Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Kennedy Sinks To New Low In Latest Attack

Melina Kennedy's latest attack on Marion Co. Prosecutor Carl Brizzi (R) is deceitful and unbecoming of anyone seeking to become the state's most important prosecutor. Her campaign is currently running a television ad which accuses Brizzi of moving his staff to "plush, private offices" with new office furniture, using a "gas-guzzling, luxury SUV" and taking a $20,000 pay raise. If these were facts Kennedy was attempting to present to a jury in a criminal case, the accused Brizzi would win a dismissal from the judge and questions would be raised about prosecutorial misconduct.

As the Star explains today, "Offices at the City-County Building and three other locations were moved to 251 E. Ohio St. under Brizzi. But his predecessor, Scott Newman, engineered the move and signed the new lease in late 2002." Kennedy's response, "Brizzi should have considered reversing the decision." The better question is why Mayor Peterson didn't move some of his staff out of the city-county building to make room for the courts so the prosecutor's office didn't have to move some of its staff. Kennedy worked as Peterson's Deputy Mayor at the time.

The blue GMS Envoy assigned to Brizzi from the Marion Co. Sheriff's fleet is hardly a luxury SUV, and it isn't even paid for with taxpayer's money as she falsely asserts. The cost of the vehicle, as the Star explains, is paid for out of the sheriff's commissary fund. Kennedy says that money should be used for public safety instead. The irony is that the person Kennedy says she most admires, Sheriff Frank Anderson, is the person who controls the commissary fund. If she has an issue with how Anderson is spending money collected from the inmates, then she should address it to him.

As to his $20,500 pay raise, the General Assembly sets the salary of all prosecutors in Indiana by statute. Brizzi's salary was increased by the General Assembly in 2005, which increased all prosecutors' pay at the same time. Again, if she has a problem with the pay raise, she should complain to the state legislature instead of accusing Brizzi of taking a pay raise for himself. Incidentally, I don't recall her taking a pledge to return the $20,500 pay increase if she is elected to the office.

Most of the issues Kennedy has raised to date about Brizzi's record have been legitimate issues to debate about his record. Nothing she raises in this ad is either informative or truthful. This new strategy of her campaign, beginning with her mean-spirited attempt to tie Brizzi to child predators, is not a winning strategy. It appears to be a desparate attempt to save a campaign that might be slipping away from her.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

You may be right. MK's campaign ads are turning me off big-time, but:

A lot of people made a lot of money off office moves during tha ttime. Including the broker who represented the county, got a huge fee, and later gave a bunch of money to Republican campaigns. He also repped the coroner in his move. And he was later was rewarded for his largesse by a Republican-controlled appointment to the Metro Devleopment Commission. He's still there, and he has no clue what the Comprehensive Plan is. Funny thing is, that transaction didn't need a broker, but it had one, and he earned a fat fee.

Just so all the skunks are on the table...

This crap ends after Nov. 7, when the still-constituted "county commissioners" will change to Democratic-controlled. You would be stunned by some of the other similar decisions.

I've seen Carl in his Envoy. Maybe he could choose a more fuel-efficient vehicle. I had no idea who paid for it, but I am aware that the plainclothes deputy who drives around with him is quite necessary. Proseutors (and their staffs)put people away. Frankly, one security guy hardly seems sufficient.

indyernie said...

The only thing Kennedy has going for her is, shes cute and perky. No plan and no experience...but she is cute.

Anonymous said...

"but she is cute"

Ehh, not that cute. Then again not compared to the baglady that's the soon-to-be-former congresshag.

Wasn't the Prosecutor's office moved because the CCB is jammed to the gills, and in reality it's cheaper because the MCBA charges more for rent to its occupants than the surrounding real estate.

And don't thing GOP has a monopoly on perks and rewards to their cronies. Like the Dems giving a food service contract to a car dealer that is Frank Anderson's campaign treasurer. Democratic controlled means the mob and people connected to labor unions will get the goodies.

Anonymous said...

There is truth about the "plush" offices. He spent a lot of money for such things as flat-screen TV's and a special room with a podium for news conference as if he is in the White House or Pentagon. You might want to check out the offices and compare it to other city/county offices.

Gary R. Welsh said...

The new law school has the same amenities. It is the 21st century.

Anonymous said...

Watching You said...
Melina Kennedy for prosecutor and the Democrats are good at twisting the issues to make them fit their agenda.
If she stretches the facts now, what will she do if elected? She says anything and everything to get voter attention, but she won't be getting my vote. She has no experience in fighting crime.
Each of us have an opinion on fighting crime and that is all she has to offer.

She doesn't seem to have an opinion for fighting the present corruption in her own Party.

Carl Brizzi deserves a second term in office to keep the Democrats honest in Marion County.

Anonymous said...

Comparing a county office to a university is not comparing "apples to apples." Vastly different budgets. The county offices can be in the 21st century without all of the "bling."

The reason Carl is getting attention on this is because he continues to misrepresent that his budgets were cut when in fact he had a net gain in addition to his unnecessary spending on his plush offices.

Anonymous said...

1) People piled on Sheriff Anderson for a payraise the acts of the legislature entitled him to. He returned it. Brizzi could do the same.

2) Brizzi's vehicle (which has shown up in campaign commericals) has leather seats and other "luxury" amenities. His excuse, "I've got to get to crime scenes in all weather condiditons." Hm, Carl, all the police officers are in Crown Vics (like the Mayor and Sheriff are as well), why can't you be?

3) The offices are "plush." Compared to every other office in local government. The problem here is not the offices themselves, but the complaints of Brizzi about budgetary concerns. Apparently, his fiscal responsiblity doesn't extend to taking a hit for himself.

Kennedy's not desperate, reasoned analysis isn't who this ad is aimed at, and let's not forget the best (most important) part: "2, It's a small number."

I laughed out loud to know that Carl "I'm in court everyday" Brizzi has tired two cases in four years.

Bye Bye Brizzi.

Anonymous said...

I find it interesting that Mayor Bart Peterson went into the Mayor's office and hired numerous deputy mayors, assistant deputy mayors, and assistants to the deputy mayors.

Talk about an inflated adminstrative budget. Which deputy mayor was Melina Kennedy, I have forgotten?

How much fat did she and Mayor Bart trim out of his budget when she worked on the 25th floor.

I am sure with all of the deputy mayors and consultants hired by the city, what job was left for Mayor Peterson to do. Steve Campbell speaks for him at every turn, and he has a public relations spokesman. How much does the city spend on salaries in the Mayors office. All of the extra desks and chairs for work space.

The police do not have a contract yet. Public safety is suffering in city. Where was their priorities before Kennedy decided to run for prosecutor.

It is a joke, when the Democrat controlled city-county council cut the prosecutor's office budget, and used his adminstrative process against him after he was forced to function with less money thanks to the council during the time Kennedy was a deputy mayor.

Melina, we voters have not forgotten.

Anonymous said...

959..the mayor, sheriff, and other officials do have suvs..additionally there a lot of them on IPD and the sheriffs dept.

The prosecutors salary is not disapportionate like the sheriffs.

And I've been to the prosecutors office many times...if you consider that plush then you must live in the 900 block of lynn

Anonymous said...

The ad is truthful. It's still silly and won't move many voters.

indyernie said...

Isn’t it against the law (post the 9-11attack) to photograph a Federal, State or City owned or operated building? Isn’t there a photo of a building with city and federal offices, in this ad? I guess Kennedy and the Democrat Party can do as they please. I hope the bad guys aren't watching TV in Indy.

Wilson46201 said...

as a semi-pro photographer I know there is no law whatsoever about photographing government offices - it's a popular but incorrect misconception. Tourists couldnt take snapshots in DC - are you kidding? America hasnt surrendered our all our liberties to the terrorists and big government yet.

I've photographed the Statehouse and the CityCounty Building inside and out with full knowledge and acquiesence of security officers ... no big deal !

Anonymous said...

This move was made almost 4 years
ago and the offices needed to be
furnished. He is an elected official with people visiting him
there and it should look nice..just
like the mayor or any other official. Now, if he would have
redecorated every year perhaps that
could be wasteful. These prosecutors get threatened and so do their families. They work long
hours and not just in courtrooms.

He has a driver for safety that with all that is on their minds
they don't cause an accident and
also for safety. If Melina was elected she would have the same so
let's not be petty and stupid.

There is am important concern here
that Melina through TV ads, press conferences and debates, she will
say anything to win an issue. That
to me is scary because it tells of
her character. Blind ambition, win
at all cost including abusing the
truth. That cannot be a prosecutor
or a behavior in a courtroom.

If we want to look at monies wasted
you have only to look at the abuse
from our university presidents and
chancellors. Their homes, cars and
drivers, parties, redecorating at
every turn, etc., and they always
have their hand out at the general
assembly.

I don't agree with Anderson's salary but if he is entitled to it
due to our legal structure then
enough said. Just as you do not ecpect Anderson to be on the streets arresting criminals you
shouldn't hold Brizzi to another
standard.

Last, Kennedy can't have it both ways. Brizzi is leading his department and as the star said after their investigation, we are on par with the country. Could we
do better????we all strive for that
regardless of the field we work in.
Again, what's scary is that Kennedy
is insisting she could beat the
national par with no experience.
Simply put, no knowledge or skill
in criminal law or trial experience
of any kind unlike Goldsmith.

Anonymous said...

FYI-
1)The mayor turned down the raise offered to him and trimmed salaries of almost all of his exec staff. Also, I think that many of the deputy mayor's returned their city cars and began checking out cars from the motorpool on a need basis.
2) Melina has never said she has an issue with the Prosecutor's security detail.
3) How can anyone say that average is acceptable. OK, Brizzi's conviction rate is average. The problem is that 4 short years ago Indianapolis benefited from above average conviction rates. We're going the wrong direction and I'm shocked that this doesn't cause concern.

Anonymous said...

I'm not a big fan or supporter of either of the major political parties. On ther other hand,if I had to choose between Kennedy and Carl Brizzi, I would choose Brizzi. The man may not be the greatest Prosecutor around, but in terms of experience his credentials are more impressive than Kennedy's. Unless I am mistaken, that woman has never prosecuted a single case, and she claims to be qualified to serve as Prosecutor? Also, her campaign ads really offend and annoy me.

Anonymous said...

If Kennedy wants to improve her chances of beating Brizzi, maybee she should invest in a set of kneepads, and spread her legs.

Anonymous said...
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