This and that: Politics and playgrounds, not necessarily in that order
Internal memo roils Braun-Beckwith ticket. Kids storm renovated SIA Playground at Columbian Park. Changing of the guard at Tippecanoe Emergency Management. And WL’s ‘Jeopardy' champ wins No. 14
This and that and other reads this morning …
ABOUT THAT INTERNAL MEMO IN THE BRAUN CAMP: Things got spicier in the governor’s race late Sunday, when Jim Bopp – an Indiana attorney who, among other things, helped craft the state’s near-total abortion ban in 2022, and a key ally of Mike Braun – sent an internal memo warning that Micah “Beckwith’s nomination as Lt. Gov. poses a serious threat to the Braun candidacy, election and administration.”
Bopp wasn’t publicly happy when the confidential memo leaked, reported Sunday night on Adam Wren’s Importantville site on Substack. And Braun downplayed the warning that Saturday state convention nomination of Beckwith, a Noblesville pastor, as his running mate would amount to fuel for an upset bid by Jennifer McCormick and other Democrats in statewide races, saying he was still in charge of the ticket and, ultimately, the governor’s office.
But the memo, coming after GOP delegates rejected Braun’s running mate choice of state Rep. Julie McGuire, had Bopp concerned about just how far to the right Beckwith would drag Braun and expose the campaign by “causing division and chaos whenever Beckwith wanted to do that.”
“Braun will be asked to answer for every statement Beckwith has every made – and there are many – and this has already begun: Braun was asked to comment on a video Beckwith made after the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, in which he said the assault was divinely inspired,” Bopp wrote. “Braun will be asked, and held in account, for every statement Beckwith has ever made. So how does Braun respond? If he is viewed to be repudiating Beckwith or even distancing himself from him, he loses support from hardcore Beckwith supporters and if he embassies Beckwith, he feeds into the Democrat campaign. And since Beckwith wins if Braun wins, how can Braun really separate himself from Beckwith if he tried? And does saying, ‘I am in charge,’ really work when the convention has just nominated Beckwith to hold Braun in account and it is obvious that Beckwith has no interest in following Braun’s lead if he does not want to.”
There are plenty of good reads out there for more on the memo and on the reaction on both sides of the aisle. A solid one comes from Indiana Capital Chronicle’s Casey Smith: “Beckwith poses a ‘serious threat’ to Braun’s campaign, says GOP powerhouse lawyer. The leaked memo floats Joe Donnelly as a Democratic gubernatorial nominee, which Jim Bopp predicts could be catastrophic for Mike Braun.”
Indianapolis Star columnist James Briggs also dug in on Braun for not seeing the situation coming: “Braun marches toward the governor's office under the cattle prod of an enforcer who's there to ensure he remains committed to the bit … or else. Braun thought he could play voodoo with the forces of MAGA while reaping all rewards and no consequences. It's time to pay the piper.” Here’s a way in to the full column: “Mike Braun deserves every minute of his new political hell.”
This story is just getting rolling.
RENOVATED SIA PLAYGROUND READY FOR ACTION AT COLUMBIAN PARK: Kids who had been waiting patiently during a couple official comments and a ribbon cutting Monday morning wasted little time scrambling up the hill once Mayor Tony Roswarski declared that the renovated SIA Playground was ready for action at Columbian Park. The new features on the hill at the center of the park include 5,400 square feet of equipment, mainly on the upper areas of the playground. The playground includes poured-in-place rubber surfacing, three climbing towers, rope bridge, a “RopeVenture Revolv,” tunnels and six slides. It also features hillside slides and climbers to get to and from the upper level. Work on $1.1 million project started in early 2024. “It’s great to have it open,” Roswarski, who brought several of his grandchildren, to the ribbon cutting. The new equipment replaced slides and climbing features installed in 1999.
CHANGING OF GUARD FOR TIPPECANOE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY: Jeff Houston, who spent 23 years with Tippecanoe Emergency Ambulance Service followed by an emergency preparedness coordinator for the county health department, was appointed Monday as executive director of Tippecanoe Emergency Management Agency.
Houston will replace William “Smokey” Anderson when Anderson retires June 30 after 13 years as executive director of the agency that oversees response to severe weather and assorted emergencies and disasters.
Houston, who played a key role in the county health department’s pandemic response, said he didn’t expect many changes from the way Anderson ran a department four employees and 30 volunteers.
“My hope is to keep (what Anderson’s done) going,” Houston said.
Anderson wound up with a standing ovation from county commissioners and others at Monday’s meeting, where he also ushered through the acceptance of a 1995 Ford E350 van from the Otterbein Area Volunteer Fire and Rescue for use by TEMA.
Anderson spent part of his 34-year career with the Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Office as sheriff – first appointed to the final year of Sheriff Dave Murtaugh’s second term when Murtaugh moved to the U.S. Marshal’s Office and then elected in 2022. Anderson did not run for a second term, spending four years as a process server. He moved to TEMA in 2010.
“For the last 46½ years, if something bad happened or bid happened, at some point I was probably there," Anderson said. “I’ll miss that. But I’ll mainly miss the people. We have many, many partners throughout the counties in this part of the state, and they’re all great people to work with.”
Anderson said he plans to volunteer with TEMA, including being an adviser on the county’s dive team.
SHE WON NO. 14 ON ‘JEOPARDY’ MONDAY. WHO IS ADRIANA HARMEYER?: The Purdue archivist from West Lafayette ran her “Jeopardy” championship streak to 14 games on Monday’s episode. It was another close one, with Harmeyer holding a lead but not a guaranteed win heading into a Final Jeopardy category of 2 Last Names, Same First Letter: “Born 344 years apart, they are the two real people mentioned by name in the titles of 1990s Best Picture Oscar winners.” Correct response: “Shakespeare and Schindler.” Harmeyer had the correct response and enough of a bet to edge her closest competitor to win $27,000 on the day. Her 14-day total: $326,000. That puts her at 13th on the show’s all-time money total for regular/non-tournament play. The 14th win puts her at No. 11 on the show’s all-time, regular season list. Harmeyer will play again Tuesday. “Jeopardy” airs locally at 7:30 p.m. on WLFI-TV18.
LAFAYETTE ATTORNEY SUES HIS ACCUSERS: J&C reporter Ron Wilkins had an account of Lafayette attorney Earl McCoy, who was charged with sexual battery in 2023, filing a civil suit he says will give him his day in court. (He avoided trial by entering in a diversion program in a situation he says cost his business more than $200,000.) Here’s the story: “Lafayette attorney files defamation lawsuit against 3 former employees.”
Thank you for supporting Based in Lafayette, an independent, local reporting project. Free and full-ride subscription options are ready for you here.
Tips, story ideas? I’m at davebangert1@gmail.com.
(from Casey Smith’s Indiana Capital Chronicle piece)
“By running against Beckwith, the Democrats will be able to (raise) unlimited funds from their left wing allies and billionaire liberal supporters,” says Jim Bopp.
I “love” how he tries to make it sound like the only billionaires shaping our political landscape are liberals…🙄
Leopards dining on faces. I don’t hate seeing it. Thanks for leaving room for more moderate candidates, gentlemen.