Saturday, December 22, 2007

Ballard Explains His Transition Team

Mayor-elect Greg Ballard explaining to the IBJ why he walked away from the grassroots people who elected him to office:

Ballard calls his transition team “a combination of people with gravitas mixed in with up-and-comers.” “We wanted people who were disinterested or couldn’t have influence over the areas they were checking into,” he said. To spearhead his transition, Ballard chose Joe Loftus, former senior deputy mayor under Republican Steve Goldsmith and now a partner at Barnes & Thornburg LLP.
Loftus, a registered lobbyist who is a resident of the City of Carmel, represents the interest of one of the city's biggest law firms, which believes it got shut out of city business under Bart Peterson and wants to return to the glory days of former Mayor Stephen Goldsmith. Now, how's that for a "disinterested" person, Mr. Mayor-elect?

Shall I continue? He's primarily getting advice from some of the following people:

  • Lisa Dietrich--full-time lobbyist for Ice Miller, a law firm which has done multi-millions of dollars of business with the City of Indianapolis on multiple fronts. She's in charge of looking at Administration--the agency which helps hand out city contracts.
  • Gretchan Gutman--full-time lobbyist for Sommer & Barnard, which does business with the City of Indianpolis. She will be looking at charter schools.
  • Sue Beesley--lobbyist and attorney with Bingham-McHale, a law firm which has collected millions in legal fees for work on behalf of the Capital Improvement Board of Managers. She's taking a look at the corporation counsel's office. Why not, she used to run it.
  • Robert Grand--lobbyist and attorney for Barnes & Thornburg, known as the insider's insider. He's taking care of the mayor's office.
  • Toby McClamroch--lobbyist and attorney with Bingham-McHale. As the firm's managing partner, he has millions in legal business on the line to protect. He'll be looking at public safety.
  • Terry Baker--an executive with the Schneider Corporation, an engineering firm which has also done lots of business with the City of Indianapolis. He'll be looking at metropolitan development.
  • John Okeson--an attorney with the law firm of Hall Render, which represents more hospitals than any other firm in the state. He will be in charge of looking at our own Health & Hospital Corporation.
  • Pat Kiely--a registered lobbyist for the state's manufacturing industry. He'll keep tabs on the Capital Improvement Board of Managers.
  • Mickey Maurer--one of the city's largest and wealthiest landowners. He also owns IBJ, Indiana Lawyer, several radio stations and owns a large stake in the National Bank of Indianapolis, as well as other businesses. He's going to keep an eye on the city waterworks.
  • R.J. McConnell--attorney with Bose McKinney--another law firm which raked in millions doing work for the Peterson administration. He's taking care of public works.
  • Ann Lathrop--She's with the accounting firm of Crowe-Chizek, which has also billed the city of Indianapolis millions for work over the years. She's keeping tabs on the controller's office.
  • Steve Riddle--also with the accounting group, Somerset, which likes it shares of government work. One of its principles is Pat Early, former chairman of the Capital Improvement Board. He's taking a look at the Public Improvement Bond Bank.

And the list goes on. What does it mean? It means that the grassroots people who fought to take back our government lost after all. We elected Greg Ballard, and Greg Ballard immediately turned control of our city back to the same people who have been taxing, spending, borrowing and operating the city for their own selfish, self-interested ends. How dare you tell us you looked for a team to assist you who were disinterested or couldn't have influence over the management of the city. Don't insult our intelligence. The Mayor-elect doesn't even seem to care that many of these people don't even reside in the City of Indianapolis. That's right. People who don't even live and pay taxes in this city have more say over the future of your city than you do. Selling out the people who fought in the trenches to ensure your election is no way to start a new administration. Good luck, Mr. Mayor-elect. You're going to need it. This group will not allow you to keep the campaign promises you made--transparency in government being the least of them.

20 comments:

  1. Anonymous5:31 PM GMT-5

    I think that the city of Indianapolis has 4 rough years coming.....we will be dominated by the Carmel and Fishers wannabes!!!

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  2. Anonymous6:03 PM GMT-5

    Gary, Scott Keller is telling people he is going to be put in charge of DMD. Tell me this isn't true. The man has gone bankrupt three times, fleeing the country to avoid creditors on one occasion, and he converted about half of his campaign contributions this year to his own personal use. If this man is put in charge of DMD, it will say very little about the character of the people Ballard is bringing to his administration. The rumor made no sense to me since Keller made no secret of the fact he supported Peterson for re-election over Ballard, but I've heard it from several people now.

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  3. Anonymous6:14 PM GMT-5

    Again, I will say. He has not reached out to my knowledge to people who supported him to ask for any inputs. What would it have hurt to ask people who were passionate about his winning. Wow. What a let down. His approach is a real setback for the belief people had in making a difference. Thanks Mayor Ballard.

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  4. Anonymous7:06 PM GMT-5

    Ballard has set himself up for failure! One of his promises was that if cannot cut the budget by 10%, without cutting vital services, he will not run again.
    I wonder how the Bart Lies guys will treat Ballard in 3 1/2 years.
    Will we see "GREG LIED" on T-shirts and bumper stickers?
    Also, I didn't see garyj, indyernie, Melyssa, Darla Williams, or Ike Randolph on the list. What jobs do they have lined up?
    insert sarcasm
    garyj & indyernie----P.R. for the city. So many people took them seriously.
    Melyssa---public safety. I understand she's good at punishments.
    Ike----in charge of propaganda. He did so well with IndyUndercover AND indyflashover.
    Darla----legal affairs. She's such an accomplished atty.
    sarcasm complete

    Thanks Greg! You restored my faith in the Democratic party, since, after all, YOU ARE A RINO!!!!

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  5. I have some beautiful photographs of Monroe Gray and Greg Ballard sitting side-by-side at Congresslady Julia Carson's funeral services...

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  6. Anonymous7:13 PM GMT-5

    When you do the same thing, the same way, every time, you will get the same results.
    Read that closely, Greg Ballard.
    You're doing the same as Peterson did.

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  7. Anonymous7:24 PM GMT-5

    Is SOLD OUT to stong term to use. I don't know what Ballard learned about guerrilla warfare in the Corp but it was guerrilla warfare that got him elected.

    It can take him out of office just a quickly as it got him in.

    You can bet your sweet ass Mr.Ballard, what comes around goes around. Good luck dealing with the blogs that sent Peterson packing.

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  8. Thanks, 7:06! I'm going to pass on th P.R. position., but if Melyssa wants to punish me.....
    Wilson, you have e mail.

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  9. Anonymous8:12 PM GMT-5

    Ballard may do more to unite Democrats and bring us back to power than any Democrat could.

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  10. 7:06 You’re an idiot.

    If I wanted a job with anyone it wouldn't be any of your business.
    What GaryJ and I did had nothing to do with Greg Ballard or wanting a job. If you had a lick of since or could read past 3rd grade level you would have known that from past postings. What we did was directly related to Peterson and his lack of leadership.
    Will we have "GREG LIED" shirts and bumper stickers? Probably not, unlike you naysayers I believe in giving a guy a chance. We gave Peterson seven years before we became involved. I'll bet you ten to one that Mayor Ballard will begin the cleanup that this city needs within an hour of swearing in. I believe that Ballard is an honorable man. He will carry out his campaign promises.
    Put away your joystick, remove the deadhead posters from the wall and open up a window. Your Mom keeps complaining that your room smells like rotten tennis shoes for a reason. If you flushed the pot and opened your brain to something more than liberal blogs and CNN you just might be able to make decisions on your own.

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  11. I heard Councilman Vernon Brown (D) ask Scott Keller (RINO) if wanted a position on a committee. Keller's reply was that he didn't need another job without a salary.

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  12. Anonymous8:44 PM GMT-5

    Looking at the names and faces (of those GOPers I'm unfamilair with), I'm struck by this one, simple fatc: They're all white.

    Sure, there are some women, but it looks an awful lot like the continuation of gold ole GOP Country club politics to me. I thought Ballard said his reign would put an end to those old skool shenanigan.

    I don't know Gary Welsh personally, but from what I've gleaned from reading this (his) blog, it seems that Ballard would do good to reach out to him and other progressive-thinking Repubs. This said from liberal leaning, mostly voting Dem.

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  13. IndyErnie said, "I heard Councilman Vernon Brown (D) ask Scott Keller (RINO) if wanted a position on a committee. Keller's reply was that he didn't need another job without a salary."

    That's interesting. I saw Keller and Brown having coffee together at Starbucks earlier this week.

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  14. Anonymous9:53 PM GMT-5

    Should we really listen to these anonymous folks who don't have the guts to say who they are so we can judge their veracity (for the 3rd grade guy that means their ability to speak the truth). All of Ballard's transition team names are known and of course Democrats can always find something wrong with any Republican. Results, not how you get there, are the only fair way to judge a politician. He will say yes or no to the transition teams recommendations. Let's judge on the outcome instead of rumor. K. Price

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  15. Isn't Barnes & Thornburg the law firm which was so anxious to build a D.C. lobbying practice it hired two Jack Abramoff cronies who have subsequently gone to prison for bribing a U.S. congressman?

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  16. Anonymous4:22 AM GMT-5

    The questions is.....are the people of Indianapolis so uneducated and ignorant that it is necessary to go to Hamilton County for transition team members???

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  17. All you complainers-just what are your qualifications that would make the mayor choose you, the supposed one that got him elected? Hamilton county a model =I'd say yes -why else is everyone moving there.

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  18. Maybe we can change the law and the next mayor will have to live in Carmel or Fishers since they know so much more about government and are much smarter than Indianapolis republicans.

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  19. Anonymous2:47 PM GMT-5

    Bob Grand was with Ballard from shortly after the primary, if not earlier.

    Bob and several of the others have been in positions and accomplished things for the city over the years.

    Cannot vouch for all of them, but it sounds like a good list. Might be too white, which will change.

    The problems Ballard has to address in the first 100 days cannot be handled by Joe Sixpack who can hollar, but cannot read a proposed ordinance, and tell if it is better for the city or not.

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  20. Anonymous4:19 PM GMT-5

    after 30 years in the fire service i can assure you that i know what i am talking about when i say that putting people on your transition team who have axes to grind with the leadership of the fire service, is akin to putting the fox in the hen house, everyone looses!

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