INDIANAPOLIS – On Wednesday, Indiana Democratic Party Chairman John Zody called on State Senator Travis Holdman to donate the pay and political contributions he amassed from entities tied to the scandal-plagued Indiana Virtual School. Zody believed Holdman needs to divorce himself from any benefit he received from a source accused of ripping taxpayers off for millions.

“Travis Holdman’s sweetheart deal with a school that bilked taxpayers for millions stinks like corrupt, insider politics,” said Zody. “Holdman can make it right by donating the dirty money he earned off defrauded taxpayers. He considers what he made a small amount. Donating it to the Huntington County Community Foundation will go a long way toward easing corruption concerns.”

An explosive story from the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette detailed an eight-year contract between Holdman and the Indiana Virtual School. Holdman’s campaign committee also collected $3,000 in contributions from entities tied to the Indiana Virtual School. In the Senate, only former Senate President David Long raked in more campaign cash from IVS donors. Zody believed Holdman’s saga fits neatly into a larger narrative after nearly a decade of complete Republican control at the Statehouse.

“This is the kind of contract you engage in when you don’t believe the rules apply to you,” said Zody. “Holdman is telling Hoosiers to trust him, he never advocated for his employers behind closed doors, or to trust him, the contract wasn’t for that much money. After another corruption story, Indiana taxpayers are quickly losing trust in Indiana Republicans.”

The Huntington County Community Foundation connects people and resources with opportunities that enhance quality of life for all. Since 1994, HCCF has awarded over $1.4 million in grants to local nonprofits serving Huntington County and over $1 million in scholarships to deserving Huntington County students.

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