Governor Daniels to deliver GOP response
(Indianapolis) — Governor Mitch Daniels will deliver the Republican response to President Obama’s State of the Union address next week. Daniels was chosen by House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell with the two Republican leaders saying Daniels was selected because of Indiana’s first triple-A credit rating and that Indiana has the fewest number of state employees in the nation. Daniels is finishing the last year of his term and decided last year he would not run for President.
Judge rules in fines levied against legislators
(Indianapolis) — Marion County Judge David Dreyer has issued a restraining order blocking the state from seizing $1000 dollar per day fines levied against House Democrats. The fines are being issued by House Speaker Brian Bosma against Representatives Vanessa Summers, Bill Crawford and Shelli Vandenburgh for boycotting sessions in protest of right to work legislation. Dreyer’s order does not, however, block the state from withholding the paychecks of lawmakers to collect the fines and other legislators may now join in the lawsuit. Republican leaders said they believe the fines are legal and will be upheld.
Indiana Senate to resume talks on right to work legislation
(Indianapolis) — With right to work legislation at a standstill due to protests by Democrats the Indiana Senate says it will take up the measure next week. Senate Republican leader David Long said yesterday the chamber will hold a vote if Democrats continue their boycott of session in the House. Meanwhile, labor leaders are going after Governor Mitch Daniels’ change of heart on the issue, producing video from a speech in 2006 in which Daniels said he saw no need to change labor laws, quote, “certainly not the right to work law.”
Meeting about cancer vaccine draws protests
(Indianapolis, IN) — A forum earlier this week in Indianapolis about a vaccine used to prevent cervical cancer turned negative with parents speaking out against the vaccine’s creators. IU Health scientist Darron Brown said he couldn’t understand why parents were attacking him personally for the perceived problems and side effects from the Gardasil vaccine. Several parents say since their daughters have taken vaccine, they have developed seizures and other physical and neurological symptoms. Advocates of the vaccine insist it is safe.
Arrests made in white collar crimes
(Indianapolis) — An Indianapolis attorney and accountant faces theft and forgery charges this morning relating to $596,000 dollars in unauthorized withdrawals from a guardianship and family trust account. Investigators found questionable account activity done by Stacy H. Sheedy, 51, including checks she wrote to herself and to her business from the accounts totaling more than $172,000 dollars. Between August 2010 and February 2011, an investigation revealed Sheedy made at least 30 withdrawals resulting in a brokerage account within the trust once valued at $501,000 dollars now worth $168 dollars. In another case, Cheryl Dillon-Britt has been charged with 14 counts of theft over allegations she took more than $200,000 dollars from the Alpha Tau Omega Foundation by writing checks to friends and relatives and then depositing the funds into joint accounts with them.
