Sunday, September 24, 2006

Democrats Misfire In Effort To Smear Brizzi

Marion County Democrats are feeling a little uneasy these days with skyrocketing crime in the city and major scandals developing in the sheriff's department, the coroner's office and the Center Township Trustee's office--all offices under their management. They thought they were going to have a one-two punch, starting with Rep. Julia Carson's false accusation that her Republican opponent "beat his wife to a pulp," but the second punch really blew up in their face.

It seems Democrats tried in a press release this week to accuse Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi's office of doling out legal work to House Speaker Brian Bosma's law firm without a contract, and they demanded that an independent audit of his office be conducted. As it turned out, a 10-year contract the office had prior to Brizzi taking office was actually terminated last year. Tucked away in today's "Behind Closed Doors" column in the Star is this little tidbit:

Marion County Democrats nailed Prosecutor Carl Brizzi this past week -- or thought they did. In a news release headlined "Carl Brizzi takes care of his friends," Terry Burns, the party's executive director, blasted Brizzi for paying a politically connected law firm without a contract. More than $60,000 was paid from 2003 to 2005 to Kroger, Gardis and Regas, a firm that includes Indiana House Speaker Brian C. Bosma, R-Indianapolis.

The Democrats, who called for an independent audit of the office's finances, got the information from a public records request.

But Brizzi, a Republican running for re-election against Democrat Melina Kennedy, said they asked for the wrong information.

The Democrats requested any written agreements with the firm. The prosecutor's office replied that it "has no contract or agreement or letter of engagement with this law firm."

Not that it never did.

"We took it to mean current contracts," Brizzi said. His office had a written agreement for the firm to provide guardianship work but terminated it last year, he said. The office hires a handful of outside law firms for some work, and Brizzi said Bosma's firm had worked with the prosecutor's office for 10 years.

"We can only go with what the prosecutor's office tells us," said Burns, adding that he still thought an audit of the office was needed.

Instead of accepting blame for the misfire, the Marion Co. Democrats blame Brizzi's office for providing them inaccurate information. Note that no one in the Democratic Party has called for an independent audit of the Center Township Trustee's office after the Star revealed that Marion Co. Trustee Carl Drummer handed over government-owned space to political insiders to construct a bar illegally without entering into a lease. Note also that the Star relegated this item to its weekly gossip column--no editorials and no newstory. To have done so would have shown the Democrats to have eggs on their face.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

I wouldn't call it a misfire, AI. They went for a home run and got walked. It was probably a dumb avenue to pursue.

Anonymous said...

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Anonymous said...

It doesn't matter. Contracts with law firms? Crime's up. Carl's toast.

Anonymous said...

Advance:

Melina Kennedy is doing what most Democrats do, promise voters everything before the election and if elected deliver nothing.

New moms should stay at home and nurture their new borns until pre-school, to aviod having them becoming juvenile delinquents.

This is not the mayor's office Melina, the job requires more than just public relations. I don't believe veteran attorneys would have much respect for a boss who has never tried a criminal case. Morale would be very low in the office.

Will the prosecutor's office be micro-managed by unknown friends of Melina's? With crime at an all time high, we don't need on-the-job training for the prosecutor.

Melina, you didn't accomplish very much as deputy mayor under Bart Peterson. You merely added to your resume a new job title.

Anonymous said...

I didn't know Carl posted on this blog (Anon 6:22)...

I do find the incredibly sexist language, "Moms should stay at home..."

Wow, that's the reason I'm proud to be voting agianst the bigoted, racist, sexist Republicans.

PS - The only accurate part of your post 6:22, crime is up. Let's examine for a minute. Arrests Up. Police Officers Up. Convictions? Down. Brizzi's got blood on his hands, and come November 8, tears in his eyes.

Anonymous said...

Advance Indiana:

Why to Democrats try to dictate how people think?

Response to Anonymous 9:06:Who are you? No, I am an African American mother and grandmother making comments about Melina Kennedy at 6:22 a.m.

These are my thoughts regarding the race for prosecutor. How dare you start name-calling and labeling people who don't agree with those trumped up ads on television. She has no experience.

A criminal judge's order granted early releases not the prosecutor.

Mayor Bart Peterson is over the police department, the police arrest criminal or law violators, the prosecutor prosecutes the criminals, and the judges determines the sentence.

Anonymous said...

Advance Indiana:

Democrats want to dictate to people
what to think.

Response to Anon 9:06a.m. - Who are you?

Democrats, labeling, name-calling
Bigoted, sexist, racists Republicans

How dare you!

Who I am
African American mother and grandmother, life long resident of Indianapolis, whose comments are opinions regarding the political ads on TV by Kennedy.

Distorted information:
Mayor Bart Peterson has the police department who arrest law violators, the prosecutor finds probable cause to prosecute, the judge determines the sentences, and the defense lawyers present a defense for the violators, bail bondsmen post the bonds, a criminal court judges sign the early release orders.

The voters are not as stupid as the Democrats think. Melina needs to get her facts straight.

Democrats have control of city government, the crime rate is up, Democrats control the city-county council cost over runs on new development projects with a runaway budget, Democrats are in control of Center Township government, no accountability, Democrats in the 7th District, an embarrassment!

Anonymous said...

Oh, how selective the hateful Repubs can be.

Crime Rate? Up.

Arrests? Up.

Police Officers? Up.

Convictions? Down.

Hmm...The only causal relationship would be the one the prosecutor had responsiblity for.

He is a bad prosecutor (much worse than Newman).

As for you J, you are exactly as I said earlier, a bigoted, sexist Republican.

Anonymous said...

anonymous 7:33 p.m.: Come out of hiding, you coward.

It is so easy for people to smear, scorn and plant rumors on these blogs and not be held accountable for their attacks and statements.

Bigoted, sexist Republican?

Wrong, I do not discriminate! I stand behind my comments and can provide proof.

Anonymous said...

There is much ignorance in name calling. It proves that rather than
discussing the real issues at hand
to keep our county safe, we resort to cover up our lack of prudent knowledge with verbage that makes blogs interesting. Nevertheless it's ignornat. Experience seems to
be an issue because it represents
KNOWLEDGE,SKILL,WISDOM and VISION in CRIMINAL LAW. Since 2003 Brizzi
has been at odds with the mayor
over jail overcrowding and early releases. Brizzi is quoted as saying it was DISTURBING AND I HAVE PLAN. The mayor ignored Brizzi, so did the city council but
Anderson did back up Brizzi once
but never again. It took a bloody
summer that possibly could have been prevented in 2003,2004,2005 and the early part of 2006. Don't
be fooled.

Anonymous said...

Did we all forget that Bart Peterson questioned who was in charge of the awful happenings this
summer....He like Kennedy does not
have a clue into criminal law or what it will take to get us back on
track. When he planted the trees
to combat crime was that pandering
to Kennedy an attorney of enviromental law.