Howey Politics Indiana: “”…A feud atop our state government is the last thing we need during this [COVID-19] crisis.”

Anderson Herald-Bulletin: “The Indiana Republican Party is in turmoil, with Gov. Eric Holcomb and Attorney General Todd Rokita entangled in the political web.”

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Democratic Party, the organization that advocates for the future of Indiana and its families, today reminded the state’s press corps that it may be a new year, but the same, destructive civil war persists within the Indiana Republican Party. This time, Governor Eric Holcomb rightfully slammed Attorney General Todd Rokita for questioning the state’s figures on COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. The skirmish is another public dispute between the governor and attorney general, and it’s all due to the Republicans’ dangerous partisanship. 

Holcomb and Rokita’s public beef is the latest example of the Indiana Republican Party discrediting the COVID-19 pandemic. This session, the Republican supermajority at the statehouse plans to force through House Bill 1001, which would discredit the vaccine and attack the state’s business community. The entire Indiana Republican Party also opposed President Joe Biden’s testing and vaccine guidelines last fall. Todd Rokita also issued an advisory opinion last May criticizing Indiana University’s vaccine guidelines for students and staff. 

Indiana Republicans’ 2021 effort to taint the life-saving vaccine comes as hospitals are on the brink of collapse due to the worst surge of the entire pandemic. Vaccination rates in the Hoosier State are one of the worst in the nation and hospitalizations are at levels not seen in over a year. Because of the GOP’s extreme partisanship, Indiana is the most dangerous state to call home during COVID-19. 

Here’s a look at the latest beef between Eric Holcomb and Todd Rokita and how it’s harming the state’s fight against COVID-19:

Howey Politics Indiana: A feud atop Indiana government in a time of crisis

“Since taking office last January, Rokita has become the most political attorney general in modern times. He has used his office to join the anti-COVID vaccine fight against President Biden…”

“The Holcomb-Rokita feud entered a blowout phase over the past 10 days after Rokita told WSBT-TV that he didn’t believe COVID-19 statistics from the Indiana State Department of Health, coming as a little under half of the population has rejected vaccination and a fifth surge began swamping hospitals (at this writing, only 12.8% of the state’s intensive care unit beds were open).”

“This feud comes as the state faces a medical crisis, coming from the Delta variant. The Omicron variant’s full impact is still weeks away…”

“…A feud atop our state government is the last thing we need during this crisis. Holcomb and Rokita could have used their bully pulpits to energetically advocate people to vaccinate. Instead, this dreary pandemic persists amidst our political divisions.”

Anderson Herald-Bulletin: State GOP elected officials in turmoil

“The Indiana Republican Party is in turmoil, with Gov. Eric Holcomb and Attorney General Todd Rokita entangled in the political web.

At the center of the dispute is Holcomb’s ability as governor to declare public health emergencies in the midst of the on-going COVID-19 pandemic.

During a press conference this week, it could be said that Holcomb took Rokita to the proverbial woodshed.

Holcomb was critical of statements made by Rokita in which he proclaimed the statistics being provided by the state concerning the pandemic are false.”

“It certainly seems to be short-sighted by the lawmakers to require a governor to call a special session before declaring an emergency.”

Tristate Homepage: Rokita and Holcomb at odds on COVID numbers

IndyStar: Gov. Eric Holcomb slams Attorney General Rokita for questioning Indiana’s COVID-19 data

WFYI: Holcomb says he was ‘blindsided’ by Rokita’s COVID-19 data comments

Associated Press: Gov. Holcomb COVID update: Indiana governor pushes back on state AG’s skepticism as cases surge

Fox59: COVID cases rise as Holcomb slams Rokita for doubting official numbers

CNHI: Holcomb fires back at Rokita regarding COVID

WLFI: GOVERNOR HOLCOMB SHOCKED BY AG’S DISBELIEF IN COVID DATA

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