Your Complimentary Cheat Sheet

The Cheat Sheet, Vol 3, Issue 44 – 9 Sep 2014

The Cheat Sheet. A Publication of Indy Politics. Be sure to catch “Abdul at-Large” weeknights at 6 p.m. on WIBC-FM, 93.1 in Indianapolis.

Turner Troubles Just Beginning?

TCS is hearing that life for State Representative Eric Turner is about to get really complicated. As you know

Turner was at the center of the controversy regarding the nursing

home moratorium legislation last session. He was accused of using his influence to kill legislation that would

have put a moratorium on new nursing homes in Indiana. There was

an ethics investigation which found no wrongdoing, but said there should be tighter rules. Later it was revealed

that Turner made money on a deal to sell Main Street properties to an Ohio

nursing home company. That had the Speaker remove Turner as Speaker Pro Tempore, the number two spot in

the House.

Well now TCS is hearing that law enforcement may be looking at the transaction to see if criminal

prosecution might be in order. It’s still unclear whether it is the state or

the federal government at this time. We’re told Turner still doesn’t think he did anything wrong and was

operating within the rules of the House as well as state law. And he

feels like he’s being unjustly attacked.

Regardless, we can honestly say here at TCS, this storyline is not over by a

longshot and it’s probably going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

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HJR-3 in Jeopardy?

Well, because of Turner’s troubles we’re hearing that HJR-3 (the

marriage amendment) chances of coming back next session are getting smaller and smaller. Since Turner is

attached to it, a lot of lawmakers want nothing to do with it. Also there are

the “minor” details that this issue is likely to go before the U.S. Supreme Court and the fact that in the most

recent opinion in the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals hinted the amendment

would be unconstitutional has a lot of lawmakers.




Movin’ On Up

So what’s likely to happen with House Republican leadership now that Turner

is no longer Speaker Pro Tempore? One scenario TCS is hearing involves House Floor Leader

Bill Friend moving up to take Turner’s spot. Kathy Richardson who is

caucus chair would take over as floor leader. David Frizzell who is Republican Whip would take

Richardson’s spot and Assistant Floor Leader Jud McMillin would assume

Frizzell’s post. Had Rebecca Kubacki not lost the primary the word is she

would have also been a contender for leadership as well. Of course, all this won’t be decided until Organization

Day, but it’s still fun to speculate.

Shella to Channel 4?

TCS wasn’t sure to believe this one when we first heard it too. But

apparently as WTTV gets ready to become the new CBS affiliate next year, plans are in the works to create

a news operation. It’s unclear whether Channel 4 will absorb the

news team at WISH-TV, but the one thing we are hearing is that management is really interested in Jim

Shella to head up its political coverage. The “Shella brand” is a

pretty good one and some folks think it gives instant credibility to whatever happens with the news

operation. Stay tuned.



Holden Never Stops

As if being passed over for State

Treasurer and losing the primary in

the race for Boone County judge

weren’t enough, TCS is hearing Jim

Holden just doesn’t know when to

quit. TCS hears Holden is looking at

getting into the race to fill the House

seat being vacated by Steve Braun

who left to head up the Department of

Workforce Development. We will

save him the trouble of thinking any

further as not only are most of the

precinct committeemen who fill that

spot are in Hamilton County, but his

slate of PCs in Boone County all got

defeated in the last election, so his

support would be between slim and

not a chance in hell. Of course, he

could always run for Mayor of

Zionsville next year if the town and

Perry Township (not the Marion one)

approve a reorganization plan which

would create the post of Mayor.

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Short End of the Stick

You likely know Washington Township Trustee Frank Short suspended his race for Mayor of Indianapolis last

week, however what you probably don’t know is the real reason

why. Our reliable rumor mill tells us that Short was “encouraged” to leave the race by folks with close ties to

Evan Bayh. We hear he was told that if he didn’t get out of the race “things

would be bad for business” if he lost. Short was having a hard enough time getting traction. And as a

Democratic lobbyist, the last thing he would want is to have to do his full-

time elected job as Washington Township Trustee in Marion County.




Some More Mayoral Musings Apparently there is a poll out there

showing Indy Mayor Greg Ballard has an 8-point lead over Democratic “front runner” Joe Hogsett. By the way,

don’t expect any Hogsett attacks over the increase in the public safety tax,

because that would mean going after Council President Maggie Lewis and the other Democrats who voted for it.

You gotta give State Representative

and Indy Mayoral candidate Ed DeLaney credit, he wouldn’t let a little thing like laryngitis stop him from

talking. Delaney cancelled a news conference Tuesday morning because

he lost his voice, but rescheduled that afternoon to quash rumors that he was getting out of the race.

We hear there is a growing chorus of

Black Democrats who want State Sen. Greg Taylor to run for Mayor, but TCS

is told he’s being threatened with a primary challenger by some white Democrats if he loses and runs for re-

election in the Senate.

Evansville Democrats are reeling after the death of former candidate Richard Davis. TCS is told he was there best

shot at defeating incumbent Lloyd Winnecke.

Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard may find his toughest challenge next year. TCS

hears the opposition is going to try and center around one candidate this

time in effort to defeat Brainard as opposed to splitting the opposition as in 2011.




A Few Other Items of Note

The Indiana GOP move from its current headquarters on Meridian has

been delayed a few months. It looks like they won’t be out until December

at the earliest. Indy Mayor Greg Ballard and wife

Winnie have been named International Citizens of the Year by The

International Center. House Ways & Means Chairman Dr.

Tim Brown received the distinguished Public Service Award from the Indiana

Rural Health Association. It turns out Richard Mourdock wasn’t

the only state employee resigning at the end of August to save his pension,

TCS also hears Indiana Democratic Chairman John Zody’s Dad Also, retired from his Vigo County job on

that Friday as well.

Indy City-County Councilor Jose Evans has been invited to give the keynote

address at an International Education Conference in South Africa later this month.

Speaking of Councilors we hear

Republican Christine Scales might have crossed a line that could get her removed from the Public Safety

committee. Details in the next edition of The Cheat Sheet.




The Usual Disclaimer Stuff:

The Cheat Sheet is a publication of

IndyPolitics.Org. This is a compilation

of pure gossip, rumor and blatant

innuendo. We assume no liability if it

is wrong, we only take credit for it

when it’s right!

If you’ve got something you want to

share, (good, bad or ugly) send it to

[email protected]. We promise

to take all the credit.



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