Comments on Advance Indiana™: Marion County Judge Allows Pan Am Suit To Proceed Under Public Standing Doctrine

I meant Barker and not Shields as the district cou...

2009-09-22T07:37:04.057-05:00

I meant Barker and not Shields as the district court judge who decided the Voter ID suit in federal court.

Gary, Great analysis. On that statutory point we...

2009-09-21T20:53:51.648-05:00

Gary,

Great analysis. On that statutory point we had conceded - it was amended in 2008 to directly require council approval and the the act was done in 2007. But we had a couple other theories by which council approval would have been required nonetheless. The judge ruled in our favor on those theories - or I should say there exists a question of fact whether they applied to require council approval

I haven't had a chance to study the opinion in detail, but I have been very, very impressed by Judge Welch demeanor on the court and her writing.

DIRTY Politics in Public Safety!!! IFD recently m...

2009-09-21T20:13:33.719-05:00

DIRTY Politics in Public Safety!!!

IFD recently merged with the Perry Township Fire Department in what was lauded as a great accomplishment for the city of Indianapolis. What you don’t know is that there was a secret deal brokered with former Public Safety Director Scott Newman, outgoing Chief of Staff Paul Okeson, and current Perry Township Trustee, Gary Coons. Here are the details:
1. Gary Coons informed Paul Okeson and Scott Newman that if they promised him a job in the current administration that he would guarantee them that the merger for PFD would go through no matter what. The promised job was that he would be the Director or the Deputy Director of Emergency Management since there were two vacant positions. All parties agreed that was acceptable.
2. Jim White was given the position as Director of EMA and stated he did not need a Deputy Director and has said to multiple sources that he does not want Gary Coons even if he did get a Deputy Director.
3. Gary Coons was upset and felt betrayed and he confronted Newman and Okeson about the deal they had made. Newman and Okeson informed Coons to apply for the now vacant position of Director of Public Safety saying he would have an influential position in the administration as the Director. Coons applied for the position along with several hundred other applicants.
4. Recently PFD merged with IFD and Mayor Ballard held a town-hall meeting at the PFD Station on September 5, 2009 to discuss the benefits of the merger. Gary Coons who was present at the meeting was rumored to have had a conversation with acting Director of Public Safety Mark Renner about a new job. Several individuals overheard Renner and Coons talking about his new position and his start date. No one knew what position they were talking about.
5. On the week of September 7th Gary Coons started a new position with the Department of Public Safety as the Department of Public Safety’s Liaison. His salary is over a staggering $70,000 per year all while he is STILL the trustee of Perry Township!
a. The job was NEVER posted on the city’s website.
b. His role is very vague and he is not connected will enough to be a liaison for the city according to associates of Coons.
c. He is still earning a salary of $40,000 as the trustee in addition to his new salary and has said he does not intend to resign.
6. Renner is attempting to become the Director of Public Safety and has been informed by Okeson and Newman that they would push for him to become the new Director on the condition that he promotes Coons as his Deputy Director.
What happened to the Mayor’s promise of being “transparent” and NOT playing the usual political games that others played?
P.S.- Current Director of Re-Entry Khadejha Muhammad is being replace by Marion County Republican Party Chairman, Tom John’s girlfriend’s –best friend, Rhiannon Williams. Rhiannon Williams is the current director of Pace-OAR and has been said by many to publicly express her dissatisfaction with Khadejha Muhammad and that she would do a better job in that position. Muhammad was recently applauded for her outstanding work by Tony Dungy on national news. The sad part is that all of this was orchestrated by none other than…Paul Okeson and Scott Newman. I guess we all know who runs the administration and will be picking the new Public Safety Director for the Mayor….oh wait they already did pick him and the Mayor just doesn’t know that it’s none other than…Mark Renner.

This isn't a partisan debate. I assume your re...

2009-09-21T19:58:20.904-05:00

This isn't a partisan debate. I assume your reference is regarding the Voter ID dispute. Your memory must not be very good. The Dems at each step along the way of the litigation that worked its way through the federal courts complained about rulings by Republican judges. First, it was just a partisan opinion by Judge Shields. Then it was a partisan ruling by Republican judges on the 7th Circuit. And finally, it was a 6-3 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court with all those voting to uphold it being Republican judges. So when a Court of Appeals of all Democratic judges rules the opposite way that all of those Republican judges ruled, why would it surprise you that people might be tempted to point out that the judges' partisan affiliation. It's okay for the Dems to raise the party affiliation of Republican judges but not vice versa, I guess.

A great judge makes a well-reasoned decision. Not...

2009-09-21T19:30:33.914-05:00

A great judge makes a well-reasoned decision. Not surprise here. You know what else isn't surprising? You don't mention that she's a....gasp.....DEMOCRAT!