Indiana

Are These Backroom Dealers?

By Abdul Hakim-Shabazz

It’s pretty common knowledge that Terry Burns of the Indianapolis Times doesn’t sneeze without his Democratic County party’s permission, so I was little surprised when he labeled the Mayor’s proposal to transfer the water a a backroom deal.

First, how can something be a backroom deal when most of the information has been on the city’s website since Labor Day?

Second, that would mean that the participants are backroom dealers, such as the board of the Citizens Gas.   Here’s a list of Citizens Gas’ Board members according to the Indianapolis Star…

Board of trustees

• President: Daniel F. Evans, president and CEO, Clarian Health Partners.
• Secretary: Gerald L. Bepko, professor at Indiana University School of Law-Indianapolis.
• Dennis Bland, president, Center for Leadership Development.
• Kathryn G. Betley, civic leader and community volunteer.
• One position is open.

Board of directors

• President: Martha D. Lamkin, retired president and CEO, Lumina Foundation for Education.
• Treasurer: Lawrence A. O’Connor Jr., executive director of the Butler Business Accelerator.
• Secretary: Dorothy J. Jones, former president, BOS Community Development Corp.
• Daniel C. Appel, president, Gregory & Appel Insurance.
• Anne Nobles, senior vice president of Enterprise Risk Management and chief ethics and compliance officer, Eli Lilly and Co.
• James M. McClelland, president, Goodwill Industries of Central Indiana.
• Anita J. Harden, retired president, Community Hospital East.

Is Burns, and by default the Marion County Democratic Party calling the President of Goodwill Industries a backroom inside dealer?    Is the former President of the Lumina Foundation trying to so a deal in the dark?  Does the president of Clarion smoke a Cohiba or Arturo Fuentue when he’s in the smoke-filled back room cutting deal?  It sure does sound like they are.  I don’t know if this is the best public relations strategy if you’re going to attack the deal.  But I guess it’s the only strategy you have when you’re totally void of ideas.

Full post as published by Indiana Barrister on March 11, 2010 (boomark / email).