Indiana House Speaker Pat Bauer has requested the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services investigate real estate leases
that Venture Cos. owner John M. Bales of Indianapolis brokered with Indiana state agencies.
Bauer, D-South Bend, on Thursday sent a formal request letter to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius
with a copy of IBJ’s April 24 article, headlined “Politically connected
broker’s deals raise conflict questions.”
Bauer cited the IBJ article as the impetus for his request.
“The enclosed article from the Indianapolis Business Journal on April 24, 2010, outlines circumstances relating
to possible conflicts of interest in real estate leases entered into by the state of Indiana in the past few years,"
Bauer’s letter reads. "The article specifically cites leases brokered by John M. Bales, which put a company involved
in Indiana’s welfare-to-work program into two buildings owned by Mr. Bales. This letter is my formal request for your
review of the facts surrounding these real estate leases to determine if an investigation by the U.S. Health and Human Services
Inspector General is warranted.”
Bales is a friend and business partner of Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi, the subject of a series of IBJ investigative articles over the past seven months.
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Bauer requests federal probe of Bales' real estate deals
IBJ Staff
June 4, 2010
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Saw the Indy Men's Chorus "Music of Gilbert & Sullivan" at the Indiana Historical Society on Sunday evening.
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Temporary workers are not "tools" they are people and companies that keep large amounts of temp staff are cheating.
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I miss having them around. I hope one of their stores is in the general Meridian/86th Street area. I will make good use of it.
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The Fringe! Plus, the simple fact that there are so many local faves in such close proximity to each other.
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I remenber, watching the toll road, being built, through South Bend, when I was 10 years old. I believe, back then that it was estimated, that the toll road, would be paid for in 20 years and then it would be free. I am now 71, what happened? Since the power is in the people, by that, I mean that, we the people are in total control of everything. I, suggest that no one ever use the toll road again, let it go broke. We the people can control the price of everything, from groceries to gas, if we would just do it. If we don't pay the asking price, the sellers will lower the price and if we wait awhile, they will lower the price to what we accept as reasonable. I would like to know why a highway like interstate 94, is so well maintained, a much better highway, than the toll road, but has no tolls. I would also like to know why, a sitting governor, with a term limit, maximum of eight years, can lease, public property, for 75 years. Even though I have transponders in both of my trucks and will not be affected by the increase, I have been and will contine to avoid using the toll road. I make many trips from northern Indiana to Chicago, every year, and I prefer the better highway, I94!
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You see, they have sources because most law-abiding citizens hate criminals. Yep, you've been busted. Charges are coming. Cory and Greg can just sit back and smile, they live under their means, go to work and do their jobs honestly. In fact most people go to work and do their jobs honestly.
Gosh, just think if Carl had simply stayed married to his wife and lived within his means.
Just think if Tim had stayed married to Joanie--well, except for taht little alleged embezzlement of the Carpenter pension or 401k, gosh my memory draws faint
If Johnny had just stayed good looking and not opened his mouth on inside deals....
If Ben's dad were still alive....
shall I go on?
How about a story on what benefits this relationship has done for the citizens of the city of Indianapolis and the state of IN? How much revenue has John Bale's organization generated in the form of land deals, turning an expense to the city and state into revenue, and a source of residual income in the form of property taxes? Have any of us wondered how the governor was able to lower property taxes overall in this type of economy? When a lot of other states are sinking in Government spending? Do we want a Liberal Democrat, in Pat Bauer, somehow providing more influence than he already does? This true Conservative does not!
I'm not saying there is nothing going on here, I really don't know, and either does this IBJ reporter. But if Pat Bauer is wanting to make this a federal investigation siting the IBJ as a pillar of investigative research then I think we're all a bit gullible. What is appropriate next, The National Inquirer?
How about this, I'm in for a federal investigation based on the IBJ article if Pat Bauer is open to even a state investigation on his dealings based on any article ever written by the Sunday Star or IBJ since his election into office. Are you ready for that type of scrutiny yourself Pat?!
So often, it's the ones' trying to solve the problem that are the real problem. This has never been more obvious to me in my lifetime, and this is just one more example to throw on the pile of midiocrity we have representing "We The People"
This is politics as usual, using Republicans as bait for sharks. Pat Bauer being the real Bull Shark in this new episode to a rather long and boring story, some worthless reporter @ the IBJ is obsessed over.
What's the problem little IBJ reporter? Were you picked on too much in the playground by other more athletic and charming kids, and this is your way of getting back at someone more successful than you will ever dream of being. Class envy for sure. But you need class to even be in a position to envy it. Thus, this little reporter will go on reporting this story. The rest of us have lives to lead, as this story has ZERO impact on any of us, since there is clearly another side to the story...
Don't worry--in an unusually coordinated effort it actually appears indictments are immenent, and on a multi-jurisdictional front. Wait til the book comes out, Blago ain't nothing compared to Indy,
Please pull the March 31, 2005 House Floor Speech given by Rep. Robert Alderman and then check the 2007 and 2008 Standard and Poors annual report for French Lick Bond defaults. After that get a copy of the STATE OPERATING AGENT AGREEMENT not a State Casino License and see where Governor Daniel's witnessed with his signature the CONTRACT FOR SERVICES.
Then look at the November 2005 letter sent by the Gaming Commission Director to ALL STATE AGENCY HEADS asking all to sign off on a self written 40 YEAR CONTRACT by the contractor group. That contract was clearly stated in the request letter not amenable to STATE STANDARDS and was not issued per STANDARD STATE BOILER PLATE!
Rep. Alderman, a fellow legislator, called out the problem in your House and it all came true and then some putting the TAXPAYERS at a great liability.
Your friend retired Rep. Denbo then before he retired authored and with your help passed legislation abolishing the very STATE APPOINTED Committee for oversight of the STATE CONTRACT that was illegally issued. His quote was," I had to get this done so this would never happen again"
Honorable Rep. Bauer your fellow legislators have called this mess out, they have recorded in writing speeches in the honored State House and your party fellow Democrats had to pass legislation to make sure the laws were not broken again.
Please press the Federal Officials to investigate this mess as well. Bond defaults of $370,000,000,000.00 and $147,000,000.00 put the citizens of Indiana in far greater harms way the Mr. Bales and Mr. Brizzi.
By the way Mr. Brizzi knows about the French Lick mess too and he looks the other way. Please do not get in his camp and become part of the problem. Call for the same inquiry by Federal Officials into this contract mess as well.
Bauer understands that in March of 08â??the $240M directed from Indiana Counties to DCS State control and Counties Maximizing Federal Reimbursements to DCS through provisions in HB1001 would have been questioned and scrutinized by legislators if Prosecutor Brizzi would have proceeded to enforce his promise made publicly in the Nov 2007 Star, to investigate DCS and the practices surrounding the death of Tajanay Bailey.
Star reported - "Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi expressed deep concern about DCS's handling of the case and promised a complete and full investigation." Brizzi's intent was clear.
The Fact - The Promise Brizzi made disappeared and months later a Lease appeared â?¦.
Governor Daniels asked Chief Justice Shepard to be involved in the tax relief bill. The section he was very involved in authoring was the section on DCS funding. He praised HB 1001 as â??better for children as a result of judicial involvement.â?? (What ever happened to separation of powers?)
The Mitch Daniels Administration had the control of a lot of Money at stake
I am sure that Bauer as many others who represent Hoosiers across the state would have been very interested in the information yielded by an investigation into a State Department they were about to grant an enormous amount of power and financial control to.
By way of a $2.5M DCS Lease for Brizzi the DCS investigation appeared to go away. DCS Funding in HB 1001 was safe.