Down The Republican Glory Hole

SINCE it's possible you have seen, or may see, the name of Indiana Secretary of State Charlie White on one of those Political Police blotter things, I thought I might supply a little detail.

White, who's been in office for all of two months, was indicted Thursday on seven felony counts, including three counts of voter fraud and one each of theft and financial fraud. White has proclaimed his innocence, and is presently resisting calls for his resignation from, among others, Indiana's anti-corruption crusading Governor Mitch "Short Time" Daniels.

Things tend to get blown out of proportion some times, so here's the underlying charge. In 2010 White, the longtime Party chairman for Hamilton county (that's Republican party; if you live around here you know there isn't a Hamilton county Democratic party) voted in the primaries, an act which was later discovered--as he was conducting his race for Secretary of State, the state's top election official--to have been, let's say, not exactly right. On accounta White voted from the address he had shared with his wife, but he'd moved out, and out of the district, some time earlier. Without re-registering. Or mentioning it to anyone. Or resigning from the Fishers Town Board he was no longer eligible to serve on.

White contends that this was a simple oversight, brought on by the pressing business of an impending divorce, remarriage, and a run for public office. Memory lapse also caused him to apply for a loan using an address where he didn't reside, and to continue cashing those checks from the Town of Fishers.

Like all men White is entitled to his day in court, and a presumption of innocence, unless Republicans decide otherwise. The first half of this was the argument of one Mitch Daniels, and the rest of the state party, back when Democrats raised the issue during the campaign. Although White has never disputed the facts in the case, back then they were "allegations", compared to now, when they are legal allegations. Completely different. White should not have been forced to drop out of the campaign he'd already been slated for--not for mere allegations!--as this would have penalized other Republicans as well. Now that he's in office the punishment would be his alone. As is only fair.

I just wanted to make people aware of both sides in the case, so that no one jumps to any conclusions. White may be guilty, or innocent. But through it all the Daniels administration remains the incorruptible defender of the Law, right up to the very Edge of Convenience.