Thursday, July 9, 2015

BURKE VS BENNETT LITTLE HATCH ACT TERREHAUTE

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http://www.tribstar.com/news/local_news/mayor-maintains-he-did-not-violate-little-hatch-act-in/article_f4b8889d-af27-58ef-b6ea-f3f42dcf191b.html
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Posted: Wednesday, November 19, 2008 10:53 pm

Terre Haute Mayor Duke Bennett still believes he did not violate the Hatch Act when he ran for mayor last year despite findings by two Indiana courts that he did.

Bennett won the 2007 election by 110 votes over former Mayor Kevin Burke who then sued to have Bennett removed from office for violating the Little Hatch Act, a law that limits the political activity of people paid with federal funds.

Bennett worked as director of operations for the Hamilton Center when he ran for office in both 2003 and 2007. The Hamilton Center receives federal funding for its Head Start program.

Yet Bennett believes, given his role at the Hamilton Center and his connection to Head Start, the Hatch Act would not have applied to him. He also believes that only the U.S. Office of Special Council can make an official Hatch Act ruling.

“We’re still going to argue the point that I’m in violation of the Hatch Act. We still believe that’s an incorrect ruling,” Bennett said Wednesday afternoon in a media interview in his office. “I don’t agree with that.”

Bennett said he called the OSC in 2007 while he was running for mayor and made “general” inquiries about the Hatch Act. OSC officials told him the Hatch Act might apply to someone working for an organization such as Hamilton Center; however, “it’s based on the individual not just a blanket thing about the organization,” Bennett said.

“We looked at my role [at Hamilton Center] and everything I did and there was no reason to really pursue [questions about the Hatch Act] anymore,” he said.

In the initial legal challenge launched by Burke, Vigo County Superior Court Judge David Bolk ruled last December that Bennett was covered by the Hatch Act when he was a candidate for mayor; however, Bolk also found that Burke’s challenge came too late to prevent Bennett from assuming office.

Burke appealed Bolk’s decision allowing Bennett to take office and Bennett later appealed Bolk’s ruling that the Hatch Act applied to him.

Last week, the Indiana Court of Appeals in a 2-1 decision found that the Hatch Act did apply to Bennett and called for a special election to fill the office of Terre Haute mayor.

In his media interview, Bennett also responded to comments Burke made Tuesday in a news conference at the former mayor’s home. Burke said Bennett had misled the public about the potential cost of a special election. Burke told reporters such an election would cost around $70,000. Bennett had put the cost between $300,000 and $580,000.

“That’s what it’s going to cost” to hold a special election, Bennett said Wednesday. He provided reporters with a bill, signed by Vigo County Auditor Jim Bramble, to the city of Terre Haute for $582,865 for expenses from the 2007 municipal elections. “It’s very expensive to run an election,” Bennett said.

In his news conference Tuesday, Burke said the $580,000 figure was for a “full-blown municipal election,” a primary and a recount. A 2004 special election in East Chicago cost $69,000, Burke said.

“I threw out the $300,000 [figure] because that’s what it’s going to cost,” Bennett said. One cannot compare Terre Haute election costs to those of another city because cities use different vendors for election services, he said. “I think [elections] are too expensive,” Bennett said, but “there is no misleading the public.”

Bennett also responded to Burke’s comment that Terre Haute’s federal funding could be in jeopardy because of his possible violation of the Hatch Act.

“That’s just political rhetoric,” Bennett said. Terre Haute faces no potential sanctions, he said. The Office of Special Council imposes sanctions against candidates and their employers in rare cases, Bennett said. When that happens, the sanctions do not “follow you around … There’s no way any action is going to be taken against Terre Haute,” he said. Bennett also said the OSC will not take his case now because he is no longer a candidate for office.

In his news conference Tuesday, Burke said someone found in violation of the Hatch Act can be barred from handling federal money for 18 months. “I saw the potential down the road for the city’s funding,” Burke said.

Bennett also used the opportunity Wednesday to defend his former employer, Hamilton Center. Burke said he chose not to make a public Hatch Act inquiry into Bennett’s eligibility before the 2007 election because the CEO of Hamilton Center assured him Bennett was not in violation of the Hatch Act.

“I think it’s unfortunate that Hamilton Center keeps getting drug into this,” Bennett said. “Based on the facts we [at Hamilton Center] had at the time, we didn’t believe there was any Hatch Act violation. I still don’t believe there was a Hatch Act violation.”

Bennett said his legal team is preparing its appeal of the appeals court ruling for the Indiana Supreme Court. He also said he will not pursue the case beyond Indiana’s highest court.

“We need to let the Supreme Court rule however it’s going to rule,” Bennett said. “I think it’s important we bring closure,” he said.

Bennett believes it is important for the Supreme Court to rule in this case in order to clarify who is and who isn’t covered under the Hatch Act in Indiana. Depending on how the court rules, we could see a lot more Hatch Act challenges to Indiana elections, he said. “You’re going to have more of these,” Bennett said.

There remains a lot of unanswered questions in the Burke v. Bennett case, including who would be eligible if a special election is ordered by the Supreme Court.

“However they rule, that’s going to be the final decision,” Bennett said. “There is enough grayness you really don’t know anything other than whatever the court ends up ruling,” he said.

Arthur Foulkes can be reached at (812) 231-4232 or arthur.foulkes@tribstar.com.
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MAYOR HENRYS BUZZWORDS -COWARD CROOK LIAR

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EVER NOTICE WHEN THERES FLUFF EVENTS OR FLUFF NEWS- PR- THE MAYOR IS RIGHT OU T FRONT- OR HIS PAL- PSD YORK?
BUT WHEN THERES BAD NEWS-  SHOW UP AT A SHOOTING SITE WITH INNER CIOTY MININSTERS ; WEL- THEY LET THE CHIEF OF POLICE "TAKE THE BULLET"?
WHERE IS YORK AND HENRY? HIDING? THIS IS WHY VOTERS DESPISE SAD SACK POLITICIANS, AND WHY HENRY AND YORK HAVE TO GO.. ASAP.
IM VOTING BOTH THESE SOBS OUT. ID VOTE FOR NAZIS IF THAT WAS THE ONLY CHOICE.
HMM- MAYBE THATS HOW THE NAZIS GOT VOTED IN?
THINK ABOU T THAT ONE..

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CITY COUNCIL DRINKING GAME—BEGINNER’S VERSION: You can watch City Council meetings live stream (http://afw.pegstream.com/). To make it more interesting, to help keep you focused, or heck… just to “swallow” some of the things that get passed, I invite you to participate in the City Council Drinking Game. Grab your favorite beverage---alcoholic or non-alcoholic—and your favorite glass (can be a shot glass or a Red Solo cup) and drink according to these rules:
If you are a Republican—start out by taking 6 drinks. Just because you are a Republican and admitting that is the first step to recovery.
If you are a Democrat – start out by taking 3 drinks. Just because you are a Democrat and admitting that is the first step to recovery.
If you are a Libertarian – start out by taking 0 drinks. Hey, until you can get someone elected to Council, you don’t deserve a “starter” drink. Just sayin….
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f you are not associated with any political party – start out by taking 9 drinks. You are a taxpayer and trust me, you are going to need those drinks. 
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Take 1 drink for each Councilman that shows up on time.
Take 2 drinks if a Councilman shows up late and you voted for him….and then smack your forehead. Hard. Twice. Homer Simpson-style. Really---what were you thinking??
Take 1 drink for each person that speaks before Council…and doesn’t ask for money (i.e. no tax abatements, no phase-ins, no economic revitalization credits, no CEDIT, no LOIT, no COIT, no Capital Improvement Board (CIB) money, no Legacy Funds, etc).
Take 2 drinks for each person that speaks before Council…and ASKS for money.
Take 1 drink for each YES vote.
Take 2 drinks for each NO vote.
Take 0 drinks for each ABSTAIN vote.
Take 1 drink for each minute any Councilman speaks on any subject where his commentary lasts longer than 3 minutes. Take a bonus drink if you are using an egg timer! 
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Take 1 drink for each comment made by a City Councilman that pats himself on the back.
Take 2 drinks for each comment made by a City Councilman that pats another Councilman on the back.
Take 3 drinks for each comment made by a City Councilman that pats Mayor Henry on the back. Take a bonus drink if you elected that City Councilman….and if you are a Republican, a Libertarian, or an Independent, then smack your forehead. Hard. Twice. Homer Simpson-style. Really---what were you thinking??
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take on drink for everytime "Sally the homeless hamburger helper lady" steps up to speak and scold the city govt for not helping the homeless.
take 4 drinks for every time TOM COOK steps up to speka anc complain about something on the south side of town- because youll need that many drinks so he makes sense.. 
take a drink when bob bastian steps up to speak- well- hes a former USMC- cheers. other than that, well.. hes a realtor so hes plugging his biz.
GAG yourself - every time the CC allows schmucks like tim pape to hog the mike for over the allotted 3 minute time.
Gag yourself- everytime CC Crawford Gavels someone into silence when the speaker hits a raw nerve with the Cc; criticizes the FWPD; or other non- PC matters that really matter..

fire up the mower with a 24 oz beer( or 2 arm rest cupholders- - whenever the CC p-55's off everyone and a citizens "filibuster/pitchfork and torch uprising ensues- with dozens of angry citizens or employees to speak about the CC, the Mayor, the FWPD; neighborhood; or anyof the other "usual suspects"
- because why waste valuable daylight- it will be an hour at least, your lawn will look swell; and you can DVR it and watch it at your leisure- later in the evening replay- better than NYQUIL and Vodka.. 

go in the kitchen and wash your dishes when Mitch Harper speaks- hes long winded, ambles about nothing of import; self serving hog the time mayoral campaign pontificating; and - oh- you woint have to read any of the OBITS in the news- he'l tell you all about the deceased; in detail.
be sure to note what he says- because he plaigiarized it from someone else if its public policy. 

take a drink if harper and Jehl recuse/ abstain- last votes which wont matter anyway because the vote is done deal- so as to appease their conservative base "well- dont blame us- we voted against it- its all those moderates; rinos dinos; and henry rubberstampers.. 

applause?
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