The Indiana GOP’s Vote Fraud Problem
Over the past several years, the Indiana GOP has spent more than $12.2 million taxpayer dollars on voter education and ID cards since passing a restrictive voter ID law in 2006. That cost doesn’t begin to take into account the money spent litigating the case. Charlie White’s conviction sheds light on why the Republicans are so obsessed with vote fraud: they are surrounded by it.
Just look at the last few days:
Friday: Dick Lugar
On Friday, Indiana Senator Richard Lugar tried to answer longstanding questions about his residency – and, in turn, the legitimacy of his voter registration. Lugar told CNN “he maintains a residence for ‘political purposes’ in Indianapolis but doesn’t live at the physical address-staying in hotels around the state, instead.” The most recent pressure on Lugar comes from Tea Party Republicans, who are supporting Lugar’s primary opponent, Indiana Treasurer Richard Mourdock. Greg Wright, a self-described Tea Party member, got the conservative blog The Daily Caller to look into the issue of Lugar’s residency.
Saturday: Charlie White
On Saturday at 2:38am, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels received notice from the Clerk of the Court in Hamilton County that his handpicked Secretary of State, Charlie White, had been convicted of a felony in his vote fraud trial. After 13 hours of deliberation, a Noblesville jury convicted White on 6 felony counts. As a result, White was removed from office and Daniels appointed White’s top lieutenant as his temporary replacement.
A Marion County judge had previously ruled that White was ineligible for office, a decision that has been stayed pending appeal.
Sunday: Mitch Daniels
On Sunday, the now-former Indiana Secretary of State went on Fox News to whine about his conviction. His defense still seems to be that others do it, too. Only this time, he implicated his former political ally, Mitch Daniels.
Partial transcript, starting around 4:40 of the video:
The fact that Governor Daniels – I would take exception to what he said about ethics or integrity about me in the paper on Sunday. Mitch Daniels has voted incorrectly, according to the standards put on me, the last ten straight elections. Under the Constitution of the State of Indiana, and under the statute, he shall reside in Marion County. He claims his homestead, a $3.8 million home, that he built with his construction documents saying it was owned by Leonard Watson, the designer, and it was not. And he votes down at the Governor’s Mansion, where everyone knows he does not live. And the local media will not talk about this, because again it’s inconvenient. Again, we are a state of men and not law here in Indiana.
The Fox host quickly changed the subject.
