State Rep. R. Eric Turner, R-Cicero, has done a lot of good for the Grant County area and his district over the course of a long political career. No one can or should deny that. But those accomplishments alone do not offer blanket protection from accusations of wrongdoing. Not for the first time, Turner finds himself in the headlines for all the wrong reasons, and his failure to speak on the issue beyond prepared statements is a disappointment.
Turner is the first sitting House member to face an ethics panel review in 18 years, fighting claims he committed rules violations when he fought legislation that would have put a moratorium on new nursing home construction — legislation the Associated Press reported last week would have cost the lawmaker millions. Turner has earned more than $8 million through his ownership stake in Mainstreet Property Group, which builds nursing homes, and the AP reports he stood to lose more than $4 million if the construction ban had passed this year with an expansion to facilities slated in Carmel.
Turner has been questioned before about ethical issues both small — such as accepting Pacers tickets from a lobbyist — and large — in April 2013 when Gov. Mike Pence asked the Indiana Economic Development Corp. to review its decision to grant $345,000 in economic incentives to Mainstreet Property Group.
Frustratingly, Turner skipped a House ethics review Wednesday. The bipartisan panel’s review focused primarily on whether Turner properly disclosed all his connections and how much money he personally stood to lose. The ethics panel is expected to meet Wednesday to tell House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, who requested the hearings, whether they believe Turner violated any rules.
Turner, while inexplicably skipping the hearings, did submit documentation stating he lobbied against the bill but claiming he avoided any violations because he recused himself from any votes. His attorney claimed that Turned didn’t need to be at the hearing because he sent in written answers to questions. Perhaps by the letter of the law that is true, but we believe taxpayers deserved to hear Turner answer questions, in public, on the matter. Thus far, Turner has not taken questions from the press or lawmakers in person, his answers coming only in prepackaged statements.
Questioning whether Turner violated ethical standards is not a witch hunt, a liberal conspiracy or an attempt to drag an honest man through the mud. Given the circumstances and money involved, it’s responsible government to review the situation. Indiana’s citizens deserve a lawmaker who is working for their needs, not their own. We want Turner to be that representative, and we are extremely disappointed he didn’t want to stand before his peers and clear the air.
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