Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Carson Takes Abduallah Seat

One-third of the eligible precinct committeepersons skipped an important caucus meeting tonight to select the replacement for the 15th District City-County Council seat vacated by Patrice Abduallah after it was publicly disclosed by Advance Indiana that he did not live in his district. Andre Carson, grandson of U.S. Rep. Julia Carson captured 14 of the 20 votes cast at tonight's meeting. JoAnn Williams, a Wayne Township Trustee's employee, received 4 votes while Mary Ann Sullivan picked up just two votes. According to the Star, 32 persons were eligible to cast votes at tonight's caucus meeting.

According to a Star report, Carson's name will appear on the November ballot. It is my understanding the deadline has passed to replace Abduallah's name on the ballot. There is a strong legal argument the Democrats should not be able to have any candidate on this November's ballot since Abduallah admits he abandoned his residency in the district as early as this past January. Republicans did not field a candidate in the May primary and are barred by law from placing someone on the ballot now. So why should the Democrats be allowed to place a candidate on the ballot at this late date when their original candidate was never qualified to go on the ballot from the very beginning? Those same deadlines which prevent Republicans from naming a candidate for the November ballot should apply equally to the Democrats. Once again, we are seeing our election laws twisted to suit the political whims of those in charge.

This is wrong, and its legality should be challenged. But let me take a stab in the dark and guess it won't be. If no candidate were eligible for the November ballot, it would fall to the newly-elected council to select a person to fill the vacant seat for the next four years. I'd roll the dice on the hope of that choice being better than what the Democrats served us up tonight--yet another career government employee deciding how our taxpayer dollars are spent. Beth White and the clowns she has running our elections already screwed the voters of the 15th District once this year. Looks like she and her gang are going to screw those same voters yet again.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Would the Republican Party get off its ass and do something? They let Beth White get by with holding an election which disenfranchised thousands of voters. Why not let her break some more election laws to favor the Democrats. Wait until November. The plan to steal the election this fall is well underway. The Republicans will sit on the sidelines as usual and just scratch their heads.

Anonymous said...

More importantly, how will the Mayor's spot be filled if Mr. Peterson is re-elected and he decides not to finish out? Another one of these Dem. precinct confabs?

Sir Hailstone said...

8:55 PM - As I read the muni code (IANAL) the Deputy Mayor assumes that Mayoral duties.

Anonymous said...

Gary,

I'm not sure what law you're relying on with respect to the ballot replacement, but there's plenty of time left to make the switch.

All that's required is another precinct committeeperson vote. (There has to be one to fill the Council vacancy and one to fill the ballot vacancy.)

We're still well within the prior-to-30-day early candidate vacancy period.

Wilson46201 said...

Nope: the precinct committeepeople of the political party of the newly-absented officeholder select the replacement within 30 days of the vacancy. This happens whether it's a mayor or any other elected officeholder (including state legislators)...

Gary R. Welsh said...

The vacancy was created when Abduallah moved out of the district. The Democrats knew this and the Clerk's office knew this. His name was illegally certified to be put on the ballot. Abduallah's name should be stricken from the ballot, and no Democratic name should be added. To do otherwise is to reward Democrats for breaking the law.

Wilson46201 said...

If Brizzi quits for greener pastures, it'd be all the GOP precinct committeepeople county-wide that'd elect his replacement.

Anonymous said...

Gary, of course you're right, that the vacancy was created when that goofball Patrice moved out of the district.

Legally, the vacancy was recognized when the Clerk of the Council received his written resignation.

As for Andre, he may be a nice guy, but one more government employee on the council is five too many. Enough already, Democrats...the public sector is WAY over-represented on this council.

Anonymous said...

So if you think there's a case here, Gary, file it, pro bono if your Republican Party won't pay for it. Don't just talk about it, file suit. You have a law degree and a license. Just tell the Repubs you want to file suit, and I'm sure they'll gratefully accept your offer of pro bono representation. Then a court will determine if you're right or wrong, and your public and the rest of us will know whether you're legal opinions are worth paying attention to. Come on, Gary, put your money and time where your mouth is. We'll all be watching.

Gary R. Welsh said...

Nice try, anon 10:16, but this blog more than consumes my share of pro bono work. I do have a day job to pay the bills. If someone wants to pay for my services, then give me a call. So put your money where your mouth is.

Anonymous said...

The Republicans couldn't find their ass with both hands if they had to.
Listen, the Republicans are horrible at power politics. The Democrats own power politics. They own this city....why? Because the people elected them, and we continue to let them do whatever they want.

To tell you how bad the Republican party is, I requested a Ballard yard sign, 2 months ago. I have sent several emails back and forth with their campaign, and FINALLY received it.
If it takes this much effort to get a yard sign, I am not holding out much hope for a Ballard election.

By the way, Tom John is on Abdul right now. Abdul asked him, "are you folks going to challenge Carson being put on the ballot in November?" John's response, "Well, we are looking at it, but we would hope that Beth White and her group would take a better a look at things."

So we are going to rely on Beth White and her group? Are you kidding me Tom John?


That folks, is what is wrong with the Republican party in Indianapolis!

Anonymous said...

Since when is writing a political blog "pro bono" legal work? I think the only person that would agree with that definition is Eric Miller. You Republicans talk a good game, but that's all you do--talk. If you think something's illegal in the public arena, file suit. If you can't find a public-spirited attorney in your ranks to do it for free, then pay the guy. Brian Bosma and several of his partners have made a mint cashing in on his visibility as a Republican legislative leader. I'm sure he'd take on your cause. Call and ask him. But don't tell me something's illegal if you or party aren't willing to file suit so that we can all find out if you're right, or just bloviating in the blogosphere.

Gary R. Welsh said...

"Since when is writing a political blog "pro bono" legal work?"

You obviously haven't been reading this blog for the past two years.

Anonymous said...

Speaking of lawsuits, what ever happened to the potential challenge to votes cast by Abdualahh? Has that issue been settled, or is somebody doing some serious work on it? The outcome of these questions seems pretty clear if Republicans, taxpayer groups and others never actually challenge them.

Anonymous said...

Since when is writing a political blog "pro bono" legal work?

I am not a lawyer and I do not write a political blog, but for 8 years I have maintained an active website. I can assure you these political blogs are taking enormous time and energy. I would even estimate more time is spent on Advance Indiana than on the day job which pays the bills.

If the political blogs were replaced by pro bono work, even if it were political in nature, we'd all be back in our "see no evil, hear no evil" fairy tale land fed by the more relaxed Indy Star.

I consider this blog far more valuable than the pursuit of one issue. It is time for another to volunteer for that slot. Right now, I wish I were a lawyer!!

Anonymous said...

This city is DOA. The suburban counties are ok, for now. I am heading out west in a few days. Depending on how nice it is out there, might be time to really thinking about leaving good old corrupt Indiana.

Anonymous said...

The original post was about Andre Carson, folks.

He has a lot to prove, and I'm hoping he can do it.

But the abr is pretty low, so he may succeed. His contemporaries for Center-area elected officials? King Ro, Ron Gibson, Monroe Gray, Duke Oliver...do I need to go on?

I did a headcount of publicly-employed council members and I got to ten. Out of 29, and I may be low.

That's simply out of whack. I'd have told Andre to wait patiently for another office, or get out and get a private sector job.

Anonymous said...

I do not pay attention to the Carson family, so I probably just missed this, but what is Andre Carson's "day job"?

Anonymous said...

I do not pay attention to the Carson family, so I probably just missed this, but what is Andre Carson's "day job"?

Police Officer for Indiana State Excise Police

Anonymous said...

Carson is a state employee, but I have been thinking about all these Indianapolis municipal employees who serve on the CCC. I believe that under Indiana law, public school teachers cannot serve on the school board if they work for that district. Why is it different for city-county employees? Huge conflict of interest if you ask me.

Anonymous said...

With Beth White counting the vote, Bart will certainly win.
"That looks like they WANTED to vote for Bart" The "hanging chad" syndrome.