And Then There Was One

Former Marion Co. Prosecutor Carl Brizzi did the right thing and reached an agreement with the bankruptcy trustee for Fair Finance Company to repay $195,881, the lion's share of the money Brizzi's campaign committee received in donations from indicted Ponzi scheme operator Tim Durham. That leaves Gov. Mitch Daniels as the only politician who received significant campaign contributions from Durham who has not repaid monies to the bankruptcy trustee. Daniels and Brizzi were the largest recipients of campaign contributions from Durham with each receiving in excess of $200,000. Brizzi wrote a check for $170,811 from his campaign committee and wrote a check out of his personal pocket for $15,000. Brizzi has agreed the repay the remaining $10,000 balance in monthly installments of $1,000. The funds paid out of his personal pocket are funds the trustee alleges Brizzi received in personal financial assistance from Durham, an amount disputed by Brizzi according to the IBJ's Greg Andrews:

In addition, court papers show that bankruptcy Trustee Brian Bash alleged that Fair Finance and Durham provided Brizzi with personal loans and financial assistance totaling $55,735 for trips and miscellaneous expenses.

Brizzi disputes the amount, according to the settlement, but agreed to pay $25,000. Though the deal requires court approval, Brizzi’s campaign committee already has provided the trustee with a $170,881 check, and Brizzi has provided a $15,000 check. He’ll pay the remaining $10,000 in monthly installments of $1,000, the settlement says.

Gov. Daniels should do the right thing and pay his share to the bankruptcy trustee. Daniels maintains that all of the funds Durham contributed to him have been spent, although he has continued to raise large sums of money for his political action committee after the close of his last gubernatorial campaign. Daniels is also the most wealthy of the politicians receiving money from Durham. He has a personal fortune estimated at being worth more than $50 million.