Divided Loyalties Divide House Republicans

House Republican critics of Brian Bosma in the past have complained that he has wielded the power of his leadership position to enrich his own law firm. They point to the tens of thousands of dollars he paid to his own law firm, Kroger, Gardis and Regas, out of taxpayer funds to fight the House prayer case in the courts. They also complain that Bosma paid his law firm over $26,000 last year to provide legal work for the House Republican Campaign Committee (HRCC) over which he is the titular head as the caucus' leader. Now, the critics are concerned that Bosma has given his blessing to staff workers for HRCC to pursue other political consulting clients at the expense of the HRCC's efforts next year to recapture the House.

At issue is Maverick Strategies, a Franklin-based political consulting firm founded by HRCC staffers of past campaigns. The firm represented a number of mayoral campaigns this year and has been retained by U.S. Rep. Dan Burton's re-election effort against a strong primary challenge from Dr. John McGoff, a former Marion County Coroner and emergency room physician. FEC campaign disclosure statements show Burton's campaign has paid Maverick Strategies $54,452 during the past year. A source tells Advance Indiana that the HRCC staffers have been doing opposition research on McGoff, which has included searching his medical license records with the State of Indiana and a couple of old medical malpractice claims against his practice group. No pay dirt there I'm told.

At least one action taken by the staffers on Burton's behalf has drawn criticism from within the state party. That involved a letter sent out by the Burton campaign portraying McGoff as pro-abortion because of the support he has received from a long-time Republican Party activist and president of Harcourt Industries, Jean Ann Harcourt, whose political views are too moderate for the intolerant religious right. In light of Harcourt's past leadership roles in the Indiana Republican Party, the attack concerned the state GOP because the HRCC staff use office space in the state party headquarters.

More recently, the staffers' work has drawn criticism from within the House Republican caucus because of their role in convincing Rep. Jon Elrod to give up his Indianapolis House seat after one term to seek the 7th District congressional seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Julia Carson. Due to a large number of retirements, there is a prospect for a larger number of competitive House races next year than in recent elections. The loss of Elrod as a candidate is a blow to HRCC's efforts to win back Republican control of the House. Coupled with Rep. Larry Buell's decision to retire, the HRCC now faces a real prospect of losing not one but two GOP seats in Marion County alone next year. That's how many seats the GOP needs to win back just to draw even with the Democrats. Critics say the staffers are more concerned about lining up paying clients for their consulting firm than winning House seats for the GOP.

The concern of some within the House Republican caucus is reportedly shared by some political advisors of Gov. Mitch Daniels. Daniels badly wants the GOP to regain control of the House for the beginning of what he hopes will be his second term as governor. A Republican-controlled legislature will make it much easier for him to achieve legislative and budget victories. Any hint that the HRCC is less than one hundred percent committed to recapturing the House by fielding a team of first-string candidates in as many legislative districts as possible next year gives pause to his re-election campaign.