Cory Schouten, writing for the Indiana Business Journal, has an eye opening article about the long history of sweetheart dealings between well connected and recently indicted real estate broker John Bales.
He kept making fat commissions on real estate deals for the state despite concerns being raised by managerial level state employees who seem to have recognized that the state’s best interests were not being served. Bales was not shy about bludgeoning people with his connections in the Governor’s office, the state Republican party, or the law firm of Barnes & Thornburg that seems get mentioned in these stories more than statistical probability would suggest.
A lot of the people who let a guy like Bales to operate will be the same ones advocating “right to work” because of a professed love of neutral market forces and a distaste for special privileges when enjoyed by unions. But, the true test of their philosophy is how they react when it’s a friend of a friend making big money, rubbing elbows with the right people at cocktail parties, and spreading around campaign contributions.
you’re being a smart ALEC again