Indiana Democratic Party

NEWS

• 07/28/10 - Baron Hill-backed disaster legislation passes House (Courier-Journal)INDIANAPOLIS – The U.S. House passed legislation Tuesday that could make it easier for communities to obtain federal emergency assistance when disasters strike along state borders. The Multi-State Disaster Relief Act now moves to the Senate for consideration. U.S. Rep. Baron Hill, D-9th District, has been pushing the legislation since the Federal Emergency Management Agency twice denied some aid to flood-ravaged Southern Indiana after storms nearly a year ago. The Louisville area was hit by the same weather, but individuals and businesses there received assistance because Kentucky emergency officials were able to tally more damage than were Indiana officials. Hill said FEMA treated the states’ requests as essentially two separate incidents and did not take into consideration the totality of damage in both states. “We can try to be prepared for natural disasters, but they are ultimately beyond our control,” Hill said during a speech on the House floor about the bill. “However, we do have full control over how our federal government responds and aids individuals following a disaster. And, in this instance, I believe our government missed the mark.” The legislation would require FEMA to take into account whether contiguous counties in a neighboring state were granted assistance following a major disaster caused by the same storm or other incident. The bill would also require FEMA to review and revise the regulations used to measure the severity and impact of a disaster when determining if individuals should receive assistance. MORE
• 07/12/10 - Ben GiaQuinta dies (Journal Gazette)FORT WAYNE - Ben GiaQuinta, a former state representative and World War II veteran, died Sunday morning from complications tied to congestive heart failure. He was 87. GiaQuinta died at the home of his son, Mark GiaQuinta, where he had been living for seven months. His six children were with him when he died. “Most people will think of him as a true gentleman and someone who was very kind and thoughtful,” Mark GiaQuinta said. “But he was also extremely determined in everything he did, that’s what made him an effective legislator. When he wanted to get something through, he was relentless in his approach.” Ben GiaQuinta, born in Brockton, Mass., served in World War II for three years and fought in the Battle of the Bulge. He spent much of the war with the 102nd Infantry in Europe as a rifleman and machine gunner. Before his retirement in 2006, he was the last World War II veteran to serve in the Indiana House. MORE
• 07/08/10 - A fascinating race for state treasurer (Brian Howey)

  INDIANAPOLIS - I've been writing this column since 1985 and I don't recall ever talking about the treasurer of state race. The office is that of bureaucratic function and in my mind shouldn't even be elected. It should be part of the governor's appointed cabinet. But this year we have a fascinating race between the Republican incumbent Richard Mourdock and a 28-year-old Democrat from South Bend named Peter Buttigieg (pronunced Boota-judge). Buttigieg is a Rhodes Scholar and studied economics at Oxford. Mourdock is best known for his attempts to derail the Chrysler-Fiat merger, a case that was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court during the summer of 2009 when the U.S. auto industry teetered on the brink. When the merger occurred, Mourdock believed that Indiana police and teacher pension funds were getting "ripped off." Mourdock said he was doing his "fiduciary" duty and spent more than $2 million to pursue the lawsuit that ultimately the Supreme Court said "had not carried the burden" of proof. Buttigieg is critical of Mourdock's attempts to stop the Chrysler-Fiat merger, which, if it had occurred, would have forced Chrysler into liquidation. He questioned Mourdock's wisdom for investing Hoosier pension funds into Chrysler stock, which was rated "junk" status at the time of purchase. "Indiana's government bought junk bonds for its pensioners" then "acted surprised when they lost value," Buttigieg said.

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