October 13th, 2010 at 4:56 pm by Jim Shella under Jim Shella's Political Blog
Republicans have filed an ethics complaint against John Layton, the Democratic candidate for Marion County Sheriff.
It has to do with a campaign commercial. The ad for John Layton started airing this week and the Republicans want it taken off the air. They say it was created illegally. They even shot undercover video of the production that makes use of uniformed sheriff’s deputies and marked police cars.
Marion County GOP Chairman Tom John says that violates a new city ethics ordinance passed in 2008. It prohibits the use of county resources for political activity. “We clearly have uniformed officers with actual operating sheriff’s department cars that have been used in a campaign ad” says John. “This is against all of the city’s ethics ordinance. We’re supposed to take politics out.”
Tom John says that the ad is an argument for change in the Sheriff’s office where Democrat Frank Anderson now serves. A spokesman for the Marion County Democratic Party, meantime, says the Layton ad will remain on the air.
The Republican running for Sheriff, Dennis Fishburn, will begin airing television ads tomorrow.
September 13th, 2010 at 11:22 am by Jim Shella under Jim Shella's Political Blog
Amid finger-pointing by both Republicans and Democrats, the Marion County Election Board killed the idea of satellite absentee voting for 2010.
The 2-1 vote in favor of 3 satellite sites is insufficient because the law requires a unanimous vote. Republican Patrick Dietrick said that Democrats failed to show him that it’s necessary. Democrat Clerk Beth White accused Republicans of playing politics in the belief that GOP candidates would be hurt by satellite voting.
Republican Clerk candidate Jana Scott was there, meantime, to score an endorsement from GOP County Chairman Tom John, who also showed up to tell reporters that Beth White has demonstrated incompetence while distributing videos of White telling a Democratic group that satellite voting would help Rep. André Carson.
Me thinks both sides are playing politics.
April 7th, 2010 at 5:33 pm by Jim Shella under Jim Shella's Political Blog
Both Marion County Democratic Chairman Ed Treacy and Marion County GOP Chairman Tom John are now calling for Carl Brizzi to resign as Marion County Prosecutor.
Democratic candidate for Mayor Melina Kennedy wants more company, as she asked Mayor Greg Ballard to join in her call for a resignation. Ballard is silent, so far.
The question will now be asked of others including state GOP Chairman Murray Clark and Governor Mitch Daniels.
February 8th, 2010 at 4:07 pm by Jim Shella under Jim Shella's Political Blog
Mark Massa, general counsel to Governor Mitch Daniels, filed to run for Marion County Prosecutor today.
The filing was announced in an e-mail from county GOP Chairman Tom John that arrived minutes after an attack e-mail from Democratic County Chair Ed Treacy. Treacy makes the case that the Massa campaign will be “marked by puppetry and surrogacy.”
Massa, the e-mail says, will be available to speak for himself but not until tomorrow.
Treacy is trying to score political points but the GOP actions do appear a little clumsy.
January 27th, 2010 at 2:19 pm by Jim Shella under Jim Shella's Political Blog
Mark Massa, counsel to Governor Mitch Daniels, says he is considering a run for Marion County Prosecutor.
Contrary to Internet reports, Massa says there is no encouragement coming from Daniels. Massa was not included in a meeting this morning involving the governor, search committee chair Scott Newman, and Marion County GOP Chair Tom John.
January 27th, 2010 at 9:40 am by Jim Shella under Jim Shella's Political Blog
I just talked to Scott Newman (chair of the search committee for a Marion County GOP Prosecutor candidate to replace Helen Marchal, who quit) and Tom John (GOP County Chairman) as they headed into the office of Governor Mitch Daniels presumably for guidance.
Said Newman, “I’m a talent scout.”
John pointed out that Greg Ballard didn’t get slated till March in his bid against then-Mayor Bart Peterson in 2007, indicating that they aren’t conceding the race.
April 10th, 2008 at 3:01 pm by Jim Shella under Jim Shella's Political Blog
The sign outside Marion County Republican Headquarters could be misleading.
It reads “For Lease” but County Chairman Tom John says a potential move is just in the “talk stage.” The Party thinks a location closer to the City County Building might be advantageous with Republican Greg Ballard now in the Mayor’s chair.
The landlord, apparently, hopes to provide motivation. Regardless, John says things are good with the GOP.
