Rhode Island Income Tax Disclosure Bill Could Cause Trouble for Trump and Pence in 2020

The Associated Press is reporting that if a bill that is under consideration in the Rhode Island Legislature becomes law President Trump might be denied ballot access if he runs for re-election in 2020.

The AP reports:

AP/WPRI - The Rhode Island Senate has passed a bill that would require presidential and vice presidential candidates to file five years' worth of tax returns in order to appear on the state's ballots.

The Senate voted 33-3 to pass the measure. A House version has been held in a committee.

Senate spokesman Greg Pare says if the bill becomes law, President Donald Trump wouldn't appear on a future ballot unless he filed his returns.

Democratic Sen. Gayle Goldin, who sponsored the bill, did not explicitly mention Trump in vouching for the policy on the Senate floor. She did say that "this president" was the first since Richard Nixon to not voluntarily release his tax returns.

Goldin says the tax returns contain essential information about conflicts of interest that is not otherwise available to the public.

INDY REPUBLICAN did not think this would happen but we actually for once agree with a Rhode Island Democrat! This shocks us so much we can hardly finish our beer. But State Senator Gayle Goldin is absolutely right in insisting that presidential and vice presidential candidates disclose their tax returns. 

If laws like this wind up passing in more states they could cause issues for Vice President Pence. As we have pointed out on this blog previously here and here  Pence stated on his 2011 tax return that he and his wife Karen lived in Arlington, VA even though state law in Indiana requires him to have lived in Indiana for the five years preceding the 2012 election. So Pence should have been deemed ineligible to run for Governor in 2012, just like Evan Bayh should have been disqualified from running for Governor in 1988. 

Other issues that Pence may or should at least face if he runs for VP again or for President involves his having cast an absentee ballot in this years primary from the Governors Mansion even though he is no longer Governor. Take a look at what old Mikey tweeted as he was leaving Indiana to become Trumps Biatch Vice President:

Enjoying a quiet moment on our last Sunday morning at the Governor's Residence pic.twitter.com/1oqBL3LN82

— Governor Mike Pence (@GovPenceIN) January 8, 2017

Needless to say Pence’s casting a ballot from the Governors Mansion elicited some interesting commentary. Here are some of our favorites:

DC-dwelling Pence relies on old governor's residence address to cast Indiana ballot. Here's my question: who did he vote for – Messer, Rokita or Braun? https://t.co/WFsQRFKHIU

— Brian Slodysko (@BrianSlodysko) May 11, 2018

Pence votes from Gov mansion in ‘18 & Columbus in ‘12 while living at free unreported house in Fishers but suspend statutes/case law to lynch me? No frenzied media/partisan calls for Pence’ arrest & pros? BS perks for pampered elites #BackwardIN WWJD Mike? https://t.co/OgXXsYLldM

— Charlie White (@indysentinel) May 11, 2018

Does @GovHolcomb know @VP is apparently pulling a @Kato_Kaelin at his residence? https://t.co/KwxflSyOri

— Rob Kendall (@RobMKendall) May 12, 2018

Also our mailbag had some interesting things to say about Mike Pence’s squatting at the Governors Mansion:

“WTF? He is no longer Governor? Does he intend to reside with Holcomb? Is he filing his taxes, getting his mail over there too. Can Daniels still vote form the mansion too? Haha. The VP of the US can’t get an outhouse somewhere to vote from? Did Bush try to vote from the Texas governors mansion?”

“So does Mike Pence “return” to the govs mansion whenever he wants when he comes to Indiana...it’s a real good idea that you actually have ACCESS to the residence you are voting from.”

“He also said while he filed taxes from his DC residence address as he filed as a “resident” of fishers to enroll his daughter at HSE when he “lived” at the unreported free house that he can continue to vote in Columbus where he didn’t “live” bc of his intent and the fishers house was for the “convenience of his family” what a bunch of crap!”

Other opinions of Pence from our readers include the following:

How long would Pence survive in a Star Trek episode?

“About as long as it takes for ensign Johnson to be turned into a styrofoam cube after beaming down to the surface and making a half ass attempt at protecting the captain.”

Are critics off base to say that Mike Pence’s gene pool needs a filter?

“Yes. It needs enhancement..not filtering ..they’re missing chromosomes! He’s missing the dna which gives someone balls & a backbone...but also the chromosome that allows one to read, write and snap out of a blissful state of sleep”

For further information about Pence’s use of the Governors Mansion to vote in this years primary click here and here.

So you all next time. Have fun fellow Troublemakers!

Goodbye Charles Krauthamer

Doctor Charles Krauthamer (1950-2016)

IR has just learned that one of our favorite writers and pundits Charles Krauthamer has passed away. We all send our deepest sympathies to his family and friends during this trying time. Rest In Peace Doctor Krauthamer.

Help Republicans Fighting Tariffs Today

Indy Republican is glad to see there are some Republicans out there fighting back against job killing tariffs. And standing for the principles of free trade and enterprise rather than going down the path of completely turning the GOP into a full blown socialist/communist front group. Which sadly too many Republicans like Mike Pence, Donald Trump and Putin Puppet Congressman Dana Rohrabacher are doing there best take us from being entrepreneurs and free workers to submissive vassals to a Nurse Ratchet State. We will write more in the future about the unfortunate turn from being the party of freedom and individualism to increasingly supporting communist dictators like Kim Jong-Un and Vladimir Putin. But we urge all of our readers to give your support to Republicans Fighting Tariffs. Help to reverse the Republican Parties slide towards economic facisim like that of Indiana’s Bill Oesterle and restore our commitment to capitalism and free market idealism of Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan. Go to https://terribletariffs.com/ to lend your voice to the fight against economic ruin.

Feds Give Green Light to Holcomb’s Workforce Group

Governor Eric Holcomb 

In March IR reported on Governor Eric Holcomb’s plan to organize a new workforce cabinet for the state of Indiana. In our post we mentioned how there were concerns that Indiana might lose out on $40 million plus in federal funding with the Governors new cabinet. Well the IBJ reported today that the federal government has granted the state a waiver to have our new workforce cabinet. The IBJ reports: 

A waiver granted last week will allow the state to continue receiving millions of dollars in federal funding for the job-training programs despite the changes Holcomb implemented.

Holcomb and Republican lawmakers overhauled the cabinet's membership this year. But the changes conflicted with federal guidelines, so Holcomb's office requested a waiver in March.

The 21-member Workforce Cabinet is a smaller group with more authority than the state's previous Workforce Innovation Council. Holcomb said it will better react to changes in the economy and meet the needs of employees and employers.

The waiver is approved for two years, starting July 1.

IR will keep an eye on this new cabinet that “High Tax” Holcomb has created and see what comes of it. 

$10,000 Buys You and Your Significant Other a Picture with Mike Pence

Last September we blogged about Vice President Pence’s habit of whoring himself out to fundraise for any mediocrity running with an “R” after there names  Back in May the Indianapolis Star reported on more of Pence’s pandering to the establishment GOP by charging couples $10,000 to have there picture taken with him.

Maureen Groppe and Ginger Rough wrote:

Want to cozy up to Vice President Mike Pence when he's in Indiana Friday?

Well, as they say, that's gonna cost you.

The goal of the event?

To raise serious cash — more than $500,000 — for a trio of Republican U.S. Senate hopefuls: Mike Braun of Indiana, Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley and Ohio Congressman Jim Renacci.

Minimum buy-in? $2,700 per couple. And, basically, that just gets you in the door.

If you want to be where the real action is, you need to cough up even more dough.

Tier Two is know as the "Host Committee" level. That's a cool $10,000 per couple. And that will get you one photo with Pence and two attendees at the reception.

If you've really got extra cash to throw around, you can buy in at the highest level: the "Chairman Committee Roundtable." For a mere $25,000, you get one attendee at a roundtable discussion, one photo with Pence and four attendees at the reception.

$10,000 to have you and your dates picture taken with Mike Pence? No thanks. We wouldn’t pay a penny to have our picture taken with idiot boy Mikey!

Pray for Larry Kudlow

Larry Kudlow 

We have just found out the National Economic Council Director, Larry Kudlow has suffered a heart attack and is reported to be at Walter Reed Hospital. No other word on Mister Kudlow’s condition has been received. IR asks everyone out there to please keep Larry and his family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. God be with you Larry.

Indy Republican appreciates your support

We at IR would like to think all of our readers for their continued support. The blog has grown somewhat since we began in 2016. We look forward to many more years of blogging. Please tell your friends and family about the Indy Republican Blog and to send news tips and post ideas to our blog email: 6vwts@notsharingmy.info, fill out our contact form here on the blog, or reach us on Twitter @IndyRepublicanX. 

Tribalist Mitch Daniels urges Graduates to Reject Tribalism

Three weeks ago David Bangert of the Lafayette Courier & Journal reported that former Indiana Governor now Purdue University President Mitch Daniels in a speech he gave to this years graduating class a call for people to resist political tribalism.

From Bangert's report:

The biggest challenge facing this graduating class, Daniels said, “will involve the repair and renewal of trust among ourselves as a people.” Daniels’ speech was set along themes similar to his commencement addresses from recent springs. (Purdue tradition holds that the president gives most commencement speeches, rather than calling on guest speakers.) He called the class of 2018 new aristocrats, privileged elites “of a knowledge economy” who might well be tempted “unintentionally to segregate from their less blessed, less well educated fellow citizens.” 

Daniels had some other things to share with this year's graduating class:

“As we trust each other less, trust in the institutions of our society has eroded in parallel.  Almost no sector – government, business, the media, even higher education – has escaped a steep drop in public confidence.  Some constant vigilance and skepticism about centers of authority is a healthy, all-American instinct.  But ultimately, to function effectively as a free and self-governing people, we must maintain some degree of faith that our institutions and those leading them have our best interests at heart, and are performing their duties with sincerity and integrity.  And today, we plainly lack such faith.

“There are plenty of culprits here, starting with too many who have misused positions of authority.  The so-called social media – I have come to think of it as ‘antisocial media’ – enables and encourages hostility from the insulated enclave of a smartphone or a laptop.  People say things to and about each other that they would never say face to face, or maybe even think, if they knew each other personally. 

“Our various modern media lead us to, and feed us from, information sources that reinforce our existing biases.  They put us in contact with other tribe members, but rarely those who see things differently.  We’re starting to resemble ominously our primitive forbearers, trusting no one outside the tribe.

Daniels has no business lecturing anybody about the dangers of tribalism. During his eight year "Reign of Error" as Governor he was the ultimate tribalist and political hack insider. His ego is so enormous that he had his face plastered throughout every state agency and government building. His bungling of FSSA, DCS, the BMV, and his creation of the IEDC the ultimate tool in which to give away taxpayer money to those who bow before this pathetic runt of a man. Daniels misuses his authority everywhere he goes. Who can forgot the still questionable conduct of the Department of Child Services years ago involving the tragic death of Tajanay Bailey? A sad story which we, Paul Ogden and Gary Welsh have all written about. Mitch Daniels may preach about unity, and individualism when it suits him. Don't be fooled! He is an evil nasty little troll who deserves nothing less then the excoriation not the following of Hoosiers.

An old friend of IR's who  has detailed knowledge of the inner workers of the Daniels Cartel had this reaction to Daniels speech:

Haha...he would know all about tyranny...his first step everywhere he goes is to consolidate agencies/divisions under lt. Governor under him, try to end more local Gov’t to help him consolidate power into fewer local offices so he can have B&T push their folks to control easier and then move all the Purdue of Purdue foundation money into a new entity so it was easier for him to control...would say the Mitch Mafia could be characterized as a tribe...or a personality cult

Unfortunately the high priest of the Cult of Mitch, Eric "High Tax" Holcomb is now our Governor. Hold onto your wallets and liberties before old Eric takes them all away. Our sources tell us there is more trouble brewing for DCS. Will let you know if we hear anything. Once again this is IR and the Gang wishing you all a good night!

Twist the Night Away with Rod Stewart

Indy Republican is taking sometime off to celebrate Todd Rokita and Steve Braun going down to well deserved defeats in their primary races earlier this month. So IR thought we would share this oldie but goodie from 1987. Here is Rod Stewart’s rendition of “Twisting the Night Away” from the comedy classic “Innerspace”.

Enjoy my brothers and sisters: