Lake County GOP Chair responds

From Kim Krull, Lake County Indiana GOP Chair

Rich James wonders why the Lake County Republican Party is not outraged by Judge Arrendondo pulling a fast one on his fellow democrats. James wonders why we are not using this deceit by his fellow democrats to win the race. Well, Rich, you have to get through the primary first. And I know you're worried about us filling that position for the fall, but never fear. I assure you your beloved democrats will not just walk into the Circuit Court Judge position without opposition.

Let me also assure you that we are outraged by the sneaky, deceptive, corrupt actions that you democrats have been performing for a long time. We're outraged by:

Robert Pasterick, James Fife, and Franky Kollintzas, spending taxpayer money for votes

Robert Pastrick setting up Second Century to funnel casino money to his buds and probably himself. But we'll never know now will we Rich because Second Century is a private company and doesn't have to disclose their information on who the casino money goes to.

George Van Til stealing county gas for his own personal vehicle

Rob Guetzloff (a Democratic Schererville councilman) filling up George Van Til's vehicle with county gas

George Van Til letting his son drive a county truck to high school

Tom Philpot, perennial candidate office jumper, taking taxpayer money from the county that he shouldn't have...AKA stealing money…oh wait he paid most of it back after he was caught so I guess it’s ok

Robert Cantrell depriving the public of honest services, committing insurance fraud, taking cash kickbacks from a contract between his then-employer, the North Township trustee's office, and a political ally's company

Pete Visclosky giving contracts to big political donors

George Pabey "allegedly" using city money to fix his daughter's home in Gary

Katie Hall extorting campaign contributions from employees and ghost payrolling

Will Smith Jr. executing a secret, $200,000 real estate deal with the Gary Urban Enterprise Association

Dozier Allen and his deputies paying themselves $140,000 from a contract without permission of the township board

Kevin Pastrick, Carl Ihle Jr., his business partner, and Peter Manous, former chairman of the Indiana Democratic Party, bribing people to influence the carpenter’s union pension board to vote for and invest $10 million in the purchase of land for the Coffee Creek real estate development south of Chesterton

Jojuanna Meeks stealing of hundreds of thousands of dollars from the now defunct GUEA

Jewell Harris committing wire fraud, mail fraud and money laundering
I could go on Rich, but for the sake of saving a tree which I know you will appreciate, I won't. What do all of those people have in common besides being convicted of felonies or being close to being convicted of felonies? They're all elected DEMOCRATS!
I should add that just because you are a democrat doesn't mean you are corrupt. There are a few good ones out there in Lake Co. But the democrats have such a huge political machine that it just breeds corruption. The only way to stop it is to have a 2 party system with checks and balances.

It's time for the good voters of Lake Co to wake up and see the pattern of political corruption that is costing us jobs and money. The democratic politicians are the ones giving jobs to their friends and family and putting money in their own pockets. Oh Rich, by the way, you know about the democrats giving jobs to their friends don't you. Your wife is employed in the sheriff's office! No conflict of interest in your columns now is there!
The democrats have a strangle hold on us because of a climate of political apathy. Voters can continue to vote for the same old corrupt politicians or just stay home because they do not care or they can choose to make a difference.

The GOP is offering qualified alternatives. The choice is yours.