JG Issues Correction on Harper’s Voting Record

From the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette:

Correction

Because of a reporting error, faulty information appeared in Political Notebook on Page 8C of Sunday’s editions. Councilman-elect Mitch Harper, R-4th, did not vote in the 2003 Republican primary because his home had yet to annexed into the city.

Okay, the blogmeister was pretty hard on the JG over the last few days, but I’ll give them some credit.  Not only did they issue a pretty timely correction, but they admitted it was a “reporting error”.  Good Job JG.

Visclosky: King of Cash

The Northwest Indiana Times is reporting U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky (D) has raised more in campaign contributions than any other congressional representative in Indiana. 

In Indiana, Rep. Pete Visclosky is currently the leading fundraiser, having collected almost $1 million. According to campaign finance reports, his challenger, Mark J. Leyva, has raised just less than $1,500. In the 2006 election, Visclosky raised $1.37 million, compared to Leyva’s $10,940.

The article goes on to state some of the reasons why he is able to raise so much money.  Chiefly,   he is on the appropriations committee, which the democrats now control and he is considered a “senior” Representative, having served since 1984.  However, don’t think that money came from pleased constituents…

The other notable issue regarding Visclosky’s fundraising is that the majority of his donations — 78.7 percent — come from outside Indiana. This figure is one of the top three highest in the House, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Top-contributing areas include Washington, D.C., California and New York.

Betcha the guy who mugged the Rep. a few weeks ago is kicking himself right about now!

Donnelly, 2nd District Dream Race

This is like one of those credit card commercials:

Having a congressional seat…  Nice.

700k in the bank…  Even better.

 No opponent in the foreseeable future…  Priceless.

From WTHR:

[U.S. Rep. Joe] Donnelly’s campaign has about $700,000 on hand for his re-election bid, about three times what it had two years ago when he was preparing to take on Republican incumbent Chris Chocola, Donnelly spokesman Bob Doyle said.

Donnelly was among three Democrats to unseat Republicans from Indiana congressional seats in 2006 as he received 54 percent of the vote over Chocola in northern Indiana’s 2nd District.

“I am humbled by the support and donations of so many Hoosiers and other friends who have pitched in to help get ready for the 2008 election cycle,” Donnelly said.

Dude, can your political life get any better? 

Pres. Ford Shooter Released

From the Northwest Indiana Times, via the Associated Press:

Sara Jane Moore, who took a shot at President Ford in a 1975 assassination attempt, was released from prison Monday.

Moore, 77, had served about 30 years of a life sentence when she was released from the federal prison in Dublin, east of San Francisco, the Federal Bureau of Prisons said.

She was 40 feet away from Ford outside a hotel in San Francisco when she fired a shot at him on Sept. 22, 1975. As she raised her .38-caliber revolver, Oliver Sipple, a disabled former Marine standing next to her, pushed up her arm as the gun went off, and the bullet flew over Ford’s head by several feet.

In recent interviews, Moore said she regretted her actions, saying she was blinded by her radical political views.

Bonus points to anyone who can name (nickname is okay) the other woman who tried to assassinate Ford.  Double bonus points if you can name the other incident she was involved in earlier, which garnered national attention.  Googling it doesn’t count!

State Sen. Weatherwax to Retire

From the Indianapolis Star: 

Logansport — State Sen. Thomas K. Weatherwax announced Monday that he would not seek re-election in November, ending a 24-year career in the General Assembly.

The Logansport Republican, elected to the Indiana House in 1984 and the Senate in 1988, said he wanted to spend more time concentrating on his private life and family and less time on public policy and politics.

“I have been blessed with productive careers both in and out of politics,” Weatherwax said. “But for a citizen legislator, a father and grandfather, there comes a time when a person wants to focus on family and pass the baton to another public servant willing to continue the good fight.”

Senate staffers said Weatherwax has served on and chaired more committees than any senator in recorded state history.

Weatherwax, whose District 18 consists of all or parts of Cass, Fulton, Kosciusko, Miami, Pulaski and Wabash counties, said he will continue to seek further property tax reforms, job creating measures and school improvements during the 2008 General Assembly.

Coroner to Review Vanderburgh Suicides Due to Spike

From WTHR.  Any thoughts?

The Vanderburgh County coroner’s office plans to start detailed reviews of all its suicide cases after record number of people killed themselves in the southern Indiana county this year.

The coroner’s office attributes 40 deaths through mid-December to suicide, with final toxicology results pending in two other suspected suicides. The county’s previous record for self-inflicted deaths in a year came in 2005 when 31 were recorded.

County Coroner Don Erk says his office will try to spot trends by asking friends and family of suspected suicide victims detailed questions about topics such as legal problems, changes at work and any history of suicides in the person’s family.