I'm not sure it's an endorsement any respectable public servant would want given the organization's corrupt role in aiding and abetting in the theft of public funds for a select group of downtown insiders, but the Indy Chamber has given its endorsement in the Indianapolis mayor's race to Democrat Joe Hogsett, along with a collection of Democratic and Republican council candidates. Unless you are committed to stealing our tax dollars and giving them to these thieves, you cannot get the Indy Chamber's endorsement, which is a bit ironic since Hogsett claims he intends to end that practice. The Indy Chamber must know that's just campaign rhetoric. The Indy Chamber is also big on higher taxes and more government regulation--so long as its chosen businesses receive generous tax abatements and public subsidies for their private endeavors.
The endorsement committee was chaired by Ice Miller's Melissa Proffitt, whose job at the law firm seems to consist primarily of wining and dining politicians and helping organize overseas junkets for the governor and mayor. "We believe these candidates have the vision to continue the great momentum our city has seen recently in cultivating a competitive business environment that is attractive to talent and encourages our home-grown entrepreneurs," said Proffitt. "Our committee was encouraged by discussions with candidates on both sides of the political spectrum and believe our political, civic and business leaders have a shared nonpartisan vision for the future of Indianapolis."
Thankfully, my councilor, Zach Adamson (D), did not receive their endorsement. He should wear their non-endorsement in his race like a badge of honor. Naturally, Christine Scales (R), the conscience of the council, was not endorsed. Here's the list of those who were endorsed.
• District 2 - Kip Tew (D)
• District 3 - Pamela Hickman (D)
• District 4 - Michael McQuillen (R)
• District 6 - Janice McHenry (R)
• District 10 - Maggie Lewis (D)
• District 11 - Vop Osili (D)
• District 12 - Blake Johnson (D)
• District 16 - Jeff Miller (R)
• District 19 - Ben Hunter (R)
• District 21 - Frank Mascari (D)
• District 23 - Scott Kreider (R)
10 comments:
I normally post under my own name but I ended up at a crony central tailgate before taking my life into my hands to watch the football game on Monday evening--free tickets of course. I wish I had had the guts to broach your name and website, but held back since I was the guest of an innocent party. I guess I didnt have too much to worry about roof collapse since I knew that CIB board member was heading into the stadium! With websites like this and WhoWhatWhy and eyes having been opened, I sometimes feel like a zoo guest observing the caged sheeple at events like this. Thank you Gary.
How utterly charming...a lawyer named Proffitt.
Gary:
I refused to partake in the Indy Chamber's endorsement process. My opponent's law and business partners sat on the Chamber endorsement committee in the 2011 Council race. In this election cycle, I reminded Chamber representatives of their lack of commitment to fair and unbiased candidate endorsement methods. Chamber members would not provide any assurances that the endorsement committee would conduct their selections process any differently than in the past, so I refused to participate.
In an unusual twist this year, an individual decided to provide me with an endorsement committee's secret list of questions that would be asked of candidates during the interview process. I apprised that group that their questions had been leaked to me. I told them I felt it would give me an unfair advantage over my opponent to participate in their group's endorsement process. Instead of showing any concern over the leaked questions or asking who had provided them to me, the group's board president lashed out at me with all manner of disparaging accusations, including lying about having received a preview of the questions. Since the PAC didn't volunteer to change their interview questions or make any other accommodations based on the information I supplied about the leak, I didn't participate in their interviews.
The only PAC endorsement process I have participated in this election cycle, was the FOP's and I received their endorsement.
Christine Scales
Scales is a scale above the rest.
Look at the names of the "Republicans" on this list. IMHO, every one a supporter of crony deals, cronyism, pay-to-play. Not one has lifted a finger as far as I can tell to do a damn thing about Blue Indy or Vision Fleet or...oh, what's the use of typing the litany of Greg Ballard's unaddressed sins against the taxpayers?
I agree, Gary, that Mr. Adamson might wear the lack of endorsement from this gaggle as a badge of hoonr.
Scales does it best, as usual. I totally get being lashed out at when doing the right thing is the ultimate motivator.
So their endorsed candidates list should be considered a list of who NOT to vote for. Thank you Gary.
I wonder if any if the Chamber's questions for candidates were about continuing the practice of doling out large grants to "not for profit" community and business organizations, grants that make up such a large chunk of the Chamber's own revenue?
It's now a Chamber of Statism.
Adamson seems a little weird to me
Chamberpot of Commerce. Pack of knaves and thieves and really ignorant people who need to bear a bit more brunt of the costs they are imposing.
Left unsaid here is that the Chamber clearly has no confidence in a Brewer win. While it might seem ironic that an entity devoted to the growth of business, particularity small & local businesses, did not endorse someone who represents that, it's very predictable. A new mayor is sort of an adjunct leader of the Chamber and if any of their current RINO employees and board members hope to keep their gigs, antagonizing him by backing his opponent would be counter-intuitive. If they had polling data showing Brewer ahead, they'd back him.
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