Election Division To Investigate McIntosh Voter Residency

The Madison Co. Clerk and Madison Co. Prosecutor's Office have both rebuffed calls to investigate the voter registration of former U.S. Rep. David McIntosh after a complaint against him was filed recently. The Secretary of State's Elections Division told the Star today that it will investigate the complaint also filed with its office, but it offered no time frame for conducting the investigation.

The Indiana secretary of state's office will investigate claims made against congressional candidate David McIntosh's residency and voting records, a spokesman announced today.

Vance Poole, spokesman for the Indiana Secretary of State, said no timeline is available and he had no further comment. It's unclear if the investigation will wrap up before the May 8 primary . . .

One of McIntosh's opponents, Dr. John McGoff, applauded today's announcement. “I commend new Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson for investigating claims against David McIntosh," McGoff said. "Her decision today defends 5^th District voters to full disclosure of all information.” “I encourage expediency in this case. Today, Secretary of State Connie Lawson stood up to protect 5^th District voters. By taking up an investigation, she has committed herself to providing Hoosiers all the facts necessary to make an informed decision when electing their next Congressman.”

In a press release issued earlier today, McGoff criticized Madison Co. Prosecutor Rodney Cummings, who declined to review the complaint filed with Madison Co. election authorities until after the May 8th primary. Cummings, who blamed the filing of the complaint on politics, had last year offered an advisory opinion to McIntosh in response to a letter a high profile criminal defense attorney, Jackie Bennett, sent to Cummings asking him to opine on the legality of McIntosh's voter registration in Anderson. In a brief reply letter, Cummings concurred with Bennett's legal analysis concluding McIntosh could legally registered to vote at the home of a friend and business associate despite the fact that he and his family live in Arlington, Virginia.