthoven, counsel for the state in the IBM litigation, released a statement Wednesday afternoon saying they are pleased with the court’s ruling.

“Hoosiers will finally benefit from IBM’s multi-million-dollar payment of this judgment,” the statement said, referring to the $78 million owed to the state.

The article does mention the ruiling was 3-1 in favor of the state. Justice Mark Massa did not participate in the ruling since he worked as General Counsel for Governor Mitch Daniels who had ordered the IBM contract canceled. We have blogged previously on this issue once or twice before. Personally we feel that IBM was royally shafted by the state and should have not been forced to pay the state anything. On the other hand though IBM should have realized that doing business with the state was a bad idea. Especially since after IBM was given the heave ho, Affiliated Computer Systems (ACS) was put in to do the work. This was a big problem because then FSSA Secretary Mitch Roob had previously worked for ACS. Why this matter was never investigated by the US Attorneys Office in Indianapolis is a mystery to this day. Barnes and Thornburg’s role in representing the state is particularly troubling because as Paul Ogden pointed out back in 2012 that Barnes and Thornburg had lobbied the state to get ACS put in charge of the states welfare privatization project. Paul Ogden said at the time:

According to Judge Dreyer, the services provided by ACS were the major source of the complaints, Nonetheless, IBM ended up being discharged from the while ACS remained on as part of a "hybrid system."  Conveniently for ACS, a former executive theirs, Mitch Roob, headed FSSA, when IBM-ACS won the original privatization contract and yet another ACS executive, Mike Gargano, headed FSSA during the litigation over IBM's discharge.

The State, i.e. FSSA, ended up suing IBM to recover under the contract.  IBM countersued, claiming that the State breached the contact through its termination.  But who does the Daniels' administration insist the State hire to represent the State?  None other than Barnes & Thornburg the very law firm that represented ACS in lobbying to get the contract and still represents ACS to this day.  

Let me summarize what appears to have happened. ACS lobbies state officials to oust IBM so ACS can have the lucrative Medicaid privatization contract to itself.  ACS eventually succeeds.  The State sues IBM, perhaps to counter the inevitable breach of suit IBM was about to file.  After, IBM sues, the State hires Barnes & Thornburg, ACS's attorney to represent the state.

The State appears to be nothing more than a proxy for ACS. This case is essentially ACS v. IBM, yet we taxpayers are on the hook to pay Barnes & Thornburg, ACS' attorneys, $9.6 million.  That is uttterly outrageous.

Given that federal money here is involved, I too wonder why there has not been a federal investigation opened up by the FBI into this matter.  There certainly should be now that the facts here expose troubling, if not illegal, conduct by government officials and private lobbyists.

Between attorneys fees and the cost of the original contract with IBM. We estimate that the state has easily put us taxpayers on the hook for well over $500 Million. This whole mess could have been avoided if the Daniels administration had just listened to what some of his own people told him and given FSSA caseworkers new computers. Instead “Little Man” Mitch was determined to privatize food stamp delivery no matter what. Daniels and his bagman Governor “High Tax” Holcomb seem content knowing they slit the wrists of us taxpayers to feed the vampire looters and moochers who have helped through their demonic means to advance their political careers. 

Some of INDY REPUBLICANS allies in the cultural war against President Trump. Have tried to assuage our concerns about Holcomb by saying he is not on the side of Trumpian tribalism and authoritarianism. Don’t be fooled. Former Governor Mitch Daniels his boss whose legacy Holcomb carries out. Mitch Daniels created the tribalism, authoritarianism, and waste and theft of taxpayers money that would have been an embarrassment even in Tsarist Russia. We the men and women of truth, the guardians of freedom and justice for all will continue to fight until the Daniels-Holcomb Syndicate is a distant memory.