INDIANAPOLIS – Despite the outcry in the wake of Friday’s bombshell Wall Street Journal report of sexual harassment by then-RNC finance chairman Steve Wynn, the Indiana Republican Party has shown no sign of returning its $10,000 contribution from Wynn.

The longtime Republican donor’s resignation as the party’s top fundraiser on Saturday following reports of serial sexual harassment has sent shockwaves through the party, with some GOP politicians returning donations from Wynn and several Republican senators broaching the idea of returning donations raised by Wynn in his role as finance chairman. Here in Indiana, however, less attention has been paid to the $10,000 contribution Wynn made to the Indiana Republican State Committee in October 2016, alongside another $10,000 donated by his wife.

Despite previously calling for politicians and political organizations to return donations from public figures tainted by sexual harassment, none of Indiana’s GOP elected officials have called on the organization to return Wynn’s money nor addressed the allegations against Wynn. That includes officials like Congressman Messer and Congressman Rokita who are both listed as members of the Indiana Republican Party leadership, and have previously made clear their belief in a zero tolerance policy towards divesting donations made by sexual harassers.

Previously, the Indiana Democratic Party has repeatedly called on Congressman Messer, who is also listed by the RNC online as a member of national leadership, to demand the RNC give back its Wynn-tainted money. When given the opportunity to address Wynn’s donations, Congressman Messer’s campaign instead punted and sought to answer unrelated questions about Wynn and his own Senate campaign.

“It’s been days since the Steve Wynn sexual harassment scandal broke, and it was just as long ago that Indiana Republicans should have stepped up and demanded their state party return their $10,000 of Wynn-tainted money,” said Michael Feldman, spokesman for the Indiana Democratic Party. “It’s time for Indiana’s GOP elected officials like Congressman Messer and Congressman Rokita to stop hiding and demand their party live up to the principles they’ve set out for it by returning the money of a grotesque sexual harasser.”

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