TERRE HAUTE —
For a state that has supposedly spent so much time and effort passing and implementing strict laws concerning voter fraud, it certainly deserves the embarrassment being heaped on it for the Charlie White affair.
White, you should recall, was convicted last week on six felony counts of — incredibly! — voter fraud, including lying about his address on voter registration forms. What adds to the shame is that White’s criminally fraudulent acts occurred during his successful 2010 run for the office of Indiana Secretary of State, a politically powerful position that oversees elections and ensures their integrity.
Faced with the indictment, the most responsible and public-spirited action for White would have been to resign the office. At the very least he should have taken a leave of absence pending resolution of the case. Even fellow Republicans such as Gov. Mitch Daniels urged him to step down. He ignored everyone.
The damage done by White to the integrity of the elections process and the office to which he was elected is ongoing and won’t be settled any time soon. The state’s Democratic Party claims because White was not actually eligible to run in the election that his Democratic opponent, Vop Osili, should now be certified the winner and take over the office. Republicans disagree, of course, and say their party should maintain control of the office and that the governor should appoint a successor. (Daniels has already appointed an interim secretary.)
In addition, White’s attorneys are expected to ask the court to lessen the felony convictions to misdemeanors, which would allow White to retain the office. Let’s hope that does not happen.
Either way, Indiana is left with a mess. Eventually, the legal system will resolve lingering issues and decide how the next secretary of state is chosen. The only certainty is that it’s out of voters’ hands, at least for now. The next election for that office isn’t until 2014.
This has been a shameful episode in Indiana politics. Our government and political system have some repairs to make.
Opinion
EDITORIAL: The shame of voter fraud
White case does damage to integrity of elections
- Opinion
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READERS’ FORUM: May 23, 2012
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READERS’ FORUM: May 22, 2012
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READERS’ FORUM: May 21, 2012
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MARK BENNETT: Roadway Role Models: Adults need to remember habits often rub off on teens
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READERS’ FORUM: May 20, 2012
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READERS’ FORUM: May 18, 2012
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EDITORIAL: Good choice for stability
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READERS’ FORUM: May 17, 2012
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RONN MOTT’S MINUTE: “One and Done”
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LIZ CIANCONE: Many happy thoughts to go around on Mothers’ Day
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READERS’ FORUM: May 15, 2012
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EDITORIAL: Noteworthy in the News
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READERS’ FORUM: May 14, 2012
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MARK BENNETT: Read me to sleep, mom
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READERS' FORUM: May 13, 2012
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BRIAN HOWEY: Richard Mourdock, Joe Donnelly and the great partisan divide
U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar — vanquished by age, longevity, barrel bottom congressional approval ratings and an aggressive opponent in Treasurer Richard Mourdock — seemed to be bridging a divided party when he took the stage shortly after 8 on Tuesday night as the magnitude of the 61-39 percent landslide against him registered.
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READERS’ FORUM: May 12, 2012
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EDITORIAL: Sen. Lugar’s compelling message
Richard Lugar, no stranger to reading political tea leaves, undoubtedly knew for weeks that defeat was coming Tuesday night in his primary fight for re-election against a more-conservative-than-thou opponent. A statement Lugar released just hours after his loss of titantic proportions indicates that the six-term incumbent saw the reality even before he knew Richard Mourdock was to be his opponent this May.
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READERS’ FORUM: May 11, 2012
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FLASHPOINT: Lugar warns of 'unrelenting partisan mindset'
I would like to comment on the Senate race just concluded and the direction of American politics and the Republican Party.
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READERS’ FORUM: May 23, 2012
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