Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill is now facing the potential for a 60-day suspension following a recommendation Friday in the continuing fallout from the groping allegations against the first-term state official.

Hill, the former Elkhart County Prosecutor, was accused of groping women at a party in Indianapolis in March of 2018.

While a special prosecutor declined to seek criminal charges, a hearing officer reviewing the case for the Supreme Court determined Hill’s conduct amounted to battery and that he “used his state office staff and others to engage in a public campaign to defend himself and intimidate the complainants.”

The recommendation became public Friday. The state Supreme Court will make the final decision.

IndyStar reported it is unclear what would happen if Hill is suspended, but speculated that somebody would step in for Hill temporarily or that Hill would resign. Republican leaders called for Hill’s resignation soon after the allegations surfaced and those calls may soon be heard again.

On Friday, Kosciusko County Democrat Chair Brian Smith quickly posted online Friday, calling for Hill’s immediate resignation.

Hill already announced his re-election bid but is expected to face a challenge from other Republicans this summer and from Democrats in the general election.

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LEGISLATIVE NOTES – Two things jumped out at me at Friday’s legislative update with local state lawmakers.

First, there is no doubt how State Sen. Ryan Mishler rose in Republican leadership and became chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, which controls how much of your tax dollars are spent.

The fiscal conservative from Bremen sounded like a cross between a bulldog and a heart surgeon as he complained that there were too many bills filed this year, In fact, Mishler said that in non-budget session years such as 2020, his goal is “to take all those bills that get recommitted to my committee and strip the fiscal out, which kills the bill.”

“My job is to protect the money. When you have extra money … everyone wants it, and it’s my full-time job just to protect the excess money,” he said.

Also … has retiring State Rep. Dave Wolkins turned a new leaf? Hardly, but the small-government advocate from Warsaw recently supported legislation raising the minimum age to buy cigarettes and another bill that would prohibit texting while driving.

His support of the tobacco bill comes in part because it mirrors federal legislation that was recently passed.

He “reluctantly” voted in support of the distracted driver legislation that would greatly prohibit the use of hand-held devices while driving. “I’ve never been excited about those kinds of things,” Wolkins said, adding, “With texting and driving, it does cause an awful lot of accidents.”

He’s also supporting efforts to fund lead testing in schools in Lake County. “I’m becoming bipartisan now that I’m out of here,” Wolkins joked.

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STATE OF THE CITY – Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer will deliver his State of the City address on March 12 at Center Lake pavilion. An optional lunch ($20 each) starts at 11:30 a.m. but the program, which starts at 12:30 p.m. is free and open to the public.

All seating must be reserved in advance. Those registering for lunch must do so by Feb. 25 using this link.

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CAMPAIGN KICKSTART – Warsaw teacher turned-candidate Brandon Cavanaugh will host a spaghetti dinner fundraiser at the Shrine Building in Warsaw at 6 p.m Feb. 27. Tickets are $15. Cavanaugh is running for the District 9 State Senate seat held by Republican Ryan Mishler.

Cavanaugh said he was encouraged to run following the Red for Ed protests in November. He works at the Gateway Education Center with middle school students.

District 9 includes parts of Kosciusko, Elkhart, Marshall and St. Joseph counties.

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Dan Spalding is the editor at InkFreeNews.com.
He covers city government and politics and always welcomes your input.
He can be reached at [email protected] or at (574) 855-7612.