Indiana Democrats decry partisan attacks from Daniels’ slush fund

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 8, 2009

Contact: Jennifer Wagner, 317-231-7125 or 317-752-6497

Indiana Democrats decry partisan attacks from Daniels' slush fund
"Aiming Higher" ads targeting only Democratic lawmakers, funding sources unclear

INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana Democratic Party Chair Dan Parker today decried a round of partisan attacks being funded by Gov. Mitch Daniels' long-dormant campaign slush fund.

A round of radio ads announced late Tuesday singles out only Democratic lawmakers, including House Speaker Pat Bauer, on the issue of amending the Indiana Constitution to include property tax caps that already are enshrined in law. The legality of the caps and their long-term effect on local government funding remain unknown.

The radio ads are funded by "Aiming Higher," a non-profit group formed by Daniels after his election in 2004. The organization, which will not disclose its budget for the media buy, has come under fire for operating as a shadow campaign group that does not have to report its contributions or expenditures like a political action committee would.

Until earlier this year, Aiming Higher had not disclosed a contribution since March 2007. The group has not disclosed any expenditures since March 2008.

"Here we go again," Parker said. "Mitch Daniels talks about open, honest government, but when his ill-conceived policies run into well reasoned resistance, he hides behind shadowy special interest groups."

Parker called on Daniels and Aiming Higher to release all contributions and expenditures since the group's inception and to disclose the size and cost of the media buy targeting Democratic lawmakers. Paid political media purchased must be publicly disclosed.

Parker also questioned whether a non-profit organization such as Aiming Higher is legally permitted to target specific lawmakers, all members of the same political party, by name.

Finally, he questioned Daniels' priorities this legislative session.

"Mitch Daniels hasn't bothered to say anything about the unemployment insurance fund, which went bankrupt on his watch, or myriad other issues facing hard-working Hoosiers right now, but he's front, center and decidedly partisan when it comes to property tax caps that already exist under Indiana law?" Parker asked. "It sure didn't take long for Candidate Mitch to turn back into My-Way-Or-The-Highway Mitch."

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