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| Eric Holcomb (left) and Bill Oesterle (right) behind Daniels in 2012 (Courier-Press Photo) |
What could have been a bad day for any other corporate executive in America turned into a flurry of positive media reports in the local news media today for outgoing Angie's List CEO Bill Oesterle. The 20-year old company he co-founded has never turned a profit and has faced a torrent of criticism from investors, dissatisfied members and outside critics. Ambitious class action lawyers have found the company ripe for opportunity. The Gannett-owned Indianapolis Star's Jeff Swiatek weighed in with his own words of encouragement should the former Mitch Daniels campaign manager decide to challenge Mike Pence for the Republican gubernatorial nomination next week or seek some other public office in a lengthy story titled "
CEO Bill Oesterle wants to re-enter politics to restore state's image," which was emblematic of the positive spin today on his departure from Angie's List:
. . . Bill Oesterle is quitting as CEO of Angie's List, saying he wants to re-enter state politics and help repair the "shellacking" Indiana's image took from the passage of the "religious freedom" act.
The news caught both the state's business and political communities by surprise, and some see the move as a direct effort to unseat Gov. Mike Pence over his handling of the controversial issue . . .
Oesterle remains one of the only prominent Central Indiana business leaders to express unhappiness over changes the legislature hastily made to state law to assuage RFRA critics. Oesterle says the changes don't go far enough to shield lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people from discrimination based on religious grounds . . .
Indiana's public image "took a shellacking" after passage of RFRA spurred widespread criticism from gay rights groups, much of the business community and others, Oesterle said. "Indiana was under significant duress and went through a heartbreaking situation."
Oesterle's announcement amounts to "an announcement of trying to unseat a governor," said Andy Downs, director of the Mike Downs Center for Indiana Politics. "If you think about the individual positions that could have made a difference about this (RFRA), that's only one, that's the governor."
"That is somebody who is saying either he is running for governor or is looking for somebody to run for governor," Downs said of Oesterle.
He said he sprang the news about quitting as CEO at a specially called telephonic meeting of Angie's board of directors Monday . . .
He said he realized his position as CEO is incompatible with getting involved in politics. His 20th anniversary as Angie's CEO, he said, also put him in a reflective mood.
"You start to look around and see what you are going to do in your career," he said. "I can maybe do some things to help resolve some of the state's issues. I am going to take a little time and sort out what they might be." . . .
Jeff Swiatek's story included encouraging words from one of his employees, Melyssa Hubbard, author of "Spanking City Hall":
. . . Melyssa Hubbard, a self-professed dominatrix who works in sales at Angie's List, said the company hired her in 2006 despite knowing about her work in sexual bondage. She wrote a book, "Spanking City Hall," about her conflicts with the city.
"I wish every place on earth was like this," she said in a recent interview. "The employees come from various walks of life. That's important to Bill. I've always told him how grateful I am to be working here.
"We have the conservatives and the liberals and really buttoned-up people and people with pink hair and tattoos. Bill creates platforms for people to self-actualize."
Oesterle said he keeps an autographed copy of Hubbard's book in his office.
"She found a job here. It's kind of a safe place for her. She is not being judged," he said. . . .
24 comments:
Mr. Welsh, can you provide some background on Oesterle's background in politics for those who haven't lived in Indiana very long? What did he do before he worked at Angie's List almost 20 years ago? How did he ever get hooked up with Angie Hicks anyways?
When he graduated from Ball State, I believe his first involvement in politics was working as a cake boy of sorts for former Gov. Robert Orr. He did a stint at the Hudson Institute when Mitch Daniels was heading it up, which is where he became Mitch's good buddy. He went off to Harvard business school to get an MBA and then wound up as a partner at CID Equity. I believe that's where he ran into Angie Hicks, who was struggling to get her company going. Oesterle helped raise capital for her, moved her business from Columbus, Ohio to Indianapolis and eventually became its CEO. He managed Mitch's first campaign for governor. At one time, he owned a home across the street from the governor's residence on Meridian Street. Through Mitch, Oesterle became good buddies with Mickey Maurer, and they've been scratching each other's backs. Mickey, who owns the IBJ, was Daniels first IEDC director. Oesterle put Mickey on Angie's List board before it went public, and Maurer put Oesterle on his National Bank of Indianapolis' board. Of course, the IEDC and the City of Indianapolis chipped in over $14 million in state and local tax incentives to bolster Angie's List while Mitch was governor. He was back at the trough ready to collect another $18.5 million from the city when this RFRA thing blew up in Pence's face by design and became the springboard for Oesterle to get into the governor's race. Does that answer your question?
I wonder what Bill's ex-wife Melissa has to say about all of this.... inquiring minds want to know
I thought you hired employees to make money....not to find themselves. No wonder they've never turned a dime in profits. Sounds like a bunch of misfits under one roof. Do they drug test?
Gary, I roared when I read your apt description of Oesterle being "a cake boy of sorts for former Gov. Robert Orr". That made me recall a friend, also an out gay man, who worked at the Indiana Department of Administration after college and who also worked with Republicans. My friend would regale us with the stories of Josie Orr [and other Democrat and Republican politicos and their shenanigans they would no doubt prefer remain very private or "in the closet").
Possibly the most shocking story I was told- and I have zero reason to doubt my friend on this-was the time- let me say it this way- a former Indiana Republican governor who was married to a hard drinking wife made a sexual advance on my friend while my friend was driving that former governor to or from a political event. A coincidence or a point underling that we probably have here two gay guys who knew people in politics?
Regarding the astounding revelation that Bill Oesterle has political aspirations that could lead him to believe he could actually be elected to anything, I wonder how much raving support Mr. Zach Adamson will be providing Bill Oesterle's political ambitions in light of Democrat Zach Adamson's ardent support of Mr. Oesterle's Ponzi scheme we know as Angie's List and the fact that Zach Adamson was deeply devoted to the idea of throwing another $18.5 Million Marion County taxpayer dollars at the Angie's List guy aptly described as a "cake boy".
To paraphrase Yogi Berra, it's like Talbott Street all over again.
Personally the idea of a Daniels stooge as governor makes me sick and should scare the hell out of every hoosier! I happen to know like and respect Melyssa Hubbard greatly. And she is a decent woman. But why she thinks that Oesterle would make a good governor is a mystery to many Indiana Liberatarians! Melyssa be wary Bill Oesterle will put up with you as long as you are of some value to you and then kick you to the curb! He is a Daniels stooge plain and simple! If you want to know how Daniels stooges treat people ask Gary Welsh, Paul Ogden or Jeff Cox! They can tell you!
There is something to tout on his resume for elected office:
-CEO of a business that NEVER MADE A PROFIT
-Blamed his problems on RFRA and received huge backlash for his stand that is contrary to Hoosier values.
-Tried to put this city on the line for an $18M bail out of his business.
-At time of resignation he was CEO of a business currently being sued in a racketeering class-action law suit in Federal Court.
Monday and Tuesday were the days for the in-depth news reports on Oesterle stepping down as Angie's List CEO. Whose journalistic decision was it to paste a large photo of Oesterle on a newspaper's front page with a two page story about whether the man may or may not run for office or may or may not support another candidate. Wake me up when the Star has real news to report.
Oesterle for Governor. I like him. I like what he stands for. He reminds me that Mitch Daniels warned us long ago to drop the social issue baggage or it would bring down the Republican party. Mike Pence wasn’t smart enough to listen to that wise advice, and Pence’s poor guidance has hurt Indiana’s reputation, cost us money, worried our young people and cast us in a terrible light. I was shocked to hear Mike Pence admit that he didn’t have any gay friends, had never had a gay friend, and was quite surprised to discover that everyone else he knew did have gay friends. He lives in a bubble. He runs this State like its a church. It hasn’t gone well. And people are unhappy with him. Oesterle was the voice of reason during Pence’s religious freedom debacle. He impressed us. And he can move the State past this terrible image it has acquired as a home for Christian bigots. The national business community is not predicting dire consequences for Angie’s list. Its rated a hold. It will probably make a ton of money in some merger down the road. Its growth was meteoric. The only ones trashing Angie’s List are Indiana Christians, who in my opinion have already done enough damage to the State’s reputation without bashing the guy who can salvage the mess Pence brought on us. Oesterle for Governor. Mitch Daniels trusts him. I trust him.
LMAO, 11:28. Reminded me of the stories of the former governor who like wearing dresses more than his drunken wife and playing house in the governor's residence with much younger men when she was out of town.
That Melyssa Hubbard is kind of way out there.
I saw her blog post today. She says
"Imagine being a gay man in a pretend marriage to a woman for appearances. Imagine being stuck in that life of lies due to judgment and/or fear of judgment. Judgment is a form of social terrorism."
What gay man in a pretend marriage is she talking about?
Social judgment is not "terrorism." terrorism is a really nasty activity that has a specific meaning in geopolitics and involves dead people. Not fitting into mainstream society is not in any way terrorism.
We need to keep from cheapening that word.
It seems the Angie's List crowd might mean far more to Indy than just a local employer. What's gong on out there that we don't know about? Is Angie's List the place where Indy's politically protected people who are a bit socially off-center and might not fit in somewhere else can work and get paid well?
"Religious freedom" what horse crap. There is nothing MORE free in America than these evangelical nutjobs. How sad that they feel they have to impose their belief system on the rest of us. No one disputes their right to worship whatever they choose.... it is when they want to force their stupid belief system on thinking people that war gets started. And how much in taxpayer dollars does Gov Pence intend to rack up in order to salvage the state's tarnished reputation? First, he signs a bill that was "absolutely not a mistake." Then he signs ANOTHER bill that is insufficient to address the problems. Now, he is spending thousands in taxpayer money to mitigate the damage he has done.... millions spent on public relations. We don’t need public relations. We need to really fix the problem. A better governor. And unqualified support for whatever anti-discrimination bills come before the General Assembly and Congress. We’re either bigots, or we’re not. Everything else is thinly veiled hate. Read these posts. Tittering about decades old gossip about dresses, and gay innuendo and sexual advances on men. Is this still what Republicans titter about. How shocking? Its 2015. Not 1950.
Anon6:58 -"Indiana as a home for Christian bigots" "The only ones trashing him(Oesterle) are Indiana Christians"
Sad. For those espousing acceptance of everything and everyone, preaching tolerance, non- discrimination, they are untroubled by painting individuals holding reasonable, legal arguments for RFRA with a broad brush filled with hateful generalizations. It's scary to watch emotion triumph over reason, screeched slogans preferred over respectful, thoughtful discussion and debate.
If you want to work towards ending "hate" in Indiana, why not try the following: "Where there is hatred, sow love, where there is injury, pardon." Instead, many of the "haters" of hate are intent on destroying the reputations, livelihoods, and businesses of RFRA sponsors.
I've watched reports and documentaries on lynch mobs and what drives people to participate in them. Some perpetrators wear white robes and hoods, some swastikas on their sleeves. Some will find anyone who doesn't agree with their politically correct ideals to bring destruction upon their fellow man.
I wonder if Bill is throwing a big party for his workers out at the track on Carb Day again this year. They put on quite a show at the Lockerbie Pub last year after they returned back downtown liquored up. Two of the employees had sex in the parking lot next to the dumpster while their fellow employees cheered them on. I thought maybe they were filming a "Girls Gone Wild" movie.
I guess he runs a failed company...what the heck..drag Indiana down with him!
Gary, Last year you wondered if Christmas wouldn't come early to the Tully household because of all of the pimping he was doing for the early childhood education crap his wife's employer, Eli Lilly, wanted the city to fund. They just stepped up to a much nicer home in Carmel.
"Tully in Carmel" would make a fun parody or series. Let's do it.
Maybe, with Mitch's help, Oesterle will become Indiana's next governor once Mike has resigned or gone to jail.
Where is Tully fancy new carmel home? Mr IPS is the biggest hypocrite I've ever seen!
I saw the other day where Melyssa likes Abdul.
Osterle is so far out-of-touch with Hoosier Values that he can never gain the trust of the people of Indiana.
He would be more comfortable in NY, Seattle, or San Francisco. Those areas better identify with his values...
Actually, one reason the RFRA came about was the City of Houston's subpoenas of Christian pastors' sermon notes. That belies the idea that religious beliefs are left unmolested here in America.
Hey 4:14. Is hatred and blatant bigotry a Hoosier value? Because I know New York and San Francisco pretty well having lived there, and I can tell you those people think your hilljack Hoosier values are all talk and no substance. San Francisco, like Seattle and New York, isn’t just talking about being a warm and welcoming place. It actually is a warm and welcoming place. Ask a gay person in Indiana whether this is a warm and welcoming place for gay people.
Hey 5:36. That fight between the lesbian mayor of Houston and the pastors of a small part of the city’s religious community happened in response to a huge, ugly political effort by those pastors to yank away protections for gays and lesbians and transgenders. Another episode of the 80% of Christians attacking the 4% of gays. The gays backed down. But nobody thinks the Christian hatred has subsided. Ted Cruz is a bigot. Period. He hates gays. And if you use his model to protect your religion you just reinforce what everybody already knows about Indiana pastors. They preach against gays. They violate the separation of church and state when they collect signatures against gays in their churches. Then they whine when the 4% try to fight back by requesting proof of those attacks be provided to the Court. Christian majorities whining about their rights. Its a thing. But its a false thing. The lesbian mayor backed down. But the transgendered community is endangered. They are beaten and abused and killed, with little protection.
A strange motley crew in the pic.
Holcomb looks as if he's arrogantly waiting for the nurse to arrive to take his urine test away from his hand for processing.
Oesterle looks like a deranged Hollywood stalker.
That's a strange pic of Daniels in the green shirt. He looks so different from this angle.
Btw,who's the little kid in the middle of said group? A cub scout?
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