First Merchants Bank is suing Tim Durham's Classic Manufacturing for nearly $1 million the bank loaned to the truck trailer maker in Allen County according to the IBJ's Greg Andrews. The suit claims the company defaulted on its loan and seeks to foreclose on the company's inventory and other collateral. "The legal tangle provides further evidence that Durham’s financial challenges extend beyond Fair Finance Co., the Akron, Ohio, firm that federal prosecutors have alleged operated as a Ponzi scheme," Andrews reports.
Soon after the feds raided Durham's Obsidian and Fair Finance businesses last November, I told you about how a number of his associates all had their homes listed for sale. Durham's partner in Fair Finance, James Cochran, is conducting an estate sale on his home in Naples, Florida according to a Craig's List ad picked up by an observant Advance Indiana reader. According to the ad, the sale is taking place January 15 through January 17 at 298 Mooring Line Drive in Naples. Acting U.S. Attorney Jim Morrison initially acted to freeze certain assets of Durham and Cochran; however, he abruptly dropped the forfeiture days after initiating the action in the federal district court for the Southern District of Indiana.
Marion Co. Prosecutor Carl Brizzi waited until the last day for candidates seeking slating for the GOP primary to announce that he is not seeking re-election to a third term. Brizzi collected more than $150,000 in campaign contributions from Durham, a close friend, and had agreed to serve on Fair Finance's Board of Directors until unflattering news media stories about the company surfaced. "This decision was not an easy one, but after serving as prosecutor for the last seven years, I have wrestled with the question of whether I could make a commitment to serve an additional five years," Brizzi said in a statement he released today. "I am still incredibly passionate about the job we do and our commitment to a victim centered philosophy that criminals have a choice and victims don't. I could not be any prouder of our accomplishments over the past seven years."
As a Republican precinct committeeperson, I've heard from no other potential candidates on the Republican side. Rumors have circulated that Brizzi's chief of staff, Helen Marchal, may seek the office. Jim Shella confirms that Brizzi will endorse Marchal for his job. One has to wonder how wise it would be for the GOP to put confidence in Brizzi's top aide given the indiscretions and unethical conduct that has taken place in the prosecutor's office over the last several years under Brizzi's leadership. All of Brizzi's baggage will rub off on her deservedly or not. Any Republican candidate will be disadvantaged as long as Brizzi remains in office, even if he is not seeking re-election. It is a big disappointment that not a single Republican leader in this county joined my call for Brizzi to resign his office. I predicted some time ago that Brizzi would not be seeking re-election, and that he was only delaying his announcement to deter other would-be candidates. It looks like my party is giving me one take it or leave it choice this year. Not good.
11 comments:
Gary, Carl Brizzi did exactly what we predicted he would. If he would have announced two months ago, other people would have sought slating. He just handed the Demcorats the Prosecutor's Office. I'd bet that Tom John knew all about this plan of Brizzi's to wait until the last minute.
From what I've been told by more than one person with access to know, Tom John was also told to make sure Ballard lost the election.
People always forget that once upon a time I had clients with all kinds of connections.
Tom John's actions during Ballard's campaign sure looked like he was doing all he could to ensure Ballard lost and Peterson won.
They liked doing business with Peterson.
These two parties don't stand on principle. Instead they work together to serve the needs of insiders. Eventually they suck members of the media into their web.
They don't care if a Democrat wins the prosecutor's office, as long as the new guy will turn a blind eye to political corruption like Brizzi does.
I wonder if Tom John also traded in CLST/Cellstar, which would explain to me his lack of balls lately.
You and Gary are right about a lot of things, and they don't like you for it. Keep up the good work. The people love you for it.
The Star is such an unscrupulous tool of the local tyrants. Their headline reads "Republican's chief of staff, Helen Marchal, will seek nomination for prosecutor this year in his place."
This headline states that she's next in line, completely ignoring the likely chance that someone else will win the nomination.
The Star isn't reporting news; it's fabricating belief.
Mr. Brizzi might find himself on the list of hostile witnesses when all that he has been involved in and all the criminal acts his friends have been allowed to commit with his office covering them up. Anyone from his office might just get drug into it to.
He has had volumes of illegal activity laid at his feet for years of the wealthy and powerful from both parties doing the very things he and Durham have been doing. Some of it has become close enough and current enough that it will set the tone for the Prosecutor's race.
Carl knows who the thieves are that have defrauded the citizens of the State of Indiana. He parties with them, attends galas with them and then covers their tracks while they too have defaulted on far greater loans than Durham has and have put the State of Indiana in peril.
Tim Morrison knows who they are as well. He was called more than once and refused to listen.
The Justice Department had to send the price fixing concrete fellas away. Maybe the Justice Department will have to send the State Contract fixing boys away too and Carl might go right along with them.
The sad thing is the people in power at the Statehouse know all the sordid details too and now they do not have their cover to hide under.
Who squeals first!!!!!
Hey I Know,
How lame can you be. Why don't you go to Gary or Greg and give them the documents so they can print this. At the same time go to Congressman John Boccieri in Ohio and give him the proof that this is going on and he can turn this in to the appropriate Washington authorities.
Just posting on a blog is what people like Carl hope for.
Craig...The US Attorney has been told and Brizzi already has it!!!!
So do several State Senators and the GOVERNOR!!!!!!
They all ignored it and hoped it would go away!
I like being called lame...if you only knew where the trail has been and no one believed it for years..
"Unscrupulous tool of the local tyrants,"--that is the STAR. Thanks, Cato. And like Diana Vice says, the people are immensely grateful to Paul Ogden and Gary Welch, for their standing up to the corrupt boss hogs, who rule Indy.
Re: I KNOW,
If this is true get one more wind and I don't mean the kind Durham blows when he is drunk and send a copy of your documentation to Gary Welch and he will forward it to the appropriate government authorities.
I promise something will be done this time.
I saw on the news this last minute tactic 'prevented another candidate from filing before the deadline.' Any idea who?
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