Part 2: Unofficial Deputy Mayor Andy Downs vs. 2007 Mayorial Candidate 2007 Matt Kelty

I was planning on writing about the Allen County Election Board and the recent hearing on the alleged violations of the Indiana campaign finance laws violations from Matt Kelty.






But I got an interesting phone call that sent me in another direction. I sorta got a heads up on this one yesterday, but because of issue of liability, I figured it was a long shoot and it was not going to happen. I was wrong. It appears that there is an attempt to haul Matt Kelty into criminal court.

But, who I thought would be brave enough to do the filing, was not brave enough. Instead a group called Common Cause was the culprit. Hmmm, I heard the name Common Cause before, and my thought was who are their supporters and who are the members.I tried calling the executive director and the lobbist, to get answers to my questions but no anwsers at either telephone numbers.

But, I was able to find some answers about the organization without talking to members.


Supporters from their website:

Common Cause is financed, in large part, by the dues and contributions of its individual members. Because it is a 501 (c)(4) lobbying organization, such contributions to Common Cause are not tax deductible. The Common Cause Education Fund, our 501(c)(3) affiliate, conducts research, education, and outreach activities and is supported by foundation grants and tax-deductible contributions from individuals and institutions. The combined annual operating budget of Common Cause and the Common Cause Education Fund is approximately $10 million.

I was unable to find names of supporters, but I did find the names of members. And one name stood out, in the nonpartisan group, like FairPlay BeachVolleyball blog member sore thumb. Hold onto your hat, hairpiece, teeth, or other removable objects, the name, is Andy Downs. Yes. Our very own Andy Downs.



Now, I've heard a lot of things about Downs, but nonpartisan is not one of them. But action speaks louder than words. This is a nonpartisan group that Downs is a member! Go figure, the sidekick to Democratic Leader Kevin Knuth belongs to a nonpartisan group. Now I am sure the Democratic members were taken aback by this little bombshell.

Not me. It was his daddy who was a Democrat. This is fun and games for Downs to play with the minds of the Democratic members especially those African-Americans who believe that Andy is so brilliant..now you see where he gets his brilliancy from...Common Cause.

Sorry. But Ben Lanka reports the story here.

From Lanka article:

Common Cause is a nonpartisan organization formed in 1970 by a nonpartisan group seeking to bring transparency to government and campaigns. The loans to the Kelty for Mayor Campaign in 2006 and 2007 were a breach of the basic principles of transparency. It’s my belief that they also violated Indiana campaign finance laws. Please investigate this matter.

Sincerely,

Nick Hess
Chair
Common Cause Indiana

The email is so broad and no evidence was included, suggesting only for the prosecutor to do an investigation on an unspecified Indiana campaign finance law possible violation?

Oh well. IndianaNewsCenter reports on the goings on. So does Wane 15 television.

Don't we have to say that so and so stole my lawnmower or my lawnmower was stolen but I don't know who did it?

Meaning, what is the violation of the Indiana campaign finance law or do we make it up as we go? What makes them think there is a violation?

Here's a hint from their newsletter:

Common Cause/ Indiana
Governing Board Members
Nick Hess, Chair
Lynn Hale, Vice-chair
Patricia Wittberg, Secretary
Barry Levitt
Andrew Downs

Roberta Schonemann

But according to our Ben Lanka,

When Downs learned the group’s chairman would be filing a complaint with the prosecutor, he resigned from the board, “so I wouldn’t be accused of driving the investigation.”

Downs stepped down..no pun intended.