AN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY AGAINST

PRESIDENT TRUMP.

A LAWSUIT AGAINST INDIANA'S

MEDICAID WORK REQUIREMENT.

PLUS, CONNIE LAWSON ON ELECTION

SECURITY MONEY AND MORE ON

INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW FOR THE

WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 27TH,

2019.

♪♪

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THIS WEEK, HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY

PELOSI ANNOUNCED THE LAUNCH OF

WHAT MANY IN HER PARTY HAVE LONG

ADVOCATED FOR: AN IMPEACHMENT

INQUIRY INTO PRESIDENT DONALD

TRUMP.

PELOSI'S HISTORIC MOVE COMES

AFTER CONTROVERSY OVER A PHONE

CALL TRUMP HAD WITH THE NEWLY

ELECTED UKRANIAN LEADER IN JULY

AND REPORTING THAT THE PRESIDENT

PRESSURED HIM TO INVESTIGATE

POLITICAL RIVAL JOE BIDEN.

SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): THE

PRESIDENT MUST BE HELD

ACCOUNTABLE. NO ONE IS ABOVE THE

LAW.

TRUMP HAS CALLED THE ALLEGATIONS

AGAINST HIM "RIDICULOUS" AND A

"WITCH HUNT." IN A RECAP OF THAT

PHONE CALL RELEASED BY THE WHITE

HOUSE, TRUMP NOTES AT THE OUTSET

THAT "WE DO A LOT FOR UKRAINE."

HE ASKS UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT

ZELENSKIY ABOUT A "FAVOR," LATER

GOING ON TO TELL HIM "I WOULD

LIKE YOU TO FIND OUT WHAT

HAPPENED WITH THIS WHOLE

SITUATION IN UKRAINE" AND THE

BIDENS.

INDIANA'S CONGRESSIONAL

DELEGATION IS SPLIT ALONG PARTY

LINES ON THE IMPEACHMENT

INQUIRY.

WHAT NOW?

IT'S THE FIRST QUESTION FOR OUR

INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW PANEL.

DEMOCRAT ANN DELANEY.

REPUBLICAN MIKE O'BRIEN.

JON SCHWANTES, HOST OF INDIANA

LAWMAKERS.

AND NIKI KELLY, STATEHOUSE

REPORTER FOR THE FORT WAYNE

JOURNAL GAZETTE.

I'M INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING

STATEHOUSE REPORTER, BRANDON

SMITH.

ANN DELANEY, DOES THE FORMAL

LAUNCH OF AN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

CHANGE MUCH?

>> OH, I THINK WE HAVE A

QUALITATIVE CHANGE HERE. I MEAN,

WE'RE ALWAYS KNOWN THAT THIS

ADMINISTRATION IS CORRUPT, AND

WE'VE KNOWN IT IS INCOMPETENT

AND WE KNOW THE PRESIDENT LIES

HABITUALLY. BUT THIS IS THE

FIRST TIME THAT YOU HAVE IT FROM

HIS LIPS TO A LEADER OF A

FOREIGN COUNTRY ASKING FOR A,

QUOTE, FAVOR, UNQUOTE, TO DIG

UP, OR MANUFACTURE DIRT AGAINST

THE SON OF A POTENTIAL OPPONENT.

THAT'S EASY TO UNDERSTAND, THAT

VIOLATES SO MANY DIFFERENT LAWS,

IT'S DIFFICULT TO ENUMERATE THEM

ALL. AND IT'S VERY EASY FOR

VOTERS TO UNDERSTAND. SO, WE'VE

HAD A QUALITATIVELY DIFFERENT

APPROACH, AND THE WHITE HOUSE

RECOGNIZED THAT. BECAUSE THE

WHITE HOUSE WENT TO COVER IT UP

RIGHT AWAY. THE STAFF PEOPLE

UNDERSTOOD THAT WHAT THEY HAD IN

THEIR HANDS THERE WAS

RADIOACTIVE. AND WE DON'T KNOW

HOW MANY MORE OF THOSE RADIO

ACTIVE BOMBS HAVE BEEN COVERED

UP BY THE WHITE HOUSE BASED ON

THE CONTACTS THAT THE PRESIDENT

OR VICE PRESIDENT HAD WITH

FOREIGN LEADERS. I THINK THIS

MAKES IT COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

THIS IS THE KIND OF ACTIVITY

THAT YOU EXPECT FROM THUGS, OR

FROM ORGANIZED CRIME. YOU DON'T

EXPECT IT FROM THE PRESIDENT OF

THE UNITED STATES, AND IT CANNOT

GO WITHOUT BEING TRIED.

>> WHAT HASN'T CHANGED IS THE

POLITICAL MAKE-UP OF CONGRESS,

WHILE DEMOCRATS HAVE A MAJORITY

IN THE HOUSE, AND HAVE ENOUGH TO

SUPPORT AN INQUIRY AND PROBABLY

IMPEACHMENT. YOU DON'T HAVE

THOSE NUMBERS IN THE SENATE.

DOES THAT CHANGE ANYTHING?

>> I DON'T THINK DEMOCRATS HAVE

ANY CREDIBILITY ON THE

IMPEACHMENT ARGUMENT. CALLING

FOR ANY NUMBER OF ISSUES SINCE

PRACTICALLY INAUGURATION DAY.

THE FACT THEY MAY THINK THIS IS

THE MOST CREDITABLE DOESN'T

CHANGE THE FACT THAT IT IS

POLITICALLY IRRELEVANT. THE

IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDINGS

THROUGHOUT HISTORY BEGAN WITH

HOUSE VOTING TO INSTRUCT THE

JUDICIARY COMMITTEE TO BEGIN

THAT PROCEEDING, TO OUTLINE THE

TERMS, THE SCOPE OF WHAT THE

COMMITTEE MUST INVESTIGATE.

NANCY PELOSI DOESN'T WANT THAT

VOTE. UNLIKE PREVIOUS VOTES

WHICH FURTHER UNDERMINES THE

FACT THIS IS A POLITICAL EFFORT.

I DO LIKE THE FACT THAT THIS IS

THE MOST DEMOCRATIC PARTY THING

EVER THAT THE ONE IMPEACHMENT

ISSUE THEY PICKED INDICTS THEIR

OWN FRONTRUNNER, WHO IS RUNNING

ON ELECTABILITY AND THE ABILITY

TO BEAT DONALD TRUMP. BECAUSE

YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT THE CALL TO

THE UKRAINIAN LEADER WITHOUT

TALKING ABOUT JOE BIDEN AND THE

FACT THAT HIS SON IS UNDER

INVESTIGATION FOR WORKING FOR A

COMPANY THAT JOE BIDEN WAS

INVOLVED WITH.

>> NOBODY SAID HUNTER BIDEN DID

ANYTHING WRONG. ARE YOU

DEFENDING WHAT THE PRESIDENT

DID?

YOU DOESN'T WANT TO ANSWER THAT

QUESTION, DO YOU.

>> ON TO YOU, JON.

>> I DO WANT TO ASK THIS

QUESTION. REPUBLICAN

EE -- OFFICIALS ARE GOING TO BE

ASKED.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> IF DRASTIC HAD NOT TALKED

ABOUT IMPEACHMENT AND THEY

OPPOSED WHAT DONALD TRUMP HAS

DONE FROM A POLICY STANDPOINT OR

CHARACTER, OR PERFORMANCE IN

OFFICE, THEN THEY WOULD HAVE A

LOT MORE CREDIBILITY THAN

JUMPING FROM STORMY DANIELS TO

NAME YOUR ISSUE TO THE UKRAINIAN

LEADER.

>> THERE ARE SO MANY.

>> TO THIS END, I WANT TO ASK

ABOUT THE SORT OF POLITICAL

QUESTION, WHICH IS PRESUMING

THAT DONALD TRUMP IS STILL

RUNNING FOR REELECTION IN 2020.

RIGHT NOW THERE IS NO REASON TO

THINK THAT IS NOT TRUE.

>> START THAT RUMOR.

>> HOW DOES THIS IMPACT HIS

CHANCES OF RE-ELECTION?

DOES IT REALLY CHANGE IT?

>> I THINK IT IMPROVES IT.

ELIZABETH WARREN IS IN THE

DRIVER SEAT.

>> IT MIGHT BENEFIT HIM IN ONE

WAY. AND YOUR POINT WAS RIGHT ON

TARGET, BRANDON, THAT IS THAT

THE MAKEUP OF CONGRESS IS NOT

GOING TO CHANGE. SO, IN ALL

LIKELIHOOD, AFTER SOME SORT OF

INVESTIGATION, CHANCES ARE WE

WILL SEE AN IMPEACHMENT VOTE,

AND IT WILL PREVAIL IN THE

HOUSE. BARRING HUGE SURPRISE, HE

DID NOT BE CONVICTED IN THE

SENATE. SO BASICALLY, IT WILL BE

THE BILL CLINTON. I'M NOT TRYING

TO EQUATE THE TWO.

>> GOOD.

>> BILL CLINTON HAD A BIT OF A

BUMP WITH HIS CORE CONSTITUENCY,

WITH THE FACTION THAT SAID

THEY'RE TRYING TO MESS OVER OUR

GUY. I'M JUST SAYING THE

POLITICAL REALITY IS HERE, I'M

NOT SAYING WHAT IS RIGHT OR

WRONG. AND THEN, IF IN FACT THE

SENATE VOTE GOES THAT WAY, HE

CAN SAY, AS HE DID WITH THE

ROBERT MUELLER REPORT, I'VE BEEN

VINDICATED. AND, AGAIN, THERE'S

NO APPRECIATION FOR NUANCE IN

ANY OF THIS. WHEN YOU PAINT IN

BROAD STROKES, THAT'S THE

APPROACH.

>> LET ME ASK THE POLITICAL

QUESTION, DOES THIS ROLL

DOWNHILL BETWEEN NOW AND NEXT

NOVEMBER IN EITHER DIRECTION?

>> I THINK IT DEPENDS. WE NOW

FROM THE WHISTLEBLOWER

COMPLAINT, WHICH IDENTIFIES

OTHER PEOPLE THAT CAN BE

WITNESSES, IT KIND OF DEPENDS IF

THERE'S MORE OF AN INVESTIGATION

TO WHAT WE SEE, ALSO BE

INTERESTING WHERE MIKE PENCE

FALLS INTO ALL THIS. HE IS

OBVIOUSLY STANDING BY HIS MAN,

SO TO SPEAK. HE DID ENCOURAGE

THE PRESIDENT NOT TO RELEASE

THAT CALL. SO, I MEAN, WE'LL

STILL SEE HOW HE FALLS OUT IN

ALL THIS.

>> WE'LL SEE, AND WE'LL SEE WHAT

THE SENATORS WHO DON'T VOTE TO

IMPEACH.

>> NO GUARANTEE THERE WILL BE A

VOTE IN THE SENATE.

>> THAT MAY BE. EVEN SO --

>> OR THE HOUSE.

>> NO GUARANTEE IS VOTE IN THE

HOUSE.

>> BUT IF THE EVIDENCE...

>> BECAUSE SHE KNOWS AND

REMEMBERS IN SWING DISTRICTS

THAT TOOK THEM FROM GOP...THIS

IS NOT POPULAR.

>> IT WAS THE MEMBERS IN SWING

DISTRICTS WHO DID THE LETTER TO

THE EDITOR ASKING FOR THE

INQUIRY, THEY THINK THIS CONDUCT

IS SO EGREGIOUS.

TIME NOW FOR VIEWER FEEDBACK.

EACH WEEK WE POSE AN

UNSCIENTIFIC, ONLINE POLL

QUESTION IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR

ICEMILLER E-MAIL AND TEXT

ALERTS.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:

HOW WILL THE IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

IMPACT PRESIDENT TRUMP'S

RE-ELECTION CHANCES?

A. IT HELPS HIM.

B. IT HURTS HIM.

C. IT WILL HAVE LITTLE TO NO

EFFECT.

LAST WEEK'S QUESTION:

WHO WILL BE THE DEMOCRATIC

NOMINEE FOR GOVERNOR IN 2020?

A. WOODY MYERS.

28%. 47%, JOSH OWNS. 25% SOMEONE

ELSE.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE PART

IN THE POLL GO TO WFYI.ORG/IWIR

AND LOOK FOR THE POLL.

A NEW LAWSUIT IS CHALLENGING

INDIANA'S WORK REQUIREMENTS FOR

THE STATE'S MEDICAID EXPANSION

PROGRAM, HIP. INDIANA PUBLIC

BROADCASTING'S JILL SHERIDAN HAS

MORE.

MEDICAID WORK REQUIREMENTS HAVE

BEEN STRUCK DOWN IN THREE OTHER

STATES. INDIANA'S GATEWAY TO

WORK PROGRAM LAUNCHED AT THE

BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR AND

PEOPLE HAD TO START REPORTING

WORK, SCHOOL OR VOLUNTEER HOURS

IN JULY.

HIP MEMBERS WILL BE REQUIRED TO

REPORT 80 HOURS A MONTH BY

JANUARY 2020. THERE ARE A

NUMBER OF EXEMPTIONS INCLUDING

CAREGIVERS OR MEDICALLY FRAIL

INDIVIDUALS.

IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT, INDIANA

GOVERNOR ERIC HOLCOMB SAYS

INDIANA'S PROGRAM IS DIFFERENT.

HE SAYS IT INCLUDES, QUOTE,

“SUPPORTS AND PATHWAYS TO ENSURE

HOOSIERS CAN EASILY SKILL UP,

VOLUNTEER IN THEIR COMMUNITY, OR

GET A BETTER PAYING JOB.” MIKE

O'BRIEN, ARE THESE WORK

REQUIREMENTS IN JEOPARDY?

>> COULD BE. THE OTHER STATES

DID THROW IT OUT, INDIANA

STRUCTURED ITS PROGRAM

DIFFERENTLY. GAVE A LOT MORE

FLEXIBILITY IN HOW YOU MEET THE

REQUIREMENTS, A MUCH LONGER

RUN-UP, EDUCATION EFFORT FOR

COMPLIANCE, SO THE PEOPLE IN

THIS PROGRAM COULD WORK.

PHILOSOPHICALLY, I THINK THIS IS

SOMETHING, IF YOU LOOK AT THE

MEDICAID PROGRAM IN GENERAL, TGS

NOT PREGNANT WOMEN AND CHILDREN

MADE TO GO TO WORK, OR THE

DISABLED, OR ELDERLY FOR

MEDICARE AND MEDICAID, IT IS

WORKING PEOPLE. AND IF WE'VE GOT

MAJOR PARTY CANDIDATES FOR

PRESIDENT CALLING FOR MEDICARE

FOR ALL, OR A FULL EXPANSION, IF

THAT IS THE CASE, IT IS NOT

UNREASONABLE, IF YOU'RE GOING TO

GET THIS FREE BENEFIT, OR THIS

TAXPAYER PAID BENEFIT, THEN YOU

OUGHT TO PUT SOMETHING BACK IN,

WHETHER IT'S COMMUNITY SERVICE,

GO VOLUNTEER, OR GO GET A JOB

FOR 20 HOURS A WEEK, AND GIVE

BACK THAT WAY. WE'RE GOING TO

CONTINUE TO GO IN DIRECTION

WHERE GOVERNMENT PROVIDED

HEALTHCARE CONTINUES TO EXPAND.

AND IT'S NOT THE OLD VULNERABLE

POPULATIONS ANYMORE, PEOPLE

THINK OF WE'RE MAKING PEOPLE ON

MEDICAID GO TO WORK, WHAT ARE WE

DOING?

>> THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT

WAYS YOU CAN MEET THIS

REQUIREMENT, YOU DON'T

NECESSARILY HAVE TO GET A JOB.

IT'S JOB TRAINING, VOLUNTEERING,

THINGS LIKE THAT.

DO ALL OF THOSE OPTIONS MAKE

THIS MORE PALATABLE?

>> BARELY. EVERY TIME I GET

REPUBLICANS WANTING TO DO

SOMETHING FOR THE POOR PEOPLE, I

WANT TO LIFT UP THE COVER TO SEE

WHAT IS THERE. YOU'RE TALKING

ABOUT 100,000 PEOPLE AND YOU'RE

GOING TO ESTABLISH AN ENTIRE

BUREAUCRACY TO MONITOR IT. THAT

MONEY WOULD MUCH BETTER BE PUT

TO OTHER PURPOSES, LIKE, FOR

EXAMPLE, RAISING THE MINIMUM

WAGE SO PEOPLE HAVE INCENTIVE,

WHERE'S THE MARKET FORCE AT WORK

HERE?

WE HAVE THE LOWEST UNEMPLOYMENT

WE'VE HAD, AND YET WE CAN'T

RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE TO MAKE

IT ATTRACTIVE FOR PEOPLE TO TRY

TO FIND WORK. INSTEAD WE WANT TO

HARASS THEM BECAUSE GOD FORBID

THEY GET SICK AND WE HAVE TO PAY

NOR IT. YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS

WHEN THEY'RE OFF MEDICAID, HIGH

PRESSURE TENSION AND DIABETES

GET OUT OF CONTROL, AND THEY GO

TO EMERGENCY ROOMS, AND IT COST

US MORE. SO EVERY TIME THE

REPUBLICANS TRY TO DO SOMETHING,

ALL THEY'RE TRYING TO DO IS TO

BASICALLY SLAP PEOPLE WHO ARE

NOW POOR AND SICK DOWN. AND I'M

GETTING A LITTLE TIRED OF IT,

FRANKLY.

>> ANY OF THESE OTHER STATES WHO

HAVE LAWSUITS AGAINST THEIR

PROGRAMS, THE GOVERNORS, AND

THOSE STATES, THE LEGISLATURES

WHO HAVE FACED A LOT OF

SCRUTINY. WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT

AT ALL, HAVE WE?

>> NO. THE ROLLOUT HAS BEEN

EXTREMELY QUIET. A FEW STORIES

HERE AND THERE. I THINK THAT IS

PARTIALLY BECAUSE OF THE LARGE

NUMBER OF EXEMPTIONS OR WAYS YOU

CAN FILL IT. I THINK WE'RE

GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE A LOT

OF SORT AVERAGE FOLKS OUT THERE

THINK, YOU KNOW, GOODNESS, YOU

KNOW, YES, MAYBE YOUR CURRENT

JOB DOESN'T WORK, BUT THERE'S SO

MANY JOBS OUT THERE THAT NEED TO

BE FILLED, AND IT'S ONLY 20

HOURS A WEEK. WE'RE NOT ASKING

THEM TO -- ON, WORK 60-HOUR

WEEKS AND NOT BE ABLE TO RAISE

THEIR FAMILY.

>> THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO

ARE INJURED OR WHATEVER WHO

HAVEN'T QUALIFIED FOR SOCIAL

SECURITY DISABILITY, WHICH IS

REALLY TOUGH TO DO. AND ARE IN A

POSITION TO WORK, AND EVEN IF

THEY WORK, THEY'RE GOING TO BE

WORKING FOR $7.25, OR MAYBE 8,

OR 9 AN HOUR, WITHOUT BENEFITS.

>> BUT DOES THE ARGUMENT NIKI

JUST MADE, THE IDEA OF ALL THE

DIFFERENT WAYS YOU CAN QUALIFY,

YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORK A FULL

TIME JOB IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO

GET THESE BENEFITS, DOES NA HELP

ERIC HOLCOMB IN THE COURT OF

PUBLIC OPINION WHEN HE RUNS FOR

RE-ELECTION?

>> IT PROBABLY DOES, FOR THE

REASONS THAT NIKI SPELLED OUT,

THE NOTION THAT SPORT OF THE

HOOSIER COMMON SENSE PHILOSOPHY

THAT YOU DON'T GET ANYTHING FOR

FREE, YOU GOT TO HAVE SOME SKIN

IN THE GAME.

>> WE DO LOVE THAT PHRASE.

>> SO HEALTHCARE IS NOT A RIGHT.

>> LOOK, I'M TELLING YOU THE

REALITIES OF IT. I'M NOT TELLING

YOU MY OPINION. AS A PRACTICAL

MATTER, OUR OPINIONS DON'T

MATTER, AND FRANKLY HOOSIER

VOTERS DOESN'T MATTER, THE

DISTRICT JUDGE, THE SAME JUDGE

WHO DECIDED THE KENTUCKY, BAM,

OR ARK, KENTUCKY AND NEW

HAMPSHIRE CASES. IF YOU READ

WHAT HE RULED, IN THOSE CASINGS,

IT WASN'T ABOUT HOW NICE THE

STATE WAS, OR HOW MEAN THE STATE

WAS, IT COMES DOWN TO WHETHER IT

WAS BASICALLY A THUMBING OF THE

NOSE, BASICALLY AT THE

STATUTE -- THE STATUTE THAT

CREATED THE MEDICAID PROGRAM.

SO, IT REALLY DOESN'T -- IF

THAT'S WHAT, UPON WHICH THE

PENDULUM UPON WHICH THIS HINGES

FOR HIM, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF

SOMEONE SHOWS UP AT YOUR HOUSE

AND DRIVES YOU TO YOUR JOB, IT'S

STILL PROBLEMATIC.

>> A TECHNICAL LEGAL ARGUMENT.

>> ALL RENDERED MOOT BY THE U.S.

COURT OF APPEALS, WHICH ARE

HEARING OTHER STATE'S APPEALS.

>> IT PROBABLY WON'T BE THE

INDIANA CASE.

>> JUDGES MATTER MORE THAN WE

DO.

>> THEY GENERALLY DO.

SECRETARY OF STATE CONNIE LAWSON

SAYS INDIANA LEGISLATORS

WOULDN'T PROVIDE FUNDING FOR

ELECTION SECURITY MEASURES AT

THE LEVEL SHE WANTED THOUGH SHE

SAYS HOOSIERS SHOULD STILL HAVE

CONFIDENCE THEIR VOTES ARE

SECURE.

ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF INDIANA

COUNTIES USE ELECTRONIC VOTING

MACHINES THAT EXPERTS SAY SHOULD

INCLUDE PAPER AUDIT TRAILS. THE

GENERAL ASSEMBLY THIS YEAR

APPROPRIATED 10 MILLION DOLLARS

IN THE NEW STATE BUDGET FOR

ELECTION SECURITY WHICH WILL PAY

TO ADD THOSE PAPER TRAILS TO

JUST 10 PERCENT OF THE MACHINES

THAT NEED THEM BY NEXT YEAR.

LAWSON SAYS SHE INITIALLY ASKED

BUDGET WRITERS FOR MORE MONEY.

SECRETARY OF STATE CONNIE

LAWSON: BUT THEY TOLD US TO GET

REAL. SO, WE GOT REAL AND WE

TRIED TO HONE IT DOWN TO WHERE

IT WAS POSSIBLE TO GET THE

DOLLARS IT WILL BE A DECADE

BEFORE ALL INDIANA VOTING

MACHINES THAT NEED PAPER TRAILS

GET THEM, UNLESS COUNTIES MOVE

FORWARD ON THEIR OWN.

NIKI KELLY, THIS IS THE FIRST

TIME LAWSON HAS SAID SHE WANTED

MORE MONEY THAN LAWMAKERS WOULD

PROVIDE. DOES THAT CHANGE THE

DISCUSSION AROUND THIS ISSUE?

>> I DON'T THINK SO. ULTIMATELY,

BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S HOW THE

BUDGET SYSTEMS BASICALLY WORKS.

EVERY SINGLE AGENCY WENT TO THEM

WANTING MORE MONEY, I'LL BET.

AND THEY HAD TO BE MORE

REALISTIC. THEY DIDN'T EVEN GIVE

DCS WHAT THEY WANTED.

>> TRUE.

>> I DO THINK THE REAL QUESTION

IS ONCE WE REALIZE WE HAVE ALL

THIS EXTRA MONEY, LIKE WHY

DIDN'T WE THROW SOME EXTRA MONEY

AT MAKING THESE MACHINES

CORRECT, OR MORE SECURE FOR THIS

YEAR INSTEAD OF BUILDING THE

SWINE BARN FOR -- OUT OF CASH,

INSTEAD OF BONDING.

>> DOES IT FALL LESS ON

LAWMAKERS WHO WOULDN'T FIND ROOM

IN THE BUDGET FOR THIS AND OTHER

THINGS, OR MORE ON WHY AREN'T WE

USING SOME OF THE $400 MILLION

SURPLUS?

>> IT'S A MIX. THERE ARE SOME

THAT DOUBT THERE IS ANY THREAT

TO THE SANCTITY OF OUR

ELECTIONS, SO THEY THINK THIS

IS...

>> OVERBLOWN.

>> THEN YOU HAVE THOSE WHO JUST

LOOK AT THE DEMANDS, AND THE

PRESSING NATURE OF SO MUCH

THINGS IN THIS STATE. DO YOU

GUARD AGAINST SOMETHING THAT,

OKAY, EVEN IF WE ACKNOWLEDGE

THERE WERE PROBLEMS, DO WE SPEND

A LOT OF MONEY TO GUARD AGAINST

THAT TO THE ENDth DEGREE, OR

TAKE A STEP AND DEAL WITH THE

OTHER FINANCIAL FRESHES AND

CHALLENGES WE FACE AS A STATE.

AND THEN I THINK YOU HAVE A FAIR

NUMBER WHO ARE JUST STILL

HOLDING ONTO THE HOPE THAT THE

FEDS COME IN OVER THE MOUNTAIN

TOP, RIDING THE HORSES OF RESCUE

AND DELIVER FEDERAL FUNDS.

$7.5 MILLION IN FEDERAL GRANT

MONEYS SHE'S USING. BUT I THINK

THERE ARE PEOPLE HOLDING OUT ON

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SAYING

DON'T WORRY, STATES, WE GOT YOU

COVERED ON THIS.

>> CONNIE LAWSON POINTED OUT

MORE THAN ONCE THE COMPANIES WHO

MAKE THESE FOR INDIANA LITERALLY

COULDN'T MAKE ENOUGH TO PUT ON

EVERY MACHINE THAT NEEDS ONE BY

2020. BUT, I BET THEY COULD GET

TO LIKE HALF. AND THAT'S

$40 MILLION, WHICH IS ABOUT WHAT

WE SPENT ON -- WHAT WE'RE GOING

TO SPEND ON THE SWINE BARN. SO,

AGAIN, DOES THIS -- DOES THAT

NOT REFLECT WELL ON GOVERNOR

HOLCOMB'S PRIORITIES?

>> I THINK THERE'S A LOT GOING

ON HERE, I THINK IT'S A MIX OF

PEOPLE DISAGREE THERE WAS ANY

EVIDENCE THE ELECTION WAS

LITERALLY TAMPERED WITH, THAT

MACHINES IN MARION COUNTY, OR

HENDRICKS COUNTY, INDIANA,

WHEREVER WERE AT RISK OR

TAMPERED WITH. THERE'S

PRODUCTION ISSUES ON DELIVERING

THESE MACHINES. WE FORGET THE

FACT THAT WE TALK ABOUT THESE ON

THE NATIONAL LEVEL, AND WE'RE

ASKING 92 CLERKS AND COUNCILS

AND COMMISSIONERS TO ACTUALLY DO

THIS, AND ACTUALLY GET THIS DONE

IN TIME FOR MAY, WHICH IS A REAL

LIFT. WE FORGET IN THE NATIONAL,

ELECTIONS ARE RUN LOCALLY,

LARGELY ONE BY VOLUNTEERS, AND

THERE IS NOT BUY-IN THAT THE

PAPER TRAIL IS THE SECURE OPTION

ANYWAY. SOME AUDITABLE WAY.

>> IS THAT THE BIGGEST ISSUE?

WE CAN'T ALL AGREE ON EXACTLY

WHAT WE NEED?

>> NO. EVERYBODY AGREES HAVING A

PAPER TRAIL IS PREFERABLE. THERE

WAS EVIDENCE OF THE RUSSIANS

TRYING TO GET INTO EACH STATE

SYSTEM. THERE WAS EVIDENCE. I'M

NOT SAYING THAT THEY CHANGED THE

OUTCOME. NOW WE HAVE FOUR YEARS

ELAPSING, TOO. WHO KNOWS HOW

MUCH BETTER THEY'VE GOTTEN. BY

THE WAY, MARION COUNTY HAS A

PAPER BACKUP, WHICH IS WHY

THEY'RE NOT AT RISK. BUT, WHAT

YOU HAVE WITH THIS IS AN

UNWILLINGNESS, THEY THINK THAT

THE STATE'S A BANK. THAT'S WHAT

THEY THINK. THEY COLLECT THIS

MONEY AND HOARD IT AND SAY LOOK

HOW GREAT WE ARE, WE HAVE ALL

THIS MONEY IN THE BANK, AND

THERE ARE THESE PRESSING NEEDS,

AND I THINK THE SANCTITY OF THE

ELECTION IS A PRETTY DARN

PRESSING NEED, AND WE KNOW IT

CAN BE ADDRESSED. AND IF THERE'S

ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY FOR THOSE

MACHINES, I'LL BET YOU THEY CAN

GET DONE. THEY MAY NOT GET DONE

BY THE PRIMARY, BUT CERTAINLY BY

THE GENERAL ELECTION.

INDIANA ATTORNEY GENERAL CURTIS

HILL SAYS HE SUPPORTS A PROPOSED

MULTI-BILLION-DOLLAR SETTLEMENT

WITH DRUGMAKER PURDUE PHARMA.

MORE THAN TWO DOZEN STATE

ATTORNEYS GENERAL AND MORE THAN

TWO THOUSAND CITIES NATIONWIDE

REACHED A TENTATIVE SETTLEMENT

WITH THE OXYCONTIN MAKER ACCUSED

BY MANY OF PLAYING A MAJOR ROLE

IN THE COUNTRY'S OPIOID ABUSE

EPIDEMIC.

IN A STATEMENT, CURTIS HILL'S

OFFICE SAYS THE DEAL WOULD HOLD

PURDUE PHARMA AND ITS OWNERS,

THE SACKLER FAMILY, DIRECTLY

ACCOUNTABLE AND THAT THE MONEY

WILL FLOW TO THE PEOPLE WHO MOST

NEED IT.

HILL'S STATEMENT SAYS THE

ALTERNATIVE IS AN UNCERTAIN AND

LIKELY LENGTHY LEGAL BATTLE.

BUT A COUPLE DOZEN OTHER STATE

ATTORNEYS GENERAL OPPOSE THE

DEAL, DECRYING IT AS WOEFULLY

INADEQUATE.

JON SCHWANTES, IS IT BETTER TO

TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN OR HOLD

OUT FOR MORE?

>> IF I KNEW THE ANSWER, I WOULD

BE AT THE CASINO MAKING MORE

MONEY THAN I AM HERE.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS A TOUGH ONE. I

DON'T KNOW THAT YOU CAN REALLY

ASSIGN A LOT OF POLITICAL

MOTIVATION HERE. I WILL SAY THAT

THERE ARE A LOT OF THEORIES

GOING AROUND. IF YOU LOOK AT HOW

ATTORNEYS GENERAL ACROSS THE

COUNTRY HAVE BROKEN DOWN ON THIS

ISSUE, IT'S, GEE, LIKE

EVERYTHING ELSE IN OUR COUNTRY,

ABOUT 50/50 SEEMS TO BE SPLIT. I

THINK 20 OR SO ARE SUPPORTIVE,

YOU HAVE 24, 25, COUPLE DOZEN.

>> ALMOST 50/50.

>> THEY DO TEND TO BE

REPUBLICANS FOR DEMOCRATS

AGAINST, WITH TWO EXCEPTIONS IN

EACH. TWO OTHER SWITCHES. NOW

THERE HAS BEEN REPORTING

SUGGESTING THAT THERE HAVE BEEN

LARGE CONTRIBUTIONS IN SUPPORT

THAT PURDUE PHARMA AND MEMBERS

OF THE SACKLER FAMILY HAD DONE

WHAT THE REPUBLICAN ATTORNEY

GENERAL'S ASSOCIATION, BUT THEN

THEY'VE ALSO GIVEN A LESSER

AMOUNT TO THE DEMOCRATIC

COUNTERPART TO THAT. I SUPPOSE

YOU CAN FIND WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING

FOR. BUT, THE REALITY OF THIS IS

WE SAW THIS WEEK ALSO THAT IF IN

FACT AS PART OF THE BANKRUPTCY

PROCEEDINGS, PURDUE PHARMA IS

GOING FOR, THEY SAID IF, AS PART

OF THE BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDINGS,

THERE'S NOT BASICALLY A BLOCKADE

PUT UP BY ATTORNEYS GENERAL WHO

DON'T SUPPORT THIS, THERE MIGHT

NOT BE ANY MONEY TO PAY THE

$3 BILLION...

>> DOES THAT PLAY HEAVILY INTO

THIS?

>> IT SURE DOES. I DON'T THINK

I'M QUALIFIED TO KNOW, I DON'T

KNOW THE DETAILS OF THIS

SETT

SETTLEMENT. IF TURNED DOWN IT

WOULD BE A PROTRACTED BATTLE.

WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT BIRD IN

THE HAND VERSUS THE FUTURE, I

DON'T SEE IT AS COMPLETELY OUT

OF THE REALM TO TAKE IT.

>> THIS IS NOT THE STATES AND

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GOING

AFTER THE CIGARETTE COMPANIES.

FIRST OF ALL, IT'S ONE COMPANY,

AND THEY ARE IN BANKRUPTCY

ALREADY. SO IS IT BEST TO JUST

GET WHAT YOU CAN NOW?

>> DEPENDS ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU

CAN PIERCE THE CORPORATE VEIL

AND GO AFTER THE FAMILY WHOSE

ASSETS ARE STILL OUT THERE. YOU

DON'T KNOW WHETHER TAKING THE

MONEY AND RUN OR SUING IS THE

RIGHT WAY, AND YOU WON'T KNOW

UNTIL THIS IS OVER. IT'S

INTERESTING TO ME THAT HE ALWAYS

FINDS LITIGATION ADVANCES HIS

RELIGIOUS AGENDA AND BACKS AWAY

FROM OTHER THINGS. I DON'T KNOW

WHETHER HE'S DOING THE RIGHT

MOVE OR NOT. AND WE WON'T KNOW

FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

>> IS THAT THE BIGGEST PROBLEM,

WE CAN'T KNOW FOR A REALLY LONG

TIME UNTIL ALL THIS SHAKES OUT?

>> AND PEOPLE KEEP COMPARING

THIS TO THE TOBACCO SETTLEMENT

AGREEMENT, WHICH IS STILL BEING

PAID OUT OVER 20 YEARS LATER.

THAT'S BECAUSE THE COMPANIES

STILL EXIST, MANUFACTURE PRODUCT

AND CONTINUE TO FUND THAT

SETTLEMENT THAT WAY. THAT'S NOT

THE CASE HERE.

A NEW REPORT FROM CHALKBEAT

SHOWS SOME INDIANA SCHOOLS MAY

BE ARTIFICIALLY INCREASING THEIR

GRADUATION RATES BY MASKING

DROPOUTS AS STUDENTS

TRANSITIONING TO HOME SCHOOLING.

CHALKBEAT'S REPORT LOOKED AT

2018 STUDENT DATA FROM AROUND

THE STATE. IT FOUND THAT MORE

THAN HALF OF THE 37 HUNDRED

HOOSIER STUDENTS RECORDED AS

MOVING TO HOME-SCHOOL WERE IN

JUST 61 OF THE STATE'S 507 HIGH

SCHOOLS, SCHOOLS WHERE THE RATIO

OF THOSE LEAVING TO HOME-SCHOOL

TO STUDENTS EARNING DIPLOMAS WAS

MUCH HIGHER THAN THE STATE

AVERAGE.

CHALKBEAT SAYS THOSE NUMBERS

SUGGEST THE STATE'S METHOD FOR

CALCULATING GRADUATION RATES -

AND ITS “LAX REGULATION OF HOME

SCHOOLING” - IS OBSCURING

DROPOUT ISSUES AT SOME HOOSIER

HIGH SCHOOLS.

MIKE O'BRIEN, WILL THIS PROMPT

GREATER OVERSIGHT OF HOME

SCHOOLING?

>> MAYBE NOT HOME-SCHOOLING

INITIALLY, BUT I THINK IT WILL

PROMPT GREATER INSIGHT INTO

WHAT -- HOW WE DEFINE A STUDENT

DROPPING OUT, HOW WE DEFINE A

STUDENT TRANSITIONING TO HOME

SCHOOL. WE'RE CLEARLY NOT

SERVING THESE KIDS DROPPING OUT

WITH NO INTENT TO BE

HOME-SCHOOLED. THE MOM IN THE

START OF THIS ARTICLE SAID, HOW

AM I GOING TO HOME SCHOOL THIS

KID?

THIS IS A POOR FAMILY ON THE

SOUTH SIDE OF INDIANAPOLIS. I

HAD NO PLANS TO HOME SCHOOL,

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

CLEARLY THAT NEEDS TO BE

UNCOVERED.

>> YEAH. HOW DEEP SHOULD THIS

KIND OF SHOULD ANY REFORM OUT OF

THIS GO?

>> WHEN YOU START WITH THIS, YOU

LOOK AT THE FOR-PROFIT ENTITIES

THAT ARE COOKING THE DATA TO

MAKE THEMSELVES LOOK BETTER SO

THEY KEEP GETTING STATE FUNDS,

IT'S NOT THE HOME-SCHOOLING AS

MUCH AS IT IS THESE FOUR-PROFIT

GROUPS.

>> THERE ARE MORE SCHOOLS

THAN --

>> THAT'S RIGHT. BUT THE BULK OF

THEM WERE ALSO FOR-PROFIT

INSTITUTIONS, LIKE THE ONE THAT

WAS FEATURED IN THE STAR

ARTICLE, WAS THE ONE TAKEN OVER

FROM IPS BECAUSE THE STATE SAYS

WE'VE GOT TO GIVE THESE TO

FOR-PROFIT --

>> AND THAT'S PART OF A LARGER

MOVEMENT IN TERMS OF MAYBE WE

NEED TO START TAKING A CLOSER

EYE ON CHARTER SCHOOLS.

>> MAYBE.

>> THAT POINT IS IMPORTANT.

YOU'VE GOT 61 SCHOOLS, TWO OF

THEM WERE RUN BY FOUR-PROFIT AND

TAKE-OVER SCHOOLS. DOE IS DOING

THE DATA ON THAT.

>> BUT THE OTHER 59 WERE PUBLIC

SCHOOLS THAT DO THEIR OWN

REPORTING, AND THE DEPARTMENT

DOESN'T LOOK AT THAT DATA.

>> NO, THEY JUST GET IT.

>> THEY JUST PLUG IT INTO THE

ACCOUNTABILITY

THAT'S INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW

FOR THIS WEEK.

OUR PANEL IS DEMOCRAT ANN

DELANEY.

REPUBLICAN MIKE O'BRIEN.

JON SCHWANTES OF INDIANA

LAWMAKERS, AND NIKI

KELLY OF THE FORT WAYNE JOURNAL

GAZETTE.

IF YOU'D LIKE A PODCAST OF THIS

PROGRAM YOU CAN FIND IT AT

WFYI.ORG/IWIR OR STARTING MONDAY

YOU CAN STREAM IT OR GET IT ON

DEMAND FROM XFINITY AND ON THE

WFYI APP.

I'M BRANDON SMITH OF INDIANA

PUBLIC BROADCASTING.

JOIN US NEXT TIME BECAUSE A LOT

CAN HAPPEN IN AN INDIANA WEEK.

♪♪

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