Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Guess Who Got Paid For Work On Carson's Congressional Staff?


You knew he worked as a clerk in the Center Township Trustee's office for Julia Carson, but did you know he also had a recent stint on her congressional payroll as a part-time staffer? According to public records compiled by LegiStorm, frequent blog commenter Wilson E. Allen earned $26,500 as a part-time employee of U.S. Rep. Julia Carson's staff from July 1, 2004 through July 31, 2005. I'm sure all the work he performed was strictly related to her congressional office functions and had nothing to do with her 2004 congressional campaign re-election. Perhaps he can enlighten us on what exactly he did to earn that $26,500. Hat tip to the anonymous commenter for pointing this out to us.

65 comments:

Wilson46201 said...

After I retired from Center Township, I worked part-time on the Congressional staff for a year 2 years ago. My main area of work was technical support.

Do you seriously think the 2004 campaign against Horning required massive staffing by Carson? Don't be silly!

Of course, you are hinting and implying I was some sort of ghost employee. Got any proof or is it just another cheap smear ala Jocelyn Tandy?

Anonymous said...

I didn't see "ghost employee" mentioned in the post until you stated it.
A little "Fruedian Slip" there, Wilson?

Wilson46201 said...

Attorney Gary Welsh said:

I'm sure all the work he performed was strictly related to her congressional office functions and had nothing to do with her 2004 congressional campaign re-election. Perhaps he can enlighten us on what exactly he did to earn that $26,500.

Uh-huh, Gary! Slick!!!

Wilson46201 said...

The anonymous nobody at 5:05pm said:

A little "Fruedian Slip" there, Wilson?

ummm... dont try to use big words you can't spell - it's "Freudian".

Anonymous said...

So how much is Julia, I mean Andre paying Wilson?

Wilson46201 said...

Not a single penny. Volunteering is good for the soul!

Anonymous said...

It's all so dirty. This city is run by Julia Carson, Monroe Gray, Vernon Brown, Bill Mays and Lacey Johnson. And I, for one, am sick of it and everybody should be. We don't have a leader for this city. We have empowered, corrupt, idiots behind the scene who are motivated not by providing the service we pay them to provide, but by ego and power. It's time we all say "no more."

This is a strict violation of ghost employment, unless every minute he spent during business hours for the city was spent on the city. Doubtful. How do you run a campaign strictly after hours?

Gary R. Welsh said...

What Wilson, I said I was sure your work was on the up and up. Can you be more specific about the "technical support" work you performed? Inquiring taxpayers want to know.

Wilson46201 said...

I was the office's "techie" which was basically what I'd done at Center. I'm the sort of guy who enjoys designing, building and overclocking my own home computers ...

Wilson46201 said...

The hysterical anonymous nobody at 6:42pm charged:
This is a strict violation of ghost employment, unless every minute he spent during business hours for the city was spent on the city. Doubtful. How do you run a campaign strictly after hours?"

First off: read carefully before you spout off. I have never worked for the city.

Second: in 2004 Julia's successful campaign was ably run by Melissa. I was an unpaid volunteer. I haven't managed Julia's campaign since 1990 when she successfully ran for Trustee.

indyernie said...

I don't believe a word that Wilson has posted.
I saw first hand Wilson with Carson at almost every joint function in which Carson and Dickerson attended. Those of us who supported Dickerson were true volunteers. I believe that Carson compensated Wilson for all those trips into and out of dumpsters. What worked with Horning just carried over to the next election with Dickerson.
26K is more than Wilson earned as a full time Trustee employee before his retirement.
Carson could have gotten a professional computer geek for less than she paid Wilson for his part-time work.

Anonymous said...

"Technical support" = "Dumpster Diving"

Anonymous said...

"Carson could have gotten a professional computer geek for less than she paid Wilson for his part-time work. "

Indyernie, the old gray mare isn't what she used to be. She is still looking for the little girl who sat on her lap and ate food off of her plate.

Anonymous said...

Yawn! This has already been covered on the other local blogs many, many months ago. This looks like more of Gary casting his lot with the IndyU types rather than the reasoned, critical analysis of issues that drew me to the blog in the first place.

Anonymous said...

I can tell you with absolute certainty that Wilson was active in the 2004 Carson campaign activities.

Wilson46201 said...

IndyErnie shows his usual incapacity for reading by bringing up Dickerson. Go back and read the story: I left the office payroll in 2005, way before Dickerson ever declared. In 2006 I was retired on Social Security. With folk like IndyErnie backing him, no wonder Eric lost so badly!

P.S. As the Township Clerk I was making around $36K/year as I recall.

Of course I was volunteering in 2004 for the Carson campaign (like I've done in 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002). Recall, I was working just part-time on her official staff. Some Republicans can't seem to imagine donating time to a political candidate - they usually expect to be paid as "consultants".

indyernie said...

"IndyErnie shows his usual incapacity for reading by bringing up Dickerson. Go back and read the story"

I did read the story Wilson.
You need to re-read my post.
I stated that you did the same with Dickerson as you did with Horning.
My point is Carson paid you for your dirt digging during the Horning ordeal but your owning her (for the over compensation) carried over to the Dickerson run.

indyernie said...

"As the Township Clerk I was making around $36K/year as I recall."

Talk about over compensation.
Now we know why you craw through dumpsters for her.
Carson took care of you...didn’t she Wilson?

Wilson46201 said...

ummm...Carson left as Trustee in 1996 - 8 years before I retired from Center Township. She had nothing to do with my paycheck for those 8 years.

Your new-found IndyU buddies in here have reasoning difficulties, dont they, Gary?

Anonymous said...

Ernie,

"Carson could have gotten a professional computer geek for less than she paid Wilson for his part-time work."

What planet are you living on? Tech geeks make $60-$100/hr. I know. I married one. When he's doing it "on the cheap" he's $25/hr. He has a part-time gig providing support for a school for a little more than Wilson's pay from years ago. It's a very reasonable salary actually for tech work part-time.

But when is it suddenly a crime to work for a Congresswoman - especially one you have a history of working with? This just seems like a silly hit piece on a private citizen - like when you published his tax info. Since he's not a politician of any sort, not elected to public office, I'm going to have to assume that you're stooping to picking on private citizens with your bully pulpit, Gary? Cuz, here's a clue - lots of folks work for Congress persons. When you start posting how much money Ernie pays (or not, depending) in taxes and what Lugar's tech guy made in 2004, I'll know you're pursuing a new strategy with the blog. For now, it just looks like you're being hateful and mean against someone off the street. Didn't you start this blog to take on Eric Miller? When did the target change to Julia Carson and Wilson Allen?

Gary R. Welsh said...

Objectivity, Bil. Try it. You might like it. Wilson is a big boy. He dishes it out more than anyone else. You just don't see anything wrong with it when it comes from him. BTW--have you guys over there gotten around to thinking about a citizen's complaint about our fire chief calling a friend of the community a "dyke"? Didn't think so.

Gary R. Welsh said...

Also, Bil, aren't you supposed to be Scott Keller's campaign manager? I would think you would have better things to do with your time than doing the bidding for a guy dedicated to the defeat of your own candidate.

Anonymous said...

Tell me you are kidding, Gary. Scott did not really hire Bil. OMFG!

Anonymous said...

Maybe that's the difference between us, Gary. I think the far right wing is the enemy here - not each other. I helped organize and host a fundraiser this evening that raised needed cash for friends of the LGBT community. Where were you? Attacking Wilson Allen. That'll help defeat the homophobes, won't it?

It's just sad to see such a good blog go to hell. You used to take on the enemies of our community. Now you just flail around trying to attack anyone you can - me, Wilson, just about every black legislator you can find... Do you realize how happy Eric Miller is that you've taken your eye off the ball? Maybe you can change the name of the blog to "Wilson Indiana" or "Democrat Indiana." I'm sure Eric will welcome you to the fold - you have several of the same goals it seems lately. After all, let's take a look at some recent history:

Attack:
Wilson
Me
Democrats

Defend:
Larry Craig
Brian Bosma
Eric Miller

WTF happened here?

Gary R. Welsh said...

Bil, how dare you accuse me of not doing anything for the GLBT community. There is one person who has given here, and it's not you. Everything you do involves some scheme to get money for yourself. I've not been paid one dime for my work on behalf of the GLBT community, and the only thing I've gotten from people like you is grief. I won't have any part of anything you put on because it's quite apparent to me there always a plan to put money in your pocket as part of the deal.

Anonymous said...

Is this Bil Browning guy on drugs? Did he read your Bosma post today or your Jim Bopp post yesterday? What an idiot.

Anonymous said...

It's very difficult to see this kind of argument carried out in public. I happen to think this blog does a great service to our community. So does Bil's. I have no idea how blogs run themselves, so maybe I'm naive, but I suspect each donates massive amounts of time to oversee it.

It's apparent we love to flog one another to death in public.

In that respect, Bil's reminder that we need not engage in self-defeat, is timely.

And the post Gary's made here, about someone's time and work product, is a decent question. The person discussed is a well-known person who is perfectly capable of defending himself, Bil.

And capable of immense dumpster diving.

Rodkey King had it right.

Anonymous said...

Ok Gary, I have gone back and forth here whether to weigh in on this or not, but at this point I feel that you and several of your commenters need to be aware of a couple things.

I did not work for the Carson campaign in 2004- I ran the Kerry campaign, however, I was quite familiar with the ACTUAL campaign staff (as opposed to the imaginary activities and staff that are constantly attributed to the Congresswoman's campaign). The ACTUAL campaign staff worked their butts off and did a terrific job. What you are suggesting about Wilson implies that her campaign staff was complicit in whatever nonsense your "source" is feeding you. I would suggest that you seriously rethink making that insinuation about people you know nothing about.

As I have mentioned before, I did work for the Carson campaign in 2006. Frankly, Gary, I find the continued insinuations of wrongdoing, illegality and voter fraud to be not only demonstratively false (and trust me, I know a lot more about this then you do- because I ACTUALLY worked for the campaign) but also offensive and insulting. Whether you realize this or not, your comments are a direct assault on my integrity, character and honesty and, you know what, it is beyond old at this point.

I am not going to attempt to speak on behalf of the rest of the 2006 campaign staff only for myself on this.

Anyone who actually wants to know the reality of how the Carson campaign runs has always had the option of contacting her ACTUAL campaign staff- something which oddly never seems to happen on this site. In fact, it is somewhat questionable as to whether this "political" blog is even aware of who the ACTUAL staff in '04 and '06 was.

For what it is worth, I helped organize the voter registration and volunteer activities for the campaign (along with a number of excellent other people who do not deserve the crap that is spewed towards them on this site). ANYONE who wants to make any accusation against me is welcome to do so, but rest assured you better have some ACTUAL facts (which sadly for you all don't exist. So sad the conspiracy just can't stand up to reality).

Erin Rosenberg

Gary R. Welsh said...

Further, Bil, your claim that I defend Craig, Bosma and Miller is indicative of your aversion to the truth. Get some help, guy. The falsity of your assertion is apparent to all who read this blog.

Gary R. Welsh said...

Erin, You choose to read into the post what you want. The post speaks for itself. Wilson has long professed to be a retired clerk for Center Township who simply volunteers for Carson's campaigns. He has always claimed not to be a paid staffer. He in fact was a part-time paid staffer for one year--and a well-paid one at that for a part-time position. It's our tax dollars, and as a taxpayer I have every right to comment on it.

Anonymous said...

"I'm sure all the work he performed was strictly related to her congressional office functions and had nothing to do with her 2004 congressional campaign re-election. " Good try ,but no, Gary. Wilson was not and is not a paid staffer for the CAMPAIGN. You are not questioning whether he should have been paid to work for the Home Office, but whether he was actually working for the campaign. And so, yes, you are certainly questioning the integrity of the ACTUAL campaign staff.

indyernie said...

Erin how can you defend Carson or Wilson?
I know you were on her campaign but in all honesty do you believe she is the best Indiana can find for the 7th.
My God girl, she stood and ate from the banquet line at the Community Center on west 16th for ten minutes ...ten minutes!!!
She was there to participate in a town hall discussion and she was left to eat from the banquet table. You were there!!!
As her staff you may not have been involved in wrongdoing but she was less than honest.
Carson went to Dickerson and asked him to keep the campaign above board. What did she do?
She released an unfounded and untrue report on Dickerson. Who provided the mis-leading report? Wilson.
There is no way in hell that this woman's actions can be defended and we know Wilson has been known to stretch the truth.

Gary R. Welsh said...

Erin, some food for thought:

"Andrew Horning quietly sold his Broad Ripple house and moved out of Indianapolis in 2004 during his Congressional race - he now lives down in Owen County." Wilson Allen, July 4, 2007, comment on Advance Indiana

Wilson has frequently posted such negative comments about Horning in regards to his 2004 race against Carson, suggesting he had more than a passive role in Carson's re-election effort if you insist on making a point of this. Are you suggesting Wilson had no role in Carson's 2004 campaign.

indyernie said...

"My God girl, she stood and ate from the banquet line at the Community Center on west 16th for ten minutes ...ten minutes!!!"

Did I post "banquet line"?
My bad.

It was a buffet table!!!

Dickerson wouldn't let us post the photos of her standing and eating at the buffet table on the blogs. I wanted to but he agreed not to go negative. At least one person running for that office had some integrity.

She stood there and ate ten minutes!!!

Anonymous said...

Didn't Wilson say he built Carson's campaign website?

Anonymous said...

Gary, if you would like to have a serious conversation about the sheer volume of volunteers in a congressional campaign and the myriad ways in which they contribute, feel free to contact me. If you don't know the difference between campaign staff and volunteers I'd be surprised.

"Hat tip to the anonymous commenter for pointing this out to us."
Funny, how your anonymous commenter gets a hat tip instead of the Wilson standard- who is this person who's trolling of "public records" (which by the by is how property ownership is also found) seems to suggest a less than passive role in politics? Given the sheer number of people who comment with all types of "I know for a fact" crap about the Congresswoman and the amazing knowledge so many seem to profess to have on the inner workings of all things Carson campaign, I would have expected that you would have pointed out- hey! Half of my commenters MUST be employees of the Republican Party or a campaign! Clearly the information they possess indicates an ACTIVE role in someone's campaign. And yet...nothing, you don't do it. Ever. Do a search of your own site for commenters besides Wilson, jeez, check the comments on this thread. Your 'gotcha' quote is as relevant to actual campaigns and how they operate as the previous comments from the Scribe, to name one, and too many to count of your "anonymous" commenters.

Anonymous said...

As you well know, Gary, I'm on disability. I can only make $900/month. I must be rolling in all that cash you're insinuating I make.

What happened to attacking Eric Miller for the thousands he's making? Now you're down to Wilson and I? Wrong targets, my friend.

Anonymous said...

Oh yeah -

Larry Craig - http://advanceindiana.blogspot.com/2007/09/craig-resigns-with-class.html
Craig went out with class after being outed for trying to pick up a cop in the bathroom. And damn those black democrats!
Brian Bosma - http://advanceindiana.blogspot.com/2007/07/marion-county-gops-property-tax-plan.html
Bosma tie property taxes and SJR-7 together? He's smarter than that. Already proven wrong on several blogs.
Eric Miller - http://advanceindiana.blogspot.com/2007/09/lsa-numbers-on-elimination-of-property.html
Last to defend Eric Miller, but you did.

Anonymous said...

Bil, I disagree with your characterization of Gary's treatment of Wilson. Last year during the election, the 1st day after my property tax bill was due, Wilson was posting that I was delinquent on my taxes, etc. all over Gary's blog and any other blog that would allow him to post. Keep in mind, I don't know this man Wilson, I've never talked to this, nor has he ever been introduced to me and we have no common aquaintenances--so I just classified him as a stalker and therfore simply ignore him.

But Gary, yes he had a right to call Wilson out. Like Gary keeps saying over and over, Wilson can dish it out, but he can't take it. Of course coming after me the way he did only caused extreme embarrassment to the black legislators for whom Wilson work who were delinquent on their taxes. Gary is generous to allow Wilson to post--he's was banished from this blog.

You said to Gary: "You used to take on the enemies of our community. Now you just flail around trying to attack anyone you can - me, Wilson, just about every black legislator you can find... Do you realize how happy Eric Miller is that you've taken your eye off the ball?

Response: I've only been around visiting this blog for a year or so, but I think Gary is doing a great job of going after the bad guys and if you don't think the black legislators that Gary, along with thousands in Marion County, black and white, are discussing are bad guys then they have you just as fooled as they have Bart Peterson. True the ones misbehaving are black--hey, Gary's an equal opportunity criticiser. Just because the legislators are black does not give them immunity from citizen critiques by non-blacks. These black elected officials represent and affects us all. Too long in this community these black leaders have gotten a free ride by screaming racisms. They have all the white people tight-lipped and scared to death!!! You'll have to loosen up. LOL (smile)

Hey, there are a lot of decent black folks in this city, but unfortunately they allowed the current set of black elected officials to "Slip" into office and the "machine" has kept them there, despite their performance.

Hey, this city cannot continue on its path with them in charge...

We have Monroe "Sweatpea" Gray as President of the City-County Council for Christ Sake!!!!

Where will it end!

It's time for them to go.

Wilson46201 said...

"Professional Black Woman" is Darla Y Wiliams, the failed Republican candidate for Small Claims Court Judge last year. She was also a leader in the failed Eric Dickerson campaign - she knew darn well who I was. She was the principal opponent of 300 East which I conspicuously defended. She was then claiming to represent "aggrieved taxpayers", when she turned out to be delinquent herself on property taxes, she was quite open to criticism. I had also called her out online (and she responded fiercely) about her peculiar role in the Coroners situation.

Now she claims ignorance of who I was? That I was just some stalker? Pshaw! But that's typical for her: anonymous posting loaded with distortions and misinformation. She calls for free speech but she has blocked me from ever attempting to make a correction on her own "Jocelyn Lite" blog. So much for her call for openness in public discussion!

Anonymous said...

I find it interesting that over the last year or so Wilson had made it sound like he was ALWAYS an unpaid volunteer for Carson. Just doing his civic duty. And now it comes to light he was a paid staffer for a while . . .

Hmmmmmmmm

Wilson46201 said...

When Darla Y Williams was called out in public for being delinquent on her property taxes, she shilly-shallied and waited over six months before she could be bothered to pay them.

Wilson46201 said...

I never have been a paid staffer for the Carson campaign, ever. Always a volunteer for many successful years!

Anonymous said...

Erin, dear heart...your campaign work is widely admired. You're one of those wide-eyed folks who believes there's good around every corner, and that's a quality to be treasured.

Your harping on campaign/Congressional staff is understood. Wilson being paid, in that year, for any work on EITHER staff, is illustrative to those of us who've known his sheepish work for years.

I, too, have labored on staffs, both taxpayer-funded and campaign-funded. I know full-well that it is common practice for the taxpayer-paid folk to work on their "time off" for the campaign. In fact, it's usually expected.

Your idealism is admirable. Wilson's dumpster-diving is legendary. He can dish it out.
He can't take it.

Gary--is it finally time to ban Wilson? I think it might be.
No one takes himn seriously anyway.

Wilson46201 said...

It's interesting to note that in this thread all my attackers are "anonymous" with the sole exception of IndyErnie. My defenders all use repeated nicknames and are known to the political world.

It's a sad world we've come to where peoples reputations are attacked viciously by anonymous, shady and unknown creatures ... this blog has finally sunk to the level of IndyU and the Star Talkback.

Gary R. Welsh said...

Even the people who post anonymously, Wilson, are identified (ala Darla or Joceyln) and then viciously attacked by you. Perhaps that's why they post anonymously. Anon 11:34 did ask a good question though about the Carson website. Are you going to answer that question?

Wilson46201 said...

In 1996 I proudly did the Carson campaign website - numerous observers including The Indpls Star complimented her on this pioneering work. None of her opponents were web-aware - neither had a website.

And now Gary Welsh is defending Jocelyn Tandy posting here anonymously? How low can you go? She's one of the most notorious anti-gay bigots in town. Oh well...

Gary R. Welsh said...

Bil, none of those posts stand for your proposition in the least bit on the subject of GLBT rights. You conveniently ignore literally dozens of posts supporting of GLBT rights, including these posts in just the last few days and weeks alone:

http://advanceindiana.blogspot.com/2007/09/bosmas-all-in-family.html (interview with lesbian member of Bosma family)
http://advanceindiana.blogspot.com/2007/09/bopp-boasts-another-win-for-dobson.html (discussing religious right's abuse of NFPs and use to bash gays and lesbians)
http://advanceindiana.blogspot.com/2007/09/glbt-hypocrisy.html (defending friend of community citizen complained was called dyke by fire chief)
http://advanceindiana.blogspot.com/2007/08/iowa-court-rules-in-favor-of-same-sex.html (in depth analysis of favorable gay marriage decision)
http://advanceindiana.blogspot.com/2007/08/senator-craig-pleads-guilty-to-airport.html (report on Craig's guilty plea and hypocrisy on GLBT issues)
http://advanceindiana.blogspot.com/2007/08/mayoral-candidates-enter-bishop.html (critize forum for mayoral candidates at church known for homobigotry)
http://advanceindiana.blogspot.com/2007/08/special-prosecutor-appointed-to.html (coverage of GOP consultant and former YR president being charged with sexually assaulting another man)

Anonymous said...

She stood there and ate ten minutes!!!

Seriously, that is a reason to vilify a Congressperson? That's the best you got? And now the blogmaster is going on about who's TEH GAYORZ? Better watch out or this blog will become as much of a junior high slambook as IndyU.

Anonymous said...

Gary,

Some people need attention and weak minded Wilson Allen is one of them. I have read his comments on numerous blogs. He is the paid attack dog and bites anyone who speaks against Julia Carson and the Ghetto Mafia members.

He is not a spokesperson for the black community because he has flunkied for Julia Carson for years after she dumped Gene Honeycutt who was also a white male supporter.

As for Erin when Carson ran for congress in 1996, she tried very hard to appear to be ethical and honorable after all of the dirty political scams ran in Center Township for years.

Wilson Allen and Erin do not know of the numerous dirty tricks she pulled on her opponents and other candidates at party slating conventions and on election day, but I do. I can name times, dates and participants.

I to, am a former Carson supporter from the time she was elected State Representative. I am no longer a supporter of her politiial campaigns because of the corruption I have personally witnessed. Her style of dirty politics was the best thing to ever happened for the Marion County Democrat Party. She kept ignorant black voters votings for candidates like Andy Jacobs for years, Jeff Modisett paid her to introduce him to black leaders and the clergy, Bart Peterson was introduced around my comunity one year before he actually filed in 1999. The Party owed her dearly.

Gary, may I suggest Wilson Allen get his own blog. He is not that important in the scheme of things.

Anonymous said...

Wilson, let's not forget your time with D.U.V. Democrats United for Victory. The Political Action Committee (PAC)that had your address as the mailing address.

Also, the chairperson of the PAC was Julia Carson, and the Treasurer was none other than Carl Drummer. An interesting side note to this, the daytime contact phone number listed on the Statement of Organization was 633-3610.

Interesting because that number is the Center Township Trustee's Office. I have to wonder, was Julia, Carl, and yourself- Wilson, taking phone calls at the Center Township Trustee's office for this PAC?

We will probably never know.

Have a good day Wilson.

Your friend,
Brian

Anonymous said...

DUV notoriously laundered money from multiple donors, including unions, to Julia, black clergy and others for "Walking Around Money" during numerous campaigns. I know. I saw it with my own eyes. Im talking cash and checks--yes, they were stupid enough to write checks sometimes.

If Wilson thinks this blog has sunk to the level of IndyU, he's dead wrong--it's difficult to go that low. But, if he DOES think so, consider yourself lucky. That means he's gone.

He has almost no credibility any more. His handlers laugh about him behind his back...I heard that very thing at a political event a couple weeks ago. And then after mocking him, they often send him out to get dirt on anyone who dares speak ill of their gaggle.

And thanks, Gary, for sticking up for those of us who post anonymously--some of us, because he and his cronies have dissed us so badly we can't let our names be shown.

But we are real, Wilson, and we are fully aware of your nonsense.

Take that to the bank.

Anonymous said...

Anon 10:05:

"Notoriously laundered money?" How, to who? If so, give me proof, specifics. The problem with your claim is, Wilson and his Dem. buddies will say, "where's your proof? All accusations, no evidence." Know what I mean?

Brian

Anonymous said...

Even the WSJ witnessed the corruption surrounding the Carson machine.

FROM THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
The Carson Show
With a wink and a nudge, Democrats gin up voter turnout.

BY JASON L. RILEY

Saturday, November 9, 2002 12:01 a.m. EST

INDIANAPOLIS--It was 5:45 a.m. when I arrived, tired and a little cranky, at Rep. Julia Carson's home. It was dark and chilly, and my cotton raincoat proved entirely inadequate. But I forgot about all that as I approached the scene in front of her modest residence. Vans and SUVs were pulling in and out of the driveway, and scores of volunteers were funneling into the large garage attached to the house.

This was Election Day, and Ms. Carson, a black liberal Democrat first elected in 1996, had seen her poll advantage shrink in recent weeks. Her losing would still be an upset, but she couldn't get too confident. Pesky white suburbs had been redrawn into what is now Indiana's Seventh District, and that could dilute the influence of Ms. Carson's black base in Indianapolis proper. Moreover, her Republican opponent, a former Dan Quayle hand named Brose McVey, had turned out to be a formidable challenger. Ms. Carson was re-elected with a whopping 59% of the vote in 2000, but a less lopsided result was e xpected this go-round.



Next, I rode with Milton, a gregarious black gent, to pick up another Carson voter. Ms. Miner was an elderly black woman who said that she'd recently moved and hadn't brought along any ID. We went to a local school and accompanied her inside. The voting inspector, hired by Republicans, couldn't find her name in the registry and told her she'd have to fill out some paperwork before she'd be permitted to vote.

Milton became indignant. He told Ms. Miner to "come on and vote, and we'll worry about forms later." The distaff inspector, the only white person I saw, wasn't about to get in Milton's way as he escorted his charge to the booth. Afterward, while she was filling out the paperwork, I introduced myself to two poll workers and listened in as they discussed the incident.

"When our people come in," said one, referring to black voters, "I tell them, if you don't want to fill out paperwork, just use the old address." "What about the inspector?" said the other poll worker. "Don't worry about her," came the reply. "She dumb. She don't know nothin'." Wink. Nudge.

Back in the car, I asked Milton if what transpired was unusual. "Not really," he said. "I tell people they don't need ID. Don't let them hassle you." Doesn't the law require poll workers to ask for ID? I inquired. "Yeah," said Milton. "But sometimes [voters] get intimidated by that. It's a hassle, so I go in with them."

The law can be such a hassle sometimes.

A wealthy local businessman and Democratic Party contributor had made available office space and phones for "Operation Big Vote," a supposedly nonpartisan 501(c)3 outfit run by an affable attorney named Aaron. There, some 30 people were busy making 10,000 to 15,000 calls, and 75 vehicles were being disbursed to accommodate the 3,000 incoming requests for rides. Others were on walkie-talkies with volunteers stationed at the polls. When word came back that turnout was low in an area, the phone-bank workers would check their voter registration lists. Callers would then go to work on that specific area.

Aaron tried to insist, straight-faced, that this wasn't a Democratic operation, but he kept having to remind people who walked through the door, including my two companions, to remove their Carson campaign hats and buttons. When I asked Aaron if there were any Republican volunteers working here, he laughed: "Our Republican is out to lunch right now. I'll let you know when he's back." Wink. Nudge.

Wilson46201 said...

9:07am commenter is the notorious Jocelyn Tandy with her patented nonsense.

Anonymous said...

Gary & Bill,

I wish you would not fight. Surely you understand that they want you divided rather than united.

Yes, I am upset the gay community as a group did not lash out at the IFD Chief for calling me a bulldyke.

Yet, I will remain a supporter of the gay community and continue to be one of the straight members of Indy Pride and help where I can with their causes.

I'm not going to hold it against the entire gay community that they did not run to my rescue. However, I do hope one day that they will start to look at politicians through an independent lens rather than a democratic one.

Anonymous said...

$26,500 for part time tech work? Um, that's not "paid very well" at all, and definitely not enough for extracurricular stuff.

And heck, if it were me, I'd be charging more for the "dumpster diving" than the $85 an hour I charge for tech work. That shit's hard.

Anonymous said...

Wilson Allen's name made the deliquent taxes list, so he shouldn't be pointing fingers at anyone else.

Anonymous said...

Why is wilson Calling it "Volunteering" when he actually got paid?
Volunteers don't get paid.
Employees do.

Wilson46201 said...

Please remove the above libelous statement. I was not paid to work on the Carson campaign. The above poster is calling me a federal ghost-employee which is a criminal offense.

Why are you permitting such an obviously libelous charge to remain on your blog?

You also deleted my previous defense of myself against the comment above the libelous one. Pitiful!

Wilson46201 said...

By the way, it is also totally against House Rules for a Congressional employee to be also paid by a political campaign as well violating the Hatch Act.

Gary R. Welsh said...

"You also deleted my previous defense of myself against the comment above the libelous one. Pitiful!"

That's a flat out lie, Wilson. The person did not accuse you of ghost employment. You always professed to be a mere volunteer for Carson. The fact is you were paid over $26,000 of taxpayer money to do some "technical" work, which is sketchy at best and which seems to have been specifically tailored to allow you to seemlessly transition from a retired clerk for the Center Township Trustees office until your first social security check arrived in the mail by your own admission.

Wilson46201 said...

Why should I need your alleged "bridge" of over a year for my first Social Security check? The first one arrives within a month or two of applying.

Gary R. Welsh said...

"After I retired from Center Township, I worked part-time on the Congressional staff for a year 2 years ago. My main area of work was technical support." Wilson Allen, posted in comment above.

Anonymous said...

Gary, The hypocrisy of both Wilson and Bil abounds. Both of these characters engaged in the character assassination of Kris Kiser in the 2006 Democratic congressional election against Julia Carson. Kiser, the first openly gay congressional candidate in Indiana history, saw his career nearly destroyed by false and defamatory crap they dug up and posted on Bil's site. Kiser didn't have a prayer of defeating Carson, but these guys did it just for sport. The two of them completely sicken me.