A stoned candidate arrested while campaigning.
Bias at the Indiana Election Division.
A challenger stealing $120,000.
An incumbent trying to get a constituent fired.
Calls from the White House.
An illegal judicial endorsement.
The craziness of election season is in full gear. I can’t even keep up with the tips coming in — much less be able to verify all the allegations.
Things are especially getting nasty in state Senate races, with incumbents trying to hold on to seats. And the GOP secretary of state race is bubbling up despite not even being on the primary ballot.
Breaking it down
So, let’s address of few of these issues.
Sen. Greg Goode, R-Terre Haute, is accused of calling the employer of a constituent who posted in support of Goode’s opponent. If true, it’s a significant maneuver to try to silence a voter by leveraging their job. The man has filed an ethics complaint with the state Senate.
I reached out to both the employer and Goode and neither responded. Those are the only two people who can confirm or deny the allegation. But it is making the social media rounds.
It joins attacks on Sen. Ron Alting, R-Lafayette, who was endorsed by Carroll County Judge Troy Hawkins. Some are alleging an ethical violation by the judge because judges are limited in their political activity by canons.
In Indiana, judges are generally prohibited from publicly endorsing or opposing candidates for any public office. But there is a limited exception allowing judicial candidates to support others running in the same election cycle.
Both Alting and Hawkins are on the primary ballot.
Election division division
One of the more bitter ongoing feuds involves Valerie Warycha, the Republican co-general counsel at the Indiana Election Division. She is leaving the office after the May 5 primary election partly so she can more directly help David Shelton seek the Republican nomination for secretary of state at the June state convention.
And that is rubbing those supporting current Secretary of State Diego Morales the wrong way.
Kyhle Moers, the Vanderburgh County Republican Party Chair, filed a complaint with the Indiana Inspector General about Warycha’s “impartiality and ability to effectively administer elections.”
“She sent out a recent mailer that was paid for on her own dime to endorse a candidate, David Shelton, for the upcoming Secretary of State race … I cannot imagine a scenario where it would be good and proper for a state employee in the election division to send out a letter on behalf of any candidate, not to mention, a candidate to replace her direct appointing authority,” the complaint said. “Using her official capacity to attempt to influence voters and delegates to the Republican State Convention is reckless and unscrupulous.”
But Warycha in March received an informal advisory opinion on whether she could serve as the chair of a campaign finance committee of a candidate for statewide office. The Office of Inspector General found ethics laws don’t prohibit the outside activity so long as she follows related rules.
For instance, she can’t solicit political contributions when on duty or from state employees, or while acting in an official capacity for the state. And if she retained her state position, she might have to recuse herself if that committee came before the Indiana Election Commission.
Ultimately, she decided to resign.
Moers joined forces with six other county GOP chairs on April 27 to ask Gov. Mike Braun and Election Division Co-Director Brad King to remove Warycha immediately.
“Republicans demand transparency and fairness. Maintaining an official who has already picked a side for the June convention fosters distrust among the various factions of our party, threatening unification heading into the general election,” the letter said.
And none of those are even part of the craziest election news this week.
Andrew Dezelan, 39, was arrested and charged with possession of cocaine and resisting law enforcement. He is seeking the Democrat nomination in Senate District 31.
According to WTHR, he was out knocking doors when police were called about his solicitation. The interaction went downhill from there.
I honestly don’t know how the final few days can top these items, but we will see. As always if you are voter be sure to do your due diligence. Ask for sources, do your own research. And above all, vote.