Beleaguered Indiana Secretary of State Charlie White requested an independent prosecutor Tuesday to look into his allegations of vote fraud and homestead fraud against former Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh and his wife, Susan. White, a Republican who is facing charges of vote fraud himself, filed documents with Democratic Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry requesting an independent prosecutor to investigate whether the Bayhs voted fraudulently in Indiana’s May Democratic primary. He’s also challenging the Bayhs’ Indiana homestead tax exemption when both resided primarily in Washington, D.C.
The Bayhs claim the property tax exemption on an Indianapolis condominium valued at $58,200 but also own a $2.2 million home in Washington, White said in a complaint filed with Curry. “Everybody knows he (Bayh) doesn’t live here,” White said in a telephone interview. He said Bayh should have done what Dan Coats did when he left the Senate and re-registered to vote at his Washington-area address. Coats has since been re-elected to the Senate from Indiana. White said he didn’t expect much to come of his request because the Bayhs are granted more leeway than most political couples.
“The Bayhs have been granted, in all but name, the title of nobility in Indiana,” White said. Curry spokeswoman Brienne Delaney said the prosecutor’s office was reviewing documents White had provided.
Carl Brizzi, White’s defense attorney, said White was trying to make a point that the charges against him were politically motivated when he had done the same thing as Bayh, a former Indiana secretary of state and governor.
“The case is just intended to show the similarities in their two situations,” Brizzi said. “This whole thing started because of politics.”
Bayh decided against seeking a third term in the Senate in 2010. Since then, he has become a partner in the Washington office of the McGuireWoods law firm, an adviser to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and to a New York-based private equity firm, and a political commentator on Fox News. A message seeking comment was left at his law office.
Indiana Democratic Chairman Dan Parker said Bayh never gave up his Indianapolis home and pays property taxes on it. He called White’s request for an investigation “sad.”
“He’s taking himself from being a laughingstock to being reckless and ridiculous,” Parker said. “He should do us all a favor and just resign.”
Full Article: White asks for voter fraud investigation of Bayhs.