Happy Mother’s Day!

Indy Republican wishes all you Mother’s out there a Happy and Blessed Mothers Day!

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.

Jon Easter Returns to the Blogosphere

Jon Easter aka “Johnny Stir” Great Man

Indy Republican is happy to report that Jon Easter has headed the calling of the Bat-Signal and has returned to blogging. Jon we are so psyched about your return we had to up our medication! Jon we look forward to hearing from you again. Ladies and Gentlemen please check out the new JohnnyStir Blog at: http://johnnystir.blogspot.com/

Here’s a wonderful Seventies Classic to welcome you back Jon:

Todd Rokita Touts Former GOP State Chairman Cardwell’s Endorsement

Further proof has emerged that Todd Rokita intends to drive his Senate campaign into the ditch. A little earlier today the Rokita campaign issued a statement saying that former Indiana Republican State Chairman Jeff Cardwell has endorsed the Rokita Train Wreck.

Chairman Jeff Cardwell has been a selfless leader for Hoosier Republicans. I’m honored to have his endorsement. pic.twitter.com/JvwFyhV7Xv

— Todd Rokita (@ToddRokitaIN) May 2, 2018

You might remember that Cardwell was implicated in a scandal back in 2016. The scandal involved Cardwell using his position as state party chair to help benefit his hardware store Cardwell Home Center. We reported on the scandal back in September 2016 as it was covered by Tony Cook at IndyStar. The fact that Team Rokita is boasting of Cardwell’s endorsement shows just how tone deaf they are. Especially since Rokita used his staff as Secretary of State to help him get elected to Congress. We found this interesting reply to Rokita on Twitter and thought we would share it with all of you:

I admire your dedication to defeating the elite by destroying your own 16 year career as a politician by running the worst campaign in Indiana history pic.twitter.com/IwZOPJbpy2

— Conrad Spann (@ConradSpann) May 2, 2018

Todd Rokita’s Tasteless Attack’s on WIBC Producer Brian Baker

“Lying Todd” Rokita as Rob Kendall at WIBC so accurately calls Rokita, proceeded to our complete shock to make a total ass out of himself by insulting Brian Baker a producer over at WIBC. The incident in question occurred yesterday while Hoekita was appearing yesterday morning on the Tony Katz Show. Guy Relford was filling in for Mr. Katz. Rokita said after having spoken to Producer Brian Baker that he was glad to get a question from Guy Relford as opposed to “a lowly Producer”. An obvious swipe at Brian Baker. IR doesn’t know what planet Rokita lives on. But he should now producing a radio show is not a job for the unintelligent. We will share a link to Rob Kendall’s comments about Todd  We think they are spot on. Unlike Rob though if Turd Rokita wins the primary we are writing in a candidate for Senate in the fall. We would rather eat airline food than vote for Todd Rokita!

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.

Renacci's congressional campaign gave "Hoosiers for Rokita" $4,000 and $2,700 to his leadership PAC on May 9. Rokita's leadership PAC then gave $2,000 to Renacci's gubernatorial campaign on June 28.

Renacci's congressional campaign gave Walorski's campaign $4,000 on  April 27, 2017. Her campaign then gave $4,000 to Renacci's gubernatorial campaign on June 13.

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.

Vulgar, Profane, Corrupt and Stingy Todd Rokita

What are we Hoosier's to make of Todd Rokita? IR has been writing about him for sometime now. But the events of the past week even have us stunned at this man's arrogance, condescension, and unbelievable sense of entitlement. Brian Slodysko over at the Associated Press and Rob Kendall host of the "Rob Kendall Show" on WIBC have done a great job at holding Old Todd's feet to the fire. Their are some individuals to whom the people of Indiana owe the greatest debt of gratitude for helping to show Todd Rokita for the clod and buffoon he is. All we can tell you our readers is these persons have been more than generous at helping to get the truth out about Todd. We are eternally grateful to our sources for reaching out to us and trusting INDY REPUBLICAN with much needed information. Now back to less pleasant topics. The chief of them being Theodore "Todd" Rokita.

On April 9th, 2018 Kaitlin Lange over at INDYSTAR reported that:

 Leaders of Trump's Indiana presidential campaign announced their official endorsement of the U.S. Senate candidate Todd Rokita Monday, just days after a report that the congressman called President Donald Trump "vulgar" in early 2016. Rex Early, the Trump Indiana State Chairman, and Tony Samuel, the vice chairman, said what set Rokita apart from the other candidates was how Rokita supported Trump after he secured the GOP nomination.

Ms. Lange cited an article by the Associated Press in which Rokita gave his reasons for endorsing Senator Marco Rubio instead of Donald Trump for the Republican Presidential Nomination in 2016. Rokita is quoted as saying:

"When you see Marco contrasted with Donald Trump — I mean someone who is vulgar, if not profane," Rokita said at the time. "At some point you have to be presidential. People expect that and you see that in Marco Rubio."

Let's stop and examine Rokita's standards regarding what he considers "Vulgar, if not profane". In light of Rokita's endorsement of Marco Rubio for the GOP Presidential Nomination. Rokita must have some rather unusual idea of what constitutes vulgarity. Gary Welsh over at Advance Indiana in February 2016 wrote a post called "Marco Rubio's Days May Be Numbered". Gary reported on rumors that Marco Rubio having attended gay foam parties in South Beach, Flordia. Gary even provided these photos which appear to be of Rubio. One shows Rubio looking like a Chippendales Dancer, the other shows what maybe Rubio at gay foam party. One person commented on Welsh's post: "Evidently, Chris Christie was on the mark when describing Tio Taco Rubio as 'the boy in the bubble'.

Here are the photos in question. Look at them if you dare:

Marco seems to be devoid of vulgarity and profanity in Rokita's eyes. Which is interesting considering sources have told us that Rokita and Rubio share many similarities OUTWARD appearance however is not one of them. 

Rokita in his haste to try and make himself look important jumped on the endorsements of the leaders of Trump's 2016 Indiana Campaign as proof that President Trump was endorsing him in the Senate Primary. As usual Todd jumped the gun. Brian Slodysko reporting for the AP on April 18th, 2018 that: 

Donald Trump’s re-election campaign has demanded that Rep. Todd Rokita take down yard signs it says give the false impression the president endorsed the Indiana Republican’s Senate bid, two people with direct knowledge of the matter told The Associated Press. The rebuke came after two volunteers who led Trump’s bare-bones 2016 campaign in Vice President Mike Pence’s home state endorsed Rokita during an Indianapolis news conference last week.The Rokita signs, which have gone up since that event, proclaim in large white letters “Endorsed by Trump/Pence,” with smaller letters below adding “2016 Indiana Team Leaders.”

All the Rokita campaign said is "We do not comment on yard sign strategy". Here is what some of Rokita's yard signs look like since being bitch slapped by Trump officials:

INDY REPUBLICAN has made clear in the past that most of us here are not Trump supporters. But by what twist of logic can Rokita having been endorsed by some of Trump's campaign staff translate into an endorsement from Trump? What's next is Todd going to receive a pastor's endorsement and then claim God is backing him? Or what if some Kroger or Eli Lilly worker endorses him? Is he then going to claim that he has the backing of Kroger or Eli Lilly?

A reader sent in their idea of what kind of sign Todd would make up to convince people God was on his side:

Todd cannot even get it right when attacking his opponents. Here is a tweet in which someone responded to Rokita's attack on Mike Braun facing lawsuits over pay issues:

Here’s another neat little article about pay: Todd Rokita pays his staff the second lowest average salary in Congress. Todd Rokita does not believe in supporting and fostering a viable middle class in this state. We all deserve better. pic.twitter.com/SWhUzqgww4

— Bill (@ReplaceRokita) April 20, 2018

In several past posts on this blog. IR has pointed out how Rokita loves to misuse his office staff to further his political ambitions. We have mentioned how he used his office staff when he was Indiana Secretary of State to do political work for him on government time. And how some complaints were made to the Marion County Prosecutor's Office and the State's Inspector General as far back as 2011. But nothing was ever done. Turns out Rokita appears to still be continuing his habit of using office staff for political work. Rob Kendall posted an interesting find on Twitter earlier today:

Odd that Nathan Brand, the very terrible spokesperson for @ToddRokitaIN CAMPAIGN was on the GOVERNMENT payroll as of December 31. Interesting, considering I was getting CAMPAIGN emails with his name on them during this time. pic.twitter.com/Ohig2SDkhT

— Rob Kendall (@RobMKendall) April 24, 2018

Hat tip to Mister Rob Kendall for catching old Todd in the act. None of us here have ever met Nathan Brand Todd Rokita's spokesman. But he seems to be a poor man's version of his boss. Being Todd Rokita is bad enough. But being a pale imitation of Todd that is just pathetic! Oh and thanks again to our "sources". Until next time this is IR saying keep up the pressure on frauds and fakes like Todd Rokita. We will be back in awhile. Until our next post,Goodnight Everyone! That's a wrap! 

RIP Barbara Bush

First Lady Barbara Bush

INDY REPUBLICAN has just heard that former First Lady Barbara Bush has died at the age of 92. She was a fine woman and a wonderful First Lady. She has gone home to be with our Lord. Mrs. Bush may you now be free of pain.

Judge Napolitano Explains Why Attorney-Client Privilege Doesn't Protect Michael Cohen

Last week the FBI raid the law offices of Michael Cohen personal attorney to President Donald Trump. Since the raid of Cohen's offices the President has been claiming that the raid on his lawyers office has destroyed attorney-client privilege.

Attorney Client privilege is now a thing of the past. I have many (too many!) lawyers and they are probably wondering when their offices, and even homes, are going to be raided with everything, including their phones and computers, taken. All lawyers are deflated and concerned!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 15, 2018

Other's are not buying President Trump's logic however:

I know some lawyers who are neither deflated nor concerned. Of course, they’re not involved in possible criminal conspiracies. https://t.co/EXfCXma22e

— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) April 15, 2018

The great Judge Andrew Napolitano explained yesterday what attorney-client privilege actually is. And to the Judge's credit he points out the problems associated with the President and Michael Cohen trying to invoke the privilege in this case:

Attorney-Client Privilege - Explainedhttps://t.co/VRM9F449pP

— Judge Napolitano (@Judgenap) April 16, 2018