Hogsett Continues His "Hey, Look Over Here" Strategy

U.S. Attorney Joe Hogsett continues to run his office like he's Marion County Prosecutor rather than the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. Despite rampant, unchecked public corruption taking place in state and local governments within his jurisdiction, Hogsett continues to use the resources of his office to chase after criminals engaged in garden variety criminal acts rather than putting corrupt government officials who are raping the taxpayers behind bars where they belong. If he's not pursuing persons accused of distributing child pornography, he's chasing small time drug dealers, gun owners and gang members. The Star has the latest on his big announcement that he has hired Andrea Props away from the Marion Co. Prosecutor Terry Curry's office to concentrate on guns, drugs and gang prosecutions:

Props will review cases that can be prosecuted at both the local and federal level. She will also seek cases that can't be brought locally but might have a chance for a federal prosecution.

"Our objective is simple: attack the criminal nexus of gangs, guns and drugs that plague our streets and drive crime rates higher," Hogsett said in a prepared statement. "Andrea has already begun her work on our common mission by identifying several gun gases that are being reviewed for federal prosecution."

The Star's John Tuohy reports that Props will physically remain in Terry Curry's office, but she will be paid as a member of Hogsett's staff. Looks like Curry figured out a way to get the federal government, which is bankrupt, to pick up part of the cost of his budget. Hogsett can continue his game of "Hey, look over here, not at all that graft, greed and corruption being commited by government officials." Perfect.

UPDATE: To my point, fellow blogger Paul Ogden draws attention to a plea agreement worked out with a local prosecutor for a former township trustee in Brown County who admitted to stealing $10,000 to pay for a trip to the Smoky Mountains. Nettie Walls was fined just $2 and given 70 days of home detention after felony theft charges against her were dropped.