Charlie White Asks Marion County Prosecutor to File Voter Fraud Charges Against Former Senator Evan Bayh

Secretary of State Charlie White

No matter what you think of Secretary of State Charlie White, the man is clearly being treated differently from other, more popular and powerful, politicians.

Earlier I reported on this blog how Senator Richard Lugar continues to use a northwest Indy house he sold decades ago as his voting residence.  Lugar does not dispute that he does not live at that house and that he hasn't for decades.  Lugar, in fact, lives in hotels when he comes back to Indiana.  Yet hecontinues to sign documents under oath that he is residing at that house every time he votes.  Is Lugar ever prosecuted for voter fraud and perjury which he is clearly committing?  Nope.  Lugar is too powerful.  (See columns linked below)

Today's target of Charlie White though is former Senator Evan Bayh.  Evan Bayh's situation in one way is actually better than Lugar's - he actually owns the Indianapolis townhouse he claims as his residence for voting.  Yet he clearly, by any sense of the term, does not "reside" at the $58,000 Indianapolis townhouse.  Rather he and his family live at a Washington, D.C. home valued at over $2 million dollars.

Despite the fact that Bayh is no longer in the Senate, he and his wife voted in the Democratic Primary in 2011 by absentee.  To do so they would have had to sign an affidavit that they are living at the Indianapolis townhouse.  Obviously they don't. Why aren't the Bayhs prosecuted?  They are too powerful.

In a press release White argues that his situation is like Bayh's.  Actually his situation is much more defensible.  Unlike Bayh, White actually has some evidence supporting the claim he was actually living at his ex-wifes, namely the testimony of four live witnesses.  Bayh, on the other hand, doesn't have any credible argument that he actually lives at the $58,000 Indianapolis condo instead of his Washington D.C. two million dollar home.  It is incredulous that the Bayh are not only voting at the condo but they are also claiming a homestead exemption on the Indianapolis townhouse. To claim that, you have to state under oath you are living at the property, which the Bayhs clearly aren't.

Here is White's press release:

Secretary of State Charlie White files criminal voter fraud and homestead fraud charges against Evan Bayh

Former U.S. Senator Evan Bayh

October 11, 2011 Indianapolis, IN - Indiana Secretary of State Charlie White filed a criminal complaint with the Marion County Prosecutor's office against Evan and Susan Bayh today for alleged voter and homestead fraud. "It is time for the Indiana Democrat Party's hypocrisy to stop with their persecution of me and my family for partisan gain," White said Tuesday," By Chairman Dan Parker's own definition, Evan and Susan Bayh unfortunately are alleged felons. I take no joy in filing this complaint, but the Democrats have opened themselves up for this and many future filings against others who show their blatant disregard for voting and homestead deduction laws. Evan Bayh, while living in a $2.3 million home in Washington, D.C. and making millions along with Mrs. Bayh, do not primarily reside in the $58,200 condominium in Indianapolis and should not have claimed a homestead nor should they have voted here in the Municipal Democratic Primary of 2011. He no longer serves in the U.S. Senate and no longer has legal immunity to vote here. Undoubtedly, he has claimed this residency so he can possibly run for Governor again someday, but by the Indiana Democrat Party’s definition of residency for me, Bayh’s residency does not add up. It is time for Evan and Susan Bayh and Charlie and Michelle White to be treated equally.”

“After the vicious attacks by the democrats and those in local media that refuse to report the whole story, I have to defend myself, my wife and my children's future from Dan Parker, Vop Osili and Indiana Democrats as they attempt to disenfranchise nearly 1 million Hoosiers who voted for me in 2010. The Indiana Democrats were the ones who brought a chainsaw instead of a racket to a tennis match because they knew they could not win. Their personal attacks do not help working families keep a roof over their heads and food on the table. Evan Bayh should show his alleged commitment to bi-partisanship, stop this madness and allow me and my wife to get on with our lives."

White also filed records showing Evan and Susan Bayh registering and each voting twice from Philip Lehmkuhler's (now Obama’s USDA Indiana Director) home in 2000 and registering at Fred Glass' (Now IU’s athletic director) house in December of 2000 until they purchased the $58,200 condominium the following year . "If Evan Bayh and at times Susan Bayh, who are both attorneys, are able to have voter-residency 'issues' in the 1980's, 2000's and now in 2011, why is it just or fair that my wife and I must suffer at the hands of his operatives and those in the media who are not fair and balanced.

Secretary White finally added, "While Democrats and the media have mocked my wife Michelle for having past financial problems like most Hoosiers in this recession before we were married last year, she works every bit as hard making an hourly wage at her part time job and trying to start a new business after her last two employers closed their doors as Susan Bayh does making millions sitting on several corporate boards. I thought Indiana Democrats would be compassionate toward struggling Hoosiers, but I guess they are not when it gets in the way of grasping for power. If Bayh will not do anything, I never want to hear about how he is above partisan politics as he likes to portray himself as a contributor on Fox News Channel in New York City. Before Bayh’s spokespeople respond by using words like “sour grapes", “smokescreen” or “diversion”, there is no ‘diverting’ from my family’s personal and political assassination at the hands of his cronies. Evan Bayh needs to not “distract” from his own voting and residency needs to answer these questions quickly. Struggling Hoosiers are fed up with people that ‘game’ the system and are granted titles of nobility in all but name.”

# # # # # # #

Contact information:

Charlie White
13086 Overview Drive
Fishers, Indiana 46037
cwhite@hamiltoncountygop.org

People like to pile on Charlie White and suggest I'm wrong for saying he's being treated unfairly. Yet when you ask those same people about Lugar and Bayh's voter fraud problems, they generally have no response.  The bottom line is that Lugar and Bayh are popular and powerful, and Charlie White is not.  That is why White is a target while Lugar and Bayh get a pass for what are clearly egregious voting fraud violations.

It is time to drop the political and selective prosecution of Charlie White.  The horse is dead. Stop beating it.

For my discussion of Lugar's voter fraud problems, see below:

Friday, Februay 18, 2011, Did Sen. Richard Lugar Commit A Felony By Voting From Precinct Where He Doesn't Live?


Tuesday, March 8, 2011, Did Sen. Richard Lugar Commit Voter Fraud?; Senator Claims Residency At Home He Doesn't Appear to Have Owned for Years (w/Update)


Wednesday, March 9, 2011, Poking Holes in the Lugar Legal Argument; Why the Constitution and Statute Does Not Create a Loophole on Residency for Senator Lugar