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Showing posts with label Luke Messer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Luke Messer. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 8, 2018

Paul Ogden Nails GOP’s Worthless Hoosier Senate Choices

Earlier today our good friend Paul Ogden wrote a good article discussing why none of the three losers running in the GOP Senate Primary are worthy of support by true conservatives. The only thing IR wants is for Todd Rokita to lose the Senate Primary at this point. As one man said: “If you want people to vote, give us candidates.” Good luck voting in today’s primary.

Monday, April 30, 2018

The Straw Donor Scheming of Rokita, Messer, Walorski & Renacci

Ohio Congressmen Jim Renacci

Good Evening Friends. INDY REPUBLICAN here just though we would report on one of the newest twist and turns in what has become the GOP Senate Primary from Hell here in Indiana. This latest scandal engulfs three of our Congressmen Todd Rokita, Luke Messer, and Jackie Walorski. (IR has mentioned Walorski in this previous post) We are referring to Todd, Luke and Jackie's having been accused of being involved with some campaign donation shenanigans. Last Friday April 27th, 2018 Tony Cook and Kaitlin Lange's article "Rokita, Messer deny wrongdoing in possible straw donor scheme". Mr. Cook and Ms. Lange wrote that Congressmen Rokita, Messer and Walorski:

gave and received money from Ohio Rep. Jim Renacci in what experts said may have been an improper straw donor scheme. Reps. Todd Rokita and Luke Messer, denied any wrongdoing. Rep. Jackie Walorski's campaign did not respond to multiple phone calls and emails seeking comment.

Congresswoman Jackie Walorski

Cook and Lange cite a story from the Cincinnati Enquirer by Deidre Shesgreen where Ms. Shesgreen reported about Messer and Walorski receiving contributions from Renacci between April and June of 2017. Shesgreen's story as pointed out by Cook and Lange did not mention Todd Rokita.

Congressman Todd Rokita


Cook and Lange go further and write:

Within two months of receiving a donation, all three then contributed money to Renacci's gubernatorial campaign. In Messer's case, the contribution occurred just one day after his campaign received a donation from Renacci. Under Ohio's campaign finance laws, Renacci was prohibited from transferring more than $12,707 from his federal campaign to his gubernatorial account once he announced he was dropping out of the congressional race to run for governor in March 2017

Congressmen Luke Messer


According to Cook and Lange: 

Ohio's campaign finance laws,  Prohibited Renacci from transferring more than $12,707 from his federal campaign to his gubernatorial account once he announced he was dropping out of the congressional race to run for governor in March 2017. But over the next few months, Renacci's congressional campaign gave out $56,000 to 12 House Republicans — eight of which donated a collective $26,700 back to Renacci's state campaign for governor, often within weeks or even days of receiving the contribution from Renacci's federal campaign.

The Cincinnati Enquirer spoke with election ethics expert Brendan Fischer. Fischer told the Enquirer:

"this sounds like is a straw donor scenario, where Renacci is using funds from his federal campaign account to unlawfully support his state gubernatorial run and doing it through his fellow elected officials,”

INDYSTAR makes mention of the following suspicious campaign donations:

Renacci's congressional campaign gave Messer's campaign $4,000, and his leadership PAC an additional $2,000 on June 27. The very next day, Messer's campaign donated $2,000 to Renacci's gubernatorial campaign.



As mentioned earlier in their article at the time of these donations Renacci was running in a primary for Governor of Ohio. Renacci has sense abandoned the race for Governor and is running for the U.S. Senate against Sherrod Brown. Renacci has been endorsed by President Donald Trump.

Walorksi, Messer and Rokita have not donated to other GOP members of Congress who like Renacci were also competing in governor's primaries. The Star examine the campaign finances of Rokita, Walorski and Messer and found they had not donate to the gubernatorial campaigns of Ron DeSantis of Florida, Diane Black of Tennessee, or Raul Labrador of Idaho.

Andy Downs political scientist at IUPU at Fort Wayne told IndyStar:

"That’s another piece of evidence that you could argue is kind of damming," said Andy Downs, a political scientist at the Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne. "If this is really about supporting your friends in contested primaries … or supporting a conservative candidate, why didn’t you also give to X,Y and Z?" Rokita, for example, has strong ties to both Black and DeSantis.

This isn't the first time that Congressman Renacci has been accused of being part of a straw donor scandal. IndyStar says that:

In 2014 Renacci's campaign found itself in the middle of a court case involving another alleged straw donor scheme in Ohio. Federal prosecutors accused an Ohio direct marketing firm and its owner of skirting federal campaign contribution limits by funneling about $200,000 through the company's employees and their spouses in 2011 to the campaigns of Renacci and Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel, who was running for Senate. The company's owner, Ben Suarez, was found not guilty of violating campaign finance charges, but was sentenced to 15 months in prison for witness tampering in the case.

Given what we know especially of Rokita and Walorski. We are firmly convinced there is something extremely unethical, possibly illegal going on with this straw donor scheme of Renacci's. Especially in light of Renacci's past donor troubles back in 2011.

Earlier today on WIBC's morning show "Chick's on The Right". Rob Kendall the producer of the show had some interesting things to say about the straw donor scandal. We highly recommend that everyone listen to what Rob has to say. We thank you all again for your continued support. And bid you all good night.



Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Indy Republican’s View of last nights GOP Senate Primary Debate

After all the coverage we have devoted to the GOP Senate Primary. We all tuned into the Primary Debate between Congressmen Luke Messer, Todd Rokita and State Representative Mike Braun.

After the Moderator WIBC’s Tony Katz’s opening of the debate. The candidates proceeded with their opening remarks. Todd Rokita started out by welcoming Mike Braun to the Republican Party, and snidely saying welcome back to Indiana to Congressman Luke Messer. Rokita is referring to State Representative Braun’s past history of voting in the Democratic primaries reported on by fellow blogger Paul Ogden click here to read Paul’s post on Braun. As to his saying “Welcome Back to Indiana” to Luke Messer he is recycling the nonsense line that Messer is not an inhabitant of Indiana. Messer owns a house with his mother in Greensburg that he and his family stay at when he returns to Indiana from Washington, D.C. Unlike Senator Dick Lugar who sold his property in Indiana in 1977 and preceding to put the address of the house he sold on his tax returns, voter registration, and even his campaign paperwork he filed for his abortive 1996 Presidential Campaign. Click here and here to read Gary Welsh and Paul Ogden’s posts on Dick Lugar. 

In contrast Braun and Messer refrained from making condescending remarks about Rokita or each other. The two men also didn’t behave in a self righteous manner as Rokita did by bragging about how great he was and we should vote for him because he claims to sleep in his Washington office. Rokita may have opened himself up to attacks by bragging about his service as Indiana Secretary of State. As we have documented on this blog Rokita’s questionable past as Secretary of State here

On healthcare the candidates largely argued that Congress has done nothing to make healthcare better. Unlike some of our fellow conservatives and Luke Messer we are not in favor of eliminating the filibuster in the Senate. In fact we say extend the filibuster to the House to guard against majoritarian rule. 

Messer and Rokita both tried to tap dance around whether they would support President Trump’s Parental Leave proposal. State Rep. Braun was the only one of the candidates to say they did not support the Parental Leave program. Tony Katz did a good job as a moderator although he understandably seemed to get irritated at times with Todd Rokita. Totally understandable Todd is an extremely annoying person. Probably his being a control freak doesn’t help his case much

After watching the debate we would have to say it was a net loss for Rokita. His manner made him come off as just a self serving office seeker with an inflated ego. We rate the debate a draw between Mike Braun and Luke Messer if for no other reason than both men actually behaved as men and did not sink to Todd Rokita’s level.

If anyone wants to watch the debate. Click the video below:









Monday, January 29, 2018

Indiana GOP Establishment Pushing Greg Pence to fill Luke Messer's Congress Seat

Greg Pence RINO

Previously we have written about Vice President Mike Pence's older brother Greg Pence's decision to run for the congressional seat now held by Luke Messer. Mister Messer is forgoing another run for his U.S. House seat and is instead running in the Senate GOP Primary to hopefully faceoff against the incumbent U.S. Senator Democrat Joe Donnelly. The party bosses in Indiana as you all know are hell bent on doing everything they can to elect Greg Pence to Congress. Fortunately the voters of the Indiana 6th Congressional District do not have to settle for another milquetoast Pence to represent them in Congress. Running in the GOP 6th CD Primary is Stephen Mackenzie. Mr. Mackenzie has had a good career in business, he has been a missionary, as well as serving in the Air Force Reserve.

Mr. Mackenzie released this statement on his Facebook page earlier today regarding the establishments pushing Greg Pence on Hoosier voters:

Stephen Mackenzie Real Republican



To date, twelve out of nineteen counties within the sixth Congressional District have announced their annual Lincoln Day Dinners’ dates and guest speakers. Two of those, Rush County and Franklin County, have announced Congressional Candidate Greg Pence as their speaker, despite the fact that the Republican Party, from county to state to the federal level, is encouraged to be objective towards all of the candidates running during the Primary season. Unfortunately, in this GOP Primary Congressional race, it has been proven to not be the case.
Here is Stephen MacKenzie's official statement:
“The Party Leaders have made it very clear that Greg Pence, the Vice-President’s older brother, is their chosen candidate in this GOP Primary. Greg might as well be the incumbent candidate for how the Party Elites have behaved behind the scenes. The Establishment has been involved in this Primary race at every level, from county to district to state to the Vice-President himself, attempting to get me to quit. But the last time I checked, the United States of America was a Constitutional Democratic Republic, where we, the people, have the right to choose our own candidates and vote for who we want! Yet the Establishment has done everything in its power to shut me out and destroy my candidacy.
But they didn’t count on me, a candidate with a strong military background, strong Christian values, strong ethics, and the will to fight back and expose them. You see, I know what is important to the people of Indiana and I intend to go to Washington to represent YOU, not the best interests of the Republican elite. And they didn’t count on you, the people, who are informed enough to know that the Establishment fights the true Conservative candidates more in the Primary, than they fight the Democrats in the General!
The two GOP counties who are hosting Greg Pence as their guest speaker for their Lincoln Day Dinner, while ignoring the rest of the candidates in this Congressional race, are merely proof of what has been happening to me privately behind the scenes since I declared my candidacy. I sincerely hope the Indiana voter will not let the Establishment get away with crowning Greg Pence as their next U.S. Representative, but will rise up to tell the Party Elites: “Enough!”

Indy Republican stands with Stephen Mackenzie and says: "Enough"! Enough with the Establishment and their tools telling us who we should and should not vote for. For this reason IR is proud to endorse Steve Mackenzie for Congress! Give them Hell Steve!

UPDATE: An IR reader was kind enough to bring to our attention a tweet from Stephen Mackenzie with a photocopy of his full statement and some additional background information on the eGOP's trying to "persuade" Mackenzie to drop out of the race for congress:





Link to Mackenzie's Facebook announcement: https://www.facebook.com/MacKenzieForCongress/?hc_ref=ARS5a1Hm7t8r4Z2uOM0cZzwDdjJVJJAx5U8XsyvF1HyQ9HgUfLo56PpypLy7MzIT79o&fref=nf

Monday, December 18, 2017

Mike Crider Drops Bid for Luke Messers Congress Seat


Mike Crider 

State Senator Mike Crider has announced that he will end his campaign to fill Luke Messer’s U.S. House seat. Mister Crider had this to say about his decision to exit the race:

Friends,

After extensive discussions with my campaign team and my family, I have decided to withdraw as a candidate for the United States Congress in Indiana’s sixth district. Unfortunately, congressional campaigns are very expensive endeavors and due to that we have determined that we do not and likely will not have the ability to spread our message as widely as will be required to achieve victory in May. While disappointed the campaign has come to an end, I am at peace with this decision and know that we all worked hard to put together a winning strategy.

The only negative to this whole adventure is that I find myself a bit jaded as I realize that this scenario is likely playing out in races all across the country. People who would be quality candidates simply cannot participate because they cannot afford to self finance campaigns and the political establishment locks down the remaining financial support. I hope that whomever is successful in this contest is serious about having the responsibilities of the position and not just having the position. There is much work to be done.

As for me, I remain committed to serving as State Senator in District 28 and trying to make a difference wherever and whenever I can. The trust that the people I represent have placed in me remains the honor of my lifetime. Sherri and I will always be grateful for the kindness and encouragement many of you continually extend. May God continue to bless the great state of Indiana and these United States.”

We had previously blogged on Crider’s initial entry into the race back in August here

If the following comment left on that post is any indication as to the kind of man Senator Crider is then his leaving the race is not a bad thing:

“campaign Chairwoman is former State Senator Beverly Gard, also of Greenfield, whom he replaced in the Senate after her retirement in 2012.” That told me all I need to know about Mr. Crider and that he should be kicked to the curb and thoroughly rejected by the voters and every and any time he runs for office.

Anyone with half a brain recalls just what an establishment Hoosier GOP tool Ms. Gard has been throughout her political career. Gard is a long-term, long-time Republican political hack who apparently never found any distaste against political schemes that enriched the corrupt estabishment Republican attorneys who run the Hoosier “R” Party and the corrupt career Republican office holders who knew how to butter the bread of the connected and when to do it.

Establishment Hoosier “R’s” are truly The Stupid Party whose only apparent goals are to enrich themselves and their crony pals at the expense of everyday Indiana citizens. Beverly Gard’s boy Crider for political office? Nah, no way, no thanks.

With Crider’s exit there are three other candidates running in the GOP Primary to succeed Luke Messer. They are Greg Pence brother to Vice President Mike Pence of whose possible run for office we have discussed previously. Stephen McKenzie a veteran and Jonathan Lamb a businessman from Muncie. In the interest of full disclosure IR would like to point out our sympathies in this race lie with Mr. McKenzie. But to the other candidates we shall of course act with complete fairness. 


Sunday, August 27, 2017

Todd Rokita as the boss from hell!


Rep. Todd Rokita

Hope all of you out there have had a good August. And the IR gang hopes all of you have a good Labor Day weekend next week. Now let's get down to business. Previously INDY REPUBLICAN has written about the nasty GOP Senate Primary battle between Congressmen Luke Messer and Todd Rokita. Click here and here for our previous posts on this. 

Recently some facts have come to light that show a less then flattering view of Congressman Todd Rokita (affectionately referred to by the IR staff as "dipshit"). A very special and gifted INDY REPUBLICAN reader alerted all of us to an article published on August 18th, 2017  at POLITICO.COM written by John Bresnahan and Rachel Bade entitled "The agonizing, 8-page memo on how to chauffeur a congressman".  Mr. Bresnahan and Ms. Bade relay to their readers just what all being a driver for Congressman Rokita entails. IR has included our commentary in parentheses alongside the article by POLITICO. Bresnahan and Bade write:

Empty his trash. Always have hand sanitizer and gum at the ready. And don’t bother with “unnecessary conversation” — the congressman doesn’t have time for your chitchat. (Simply put the Congressman is above you. And as a lowly driver you are not worthy of speaking to him)

Demanding, high-maintenance bosses are notorious on Capitol Hill. The late Sen. Ted Kennedy's staff had to walk his dog, poop pick-up and all. Former Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison made her male aides carry her purse.

The latest addition to the list: Rep. Todd Rokita, an Indiana Republican running in one of next year's most competitive Senate races.

Who knew it could take eight pages of instructions on how to properly escort a member of Congress around his district? Yet there it is, laid out in mind-blowing detail, in a memo obtained by POLITICO that's sure to make any young, eager-beaver political aide shudder.

Tasks listed in the document, entitled “Instructions on Staffing and Driving — District Version,” include handing Rokita a cup of black coffee upon picking him up at his home, acting as a physical barrier between him and trackers looking to capture embarrassing footage of the congressman, and “avoid[ing] sudden acceleration or braking” while driving. (Congressman Rokita is still struggling at 47 years of age to accept the fact that while driving a car sudden speeding up and slowing down may occur. So please don't scare him to much while driving him. He cannot afford to strain his mind that much)

“The goal is to provide as smooth a ride as possible,” reads the instruction manual, co-authored by a former chief of staff to the congressman and Tim Edson, Rokita’s ex-communications director-turned-campaign spokesman.

Drivers are expected to transport not only Rokita’s toothbrush and toothpaste but also stock and tote around the district a nearly 20-item supply box that Rokita’s staffers call “the football.” The contents include gum, hand sanitizer, business cards, bottled water, napkins and Kleenex, lozenges, a stapler and stapler remover, Post-it notes and Shout wipes, among other items. 

Rokita needs a hanger in the car for his jacket. Never allow him to be photographed with a drink in his hand. And never forget, the memo states multiple times in boldface, underlined letters, to remind the 47-year-old to bring the essentials. (Todd is so overwhelmed with his vast awesomeness to remember things that most school children remember with ease. So he needs to be coddled.)

Picking up Rokita from his home is a chore, to say the least. Drivers are asked to “please have a cup of black coffee available for him” and to “empty the trash bin if there’s anything in it.” They’re also instructed to “back the vehicle out of the garage and turn it around so you can exit the driveway when Representative Rokita gets in the car.”

“Make sure you pull the car far enough forward that exhaust fumes won’t get in the garage,” the memo adds. (Todd needs plenty of coffee to stay awake and he has subpar skills at avoiding negligible amounts of exhaust fumes. So please spare him the exhaust fumes so that he doesn't suffocate walking 12 feet to his car)

Rokita should be informed of any turns and sudden stops while driving, according to the manual. The less talking, the better, it says: “He often uses the travel time to make phone calls, catch up on email, read and prepare for the day’s meetings and events. Please do not interrupt his prep time with unnecessary conversation.” (Translation: Congressman Rokita doesn't view you the driver as a person. So don't annoy his holiness by speaking to him)

Staffing Rokita's events seems to be a task made for Superman. Drivers are expected to collect contact information from “as many people as possible” and ensure the information is “quickly entered in to the relevant databases.” At the same time, they're supposed to be taking pictures for social media, “notes of all interactions” Rokita has with constituents, identifying reporters and sending Rokita’s communications director a summary of exchanges he has with the press. (Shouldn't Rokita's press aides and other congressional staff have already taken care of this? Why is the driver responsible for also being his secretary? Can Todd not delegate roles at all?)

Another must-do: Keep Rokita hydrated.

“When you arrive at the event, get Todd a non-alcoholic drink that he can carry with him as he visits (water, diet soda, and coffee are best),” the manual reads. (Because left to his own devices Todd will forget to drink any liquids and die of thirst. Either that or on his own he goes straight for alcohol because he can't tell the difference between alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages)

Tips of the trade in the instruction manual include faking it — “The best way to make a good first impression is to look like we know what we are doing” — and ensuring that Rokita doesn’t talk to too many reporters. (Or better yet the best way to make a good impression is to know what you are doing! And since Todd is scared of his own shadow he has to be protected from speaking to reporters, lest they breathe fire on him)

As for dealing with reporters, “Generally less is more,” the document reads, later adding: “TER should not be allowed to talk to any reporters for more than the allotted time.” (Because after the allotted time Todd will immediately suffer a panic attack and make a fool of himself)

Drivers are also expected to protect Rokita from any attendees who they suspect are there only to gather opposition footage of him. The instruction manual warns that trackers could try to catch him in an awkward or embarrassing moment.

The driver is told to “maintain a physical position between TER and the tracker” but warned “do not touch, bump, punch, choke or verbally attack the tracker.” (We feel it is important that you know we don't want the Congressman's drivers to physically assault people. We see how telling you to keep a physical distance between Todd and the tracker might be misconstrued to mean "get medieval on the tracker". Because chauffeurs also double as bodyguards. At least they do working for Todd Rokita)

“This is the type of behavior they are hoping to provoke,” the manual reads.

Drivers are also responsible for keeping Rokita on schedule — but there are guidelines even for that.

“Do NOT say to TER, ‘Todd we have to go,’ or ‘You have an appointment with XYZ,’” the manual reads. “Instead, politely tell the person/people TER is speaking with that you need to get TER on the road.”

The day ends for a Rokita driver much as it began: with the "football" and the trash.

“When you arrive at TER’s house at the end of the day … empty the trash bin … and go over the football checklist and make sure all items are there,” the instructions read. “If anything needs [to be] replenished, report those to the next day’s driver ASAP.”

If anyone is interested you can read the whole 8 page memo here: http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3933393-Scan.html#document/p3/a368852

INDY REPUBLICAN would like to thank our wonderful reader who sent us this article. You know who you are!

We all will be writing more about our good buddy Todd "The Clod" Rokita more in the near future. If this memo is any indication of what kind of "man" Todd Rokita is then let's all pray he gets his ass whipped in next years primary!







Wednesday, August 23, 2017

State Senator Mike Crider to run for Luke Messer's Congressional Seat


State Senator Mike Crider

Hello fellow truth seekers! You may remember back in June we blogged about the possibility that Vice President Mike Pence's brother Greg might run for Luke Messer's seat. Well today State Senator Mike Crider has announced that he will run for Messer's seat. So if Greg Pence is going to jump into the ring he is going to have some competition.

WSVX-FM reports the news of Crider's announcement here:

Today Republican State Senator Mike Crider formally announced his campaign for election to Indiana’s 6th District in the US House of Representatives. Crider, who represents Senate District 28, is seeking to replace incumbent Rep. Luke Messer (R-Shelbyville) who is running for US Senate.

“At a time when our nation is facing serious threats to our national security, the national debt has reached staggering proportions – saddling future generations with trillions of dollars in debt, federal government spending is far out-pacing revenues, and Congress is mired in gridlock and partisan bickering, I feel called to use my experience as a law-enforcement professional and my track record of passing tax cuts and pro-growth policies to help lead our country out of this crisis,” Crider said.

“Hoosiers, like all Americans, want our federal government to get down to business and solve the problems at hand. During my tenure in the Indiana Senate, our state’s unemployment rate has declined to 3.1 percent, below the national average. During last year alone, our unemployment rate experienced the largest decline (1.4 percent) in the nation, and during the first half of 2017, the Indiana Economic Development Commission has secured commitments of $5.4 billion in investments with plans to create nearly 18,000 new jobs with an average wage of $28.60 per hour. These are the kind of results folks are demanding from Washington, and I want to be part of the solution.”

WSVX gives some background information on Mr. Crider's life before he decided to run for congress:

Before being elected to the Indiana State Senate, Crider spent 30 years at the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR). During that time, he was appointed by Gov. Mitch Daniels to serve as director of the DNR Division of Law Enforcement. He retired with the rank of Colonel.  Crider graduated from the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in 1981 and the FBI National Academy in 2003. He now chairs the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Transportation, and is ranking member of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs and the Military.

INDY REPUBLICAN must confess that Mr. Crider's having been appointed to any position by the traitor former Godfather Governor Mitch Daniels makes us uneasy about him. But we will evaluate him on his merits.

The article goes onto give more details on Crider's campaign:

His campaign Chairwoman is former State Senator Beverly Gard, also of Greenfield, whom he replaced in the Senate after her retirement in 2012.

“Sen. Mike Crider will be an outstanding Congressman,” Gard said. “His very successful service in our State Senate is invaluable. I had my eye on Mike for some time and recruited him to replace me when I retired in 2012. His integrity, work ethic, experience, and remarkable ability to bring people together to make good public policy are exactly what we need in our next Congressman.”

According to Dana Caldwell, Crider’s Campaign Finance Chairman, the campaign already has more than $100,000 in committed contributions. Caldwell is a Shelbyville businessman.

“I am excited to be on Mike’s team because I trust him, and I am certain Indiana will trust him too, Caldwell said.  “Mike and I have known each other for most of our lives. We played sports against each other for many years growing up. Mike has always been one to do his ‘homework’ no matter what the task he is facing. He is a rock with a solid foundation. If elected, Mike will be one of the best Congressmen we have ever had. “

The rest of the article gives the following information about Crider's family life, where he lives and a rough outline of the congressional district he is running in:

Crider served as a member of Neighborhoods Against Substance Abuse for 20 years, and was president for seven of those years. He and his wife Sherri live in Greenfield and have two sons and four grandchildren.

District 28(Mike Crider's State Senate District) includes all of Hancock County and portions of Marion and Shelby counties.

Indiana’s 6th Congressional District is composed of Bartholomew, Dearborn, Decatur, Delaware, Fayette, Franklin, Hancock, Henry, Jefferson, Jennings, Ohio, Randolph, Ripley, Rush, Shelby, Switzerland, Union, and Wayne counties and a portion of Scott County.

Nobody here at IR seems to have heard much about Mike Crider. He is referred to in a Ogden on Politics blog post from 2013. Click here to read that post.




Thursday, July 27, 2017

Todd Rokita-Luke Messer Primary Battle getting nasty Part II of II

                   
Luke Messer                            Todd Rokita 

As promised we are continuing our coverage of the Messer-Rokita brawl. Yesterday Congressman Luke Messer announced that he is running for the US Senate. So far no word from Congressman Todd Rokita on whether or not he will throw his hat into the ring for the Republican Senate nomination next year. Earlier this week Tony Cook of the Indianapolis Star reported here on some unusual activity that has been occurring on Luke Messer's Wikipedia page.

Cook reported:

A slew of recent edits to Rep. Luke Messer's Wikipedia page closely align with his likely primary opponent Todd Rokita's campaign attacks, setting off a new round of finger pointing in what is expected to be one of the most hotly contested U.S. Senate races in the country.

Over the past month, Messer's page has been edited to emphasize his work as a lobbyist, his decision to move his family to Washington, D.C., and a controversy involving his wife's lucrative part-time legal work for the city of Fishers.

The edits were made under user names that make it difficult to identify the person behind the changes. But Wikipedia editing logs show that Messer's page is the only one they've edited, suggesting they are more interested in influencing Messer's image than providing objective information.

The Rokita campaign has routinely criticized Messer in recent months as a "lobbyist turned politician" who left Indiana for "one of the wealthiest suburbs of Washington D.C."

Messer's campaign, meanwhile, has shot back, accusing Rokita of peddling negative stories and attacking Messer's family.  At one point, an official with the Messer campaign told the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette that “Rokita has a history of making unhinged comments."

In response to inquiries from IndyStar, the Rokita campaign denied editing Messer's page, suggesting instead that the Senate seat's current occupant, Democrat Joe Donnelly, was behind the changes. 

"Joe Donnelly and his allies are clearly good at editing websites ... ," Rokita campaign spokesman Tim Edson said. "That said, most of what they’ve posted about Luke Messer’s record seems accurate."

Donnelly campaign manager Peter Hanscom laughed at the assertion that Donnelly's campaign was behind the edits.

"We have absolutely nothing to do with it," he said. "It's childish behavior. This is not the way you win a United States Senate seat."

Indiana Democratic Party spokesman Will Baskin-Gerwitz also said party members were not behind the changes.

According to Cook's article the Messer campaign does not believe that Senator Donnelly's campaign is behind the editing of Messer's Wikipedia page. 

Tony Cook continues:

Messer's campaign said the edits — which include a new section about immigration intended to make Messer sound less conservative — are obviously geared toward a Republican primary audience.

 "Of course it's Rokita," Messer campaign spokesman Jason Kneeland said. "Typical of the level of ugliness we've seen from him. Nobody has declared in the Senate race, but Todd has already established he will say or do anything to get elected. I just don't think that works long-term here in Indiana."

Cook writes that their have been some edits to Todd Rokita's page as well. But Tony Cook states that the changes to Rokita's page have been "mostly positive". 

If the Wikipedia drama is not enough to pique people's interest. Another plot twist emerged today on the "Luke and Todd Show." Kaitlin Lange over at Indystar.com wrote a piece called "Trump and Pence camps at odds over best choice for U.S. Senate: Messer or Rokita?"

As Ms. Lange reports it appears that the President and Vice Presidents key Hoosier supporters are splitting over who to back for the Senate.

Lange writes:

Associates of President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence appear to be at odds over the best candidate to run for a hotly contested U.S. Senate seat in Indiana.

For months, multiple people close to Pence, along with his brother Greg Pence, have thrown their support to Rep. Luke Messer, R-Shelbyville, as the Republican choice to run against Democrat Sen. Joe Donnelly in the 2018 election.

On Thursday, Rex Early, the Trump Indiana State Chairman, and Tony Samuel, the vice chairman, joined the fight, sending a letter suggesting support for Rep. Todd Rokita, R-Indianapolis. 

“Of the members of Indiana’s congressional delegation, Todd Rokita is the only one that actively and specifically campaigned for candidate Trump — never wavering and never jumping on and off the Trump Train,” the two said in the letter.

It was a clear jab against Messer. But Early and Samuel went on to say they weren’t endorsing a candidate yet, adding there are multiple qualified people considering running.

It is important to remember that Todd Rokita still has not yet officially entered the U.S. Senate race. So far only Luke Messer has. But all indications are that Rokita will enter the race eventually. We can't see any other reason why Rokita's people would be lining up the endorsements and fundraisers they are unless they plan to run for the senate. Kaitlin Lange goes onto report the following response from the Messer for Senate campaign quoting Vice President Pence's brother Greg Pence:

"I can say I know and like both Rex (Early) and Tony (Samuel). While, I respect them, there are some inconsistencies in this statement. In fact, Congressman Rokita endorsed Sen. (Marco) Rubio (for president),"  said Greg Pence, who is also the chair of Messer's finance committee. 

IR has previously reported on Greg Pence's possible run for congress here. Since then Indy Republican has heard conflicting stories about whether or not Greg Pence will run for his brothers former congressional seat. So at this point we are not sure what to think. Anyway getting back to Messer and Rokita.

Lange continues her report:

Messer's campaign also pointed out Rokita's recent opposition to Trump's Federal Aviation Administration reforms, as well as policies Messer supported that they say line up with Trump's agenda, such as finding funding for a Mexico border wall by eliminating tax credits for illegal immigrants. 

Messer supported Jeb Bush for president early in the primary and gave money to Rubio's campaign.

Trump's approval rating is low in general, but he still has a 86 percent approval rate among Republicans, according to Gallup. Rokita's campaign is trying to appeal to those Trump supporters.

While Rokita himself has been a Republican office holder since 2002, he may not have as much support from the party establishment. The Indiana Republican State Committee passed up Rokita when he attempted to become the party's gubernatorial candidate after Pence dropped out of the race last year. Instead they chose Gov. Eric Holcomb, whom Pence endorsed.

In 2011, Republicans rewrote congressional boundaries following the census and ultimately wrote Rokita out of his own district.

Lange also cites a political scientist for their take on whether being associated with Donald Trump will help a candidate running statewide next year or hinder their campaign.

Andy Downs, a political scientist at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, argued having the support of those with Trump ties may not be as helpful as it was during the election year. 

"Feelings about Trump change very rapidly, but there are still a fair number of people who like Pence," Downs said.

So far we have one candidate for senate and one probable candidate who have each lined up notable supporters and fundraisers. IR is not as yet ready to make an endorsement in next years GOP Senate Primary. We can say with great confidence that we will not support Todd Rokita should he decide to run. We have never really thought well of Congressman Rokita and the likely conduct of some of his supporters in throwing the kitchen sink at Luke Messer shows that there is good reason to believe Rokita is trying to keep others from looking into his past.

IR has in the past cited a blog post written by the late great Gary Welsh in which he cited allegations made by former Indiana Secretary of State Charlie White about information he discovered about his predecessor Todd Rokita's conduct as Secretary of State. Welsh wrote:


Gary Welsh was referring to how Todd Rokita is alleged to have used employees of the Indiana Secretary of State's office to perform campaign related work for his 2010 congressional run. Just like former Indiana Schools Superintendent Tony Bennett was alleged to have used some of his employees to due political work for him on government time. Something tells us that if Todd Rokita should pull the trigger on a run for the Senate this and other issues will pop up to bite him in the ass! At the very least they should!