Is Philpot Fit for Sheriff?

freetime · **Posted:** Wed Oct 28, 2009 7:36 pm

Lake County Clerk Tom Philpot cast serious doubt on his fitness to hold the office of Lake County Sheriff judging by his erratic behavior on his WJOB show Tuesday, IMO.
Philpot is vacating his job as clerk at the end of the year to assume to office of Coroner, which he ran for and won last year. The term begins Jan. 1.
Times columnist Mark Kiesling wrote about the political wrangling going on among Democrats to fill the clerk's job:

http://www.nwitimes.com/news/opinion/co ... 3c012.html

I didn't think there was anything too controversial about the column, but Philpot was absolutely ballistic over it. Screaming at the top of his voice, Philpot slammed Kiesling for his alleged personal problems, although Kiesling has never mentioned Philpot's private life as far as I know. I believe some of Philpot's statements at least bordered on slanderous.
Philpot often mentions he thinks ALL local media is biased against him. When I called his program to point out he had brought Kiesling's attention upon himself by leaving the clerk's job early, Philpot turned his wrath on me, falsely accusing me of bias against him when I was a journalist years ago. He also said I "shortly" went to work for then Hammond Mayor Duane Dedelow after the 1991 election which Philpot lost to Dedelow. That was untrue. I went to work for the Hammond Park Department, in a very low level Teamsters job, in 2002, a full 11 years after that election and 6 years after I stopped being a professional journalist.
My coverage of that mayoral election was as fair as I could make it, given the fact that Philpot often refused to talk to me during the campaign. But I persisted. Even late on election night I stood on his doorstep to try to give him his say upon the loss, but his mom wouldn't let me talk to him at his direction.
One of Philpot's big complaints Tuesday was that Kiesling had not met in person with him to talk things over. Gee, wonder why?
Now, Philpot is not content with the Coroner's job he either, but he is expected to seek the Sheriff's office in next year's election.
I honestly think he may be unfit for that position. His behavior shows more than a bit of instability, IMO. He is also way too thin skinned. His unwarranted, personal attacks on Kiesling and his attempt to smear me for questioning it are all too reminiscent of the rotten kind of Lake County politics many of us want to end. The highest law enforcement office in the county is hardly the place for such politics, especially when we can see it coming ahead of time.
And how many darn county jobs does he need anyway? Let Philpot fill the term of coroner he has earned by being elected, and give others the chance to hold the other jobs he covets.
Time for Philpot to retire from government to practice law or podiatry full time. Say thanks but no thanks the next time he asks for your vote for a job he may or may not really want!

Tiger1 · **Posted:** Thu Oct 29, 2009 6:56 am

I have absolutely no use for Philpot. He is a bottom feeding political hack, male chauvinist pig, and is totally stuck on himself.

I know Philpot. He graduated with my youngest brother from Bishop Noll. Matter of fact, he even came over my parents old home in South Hammond a few times. He was a stuck up, wrapped up in himself jerk back then. Philpot plays musical political chairs, as do some other politicians.

Let's see now, is he on wife number 5? I lost count. His attitude towards females is appalling. Back about 16 years ago, I was at a political function with my former(now deceased) husband. Some of you on this board who know me, know that I have always freely given my opinions, and have been a community activist my whole life. I guess Philpot thinks that women should keep their mouths shut. Philpot came up to me and my late former husband, and told him "what is wrong with you, that you can't control your wife"? All I can say is, Philpot is lucky that my friends grabbed me, as I had opened up my largest can of "whoop@$$", and was going to give him a big helping. :twisted:

IMO, Philpot isn't fit to be a dog catcher. :evil:

freetime · **Posted:** Thu Oct 29, 2009 10:27 pm

Do you think Indiana election law should be changed to prohibit moves like Philpot is making?
That is, a candidate ran for an office he apparently didn't want (Coroner) , giving the Democratic party the right to pick the office holder when the candidate decides to skip the first job he won and try for a different one instead?
I just don't like the musical chairs in Lake County politics. Surely there are better candidates who actually want the offices at stake. Voters should be able to know the candidates they vote for intend to actually serve in the position.

Tiger1 · **Posted:** Fri Oct 30, 2009 8:02 am

The law needs to be changed to stop the political musical chairs.

freetime · **Posted:** Fri Oct 30, 2009 2:08 pm

Tiger1 wrote:

The law needs to be changed to stop the political musical chairs.

YES!!!!

freetime · **Posted:** Sat Oct 31, 2009 3:19 am

Regarding Philpot's over-the-top, unwarranted and unsubstantiated PERSONAL attack on Mark Kiesling this week, the phrase "people in glass houses" comes to mind.
Wait until someone in the crowded sheriff's race goes after Philpot's personal shortcomings. He'll cry like a big spoiled baby!
Again, he'll only have himself to blame when the debate turns from where it should be, the public and political, to the private and not so admirable.
HE apparently thinks it's fine to go after someone's personal life if it helps him. Maybe we'll see how he feels when the shoe is on the other foot.

JeepersCreepers · **Joined:** Wed Nov 15, 2006 8:54 pm **Posts:** 141

I like Tom Philpot. It's "Fill 'er up" George Van Til that I have a problem with. I have to pay for my gasoline and it's not cheap.

hammonite · **Joined:** Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:58 pm **Posts:** 762

JeepersCreepers wrote:

I like Tom Philpot. It's "Fill 'er up" George Van Til that I have a problem with. I have to pay for my gasoline and it's not cheap.

Again, Steve Fowler will like anyone who mcdermott says he should like.

Yes term limits, absolutely.

I as well have had first hand contact with Philpot and he had very little respect for women.

I think he has come from a political family, born with a silver spoon in his mouth, a spoiled little brat!

freetime · **Posted:** Fri Dec 18, 2009 2:18 pm

Philpot is the poster boy for political musical chairs in Lake County.

Even if the voters do the right thing and deny him a primary win in the sheriff's race, he'll still have the coroners office, which he apparently doesn't want any part of. Great credentials for public office, right?

But he'll be able to sleep easy at night when he finally gets the take home vehicle he's been whining about for years. And we won't have to hear about it again.

Philpot seems smart but acts unstable. He needs to retire from public life while he still has a moderately decent reputation.

I'll never vote for him, even if it is for dogcatcher.

justcallmetommy · **Joined:** Thu May 01, 2008 8:25 pm **Posts:** 5662

Yea, I caught that show as well. Up until that show I had a favorable view of Phillpot. The show was clearly a personal attack agains Mark K.

I though McDermott had something to do with it, in either case, it has made me question any support for Philpot and Philpot is now carying dirty laundry for Tommie.

It was very irradic behavior for the guy....ranting, raving.. sorta felt sorry for him.

It did not place him in good light!

freetime · **Posted:** Fri Dec 18, 2009 6:41 pm

I didn't appreciate his attack on me either. Back then, it must have been in 1991, I stuck strictly to reporting on mayoral candidate Philpot, and was as fair to him as I could possibly be.
I heard and saw things, even back then, that could have caused him grief if publicized.
But as I say, I stuck to the issues in the race.
Not my fault he lost. He seems unable to accept any press at all. He doesn't like Kiesling or Rich James now. That doesn't seem like a good quality for a lifetime politician.

hammonite · **Joined:** Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:58 pm **Posts:** 762

What I find most disturbing is the level of musical political chairs.

Philpot's on air rage regaring Mark Keisling, The Hammond Time Columnist was really over the top. It made me question not only what does Philpot have to hide, but has he now come a boy friday for McDermott. Apparently Philpot now believes he has to carry tommie's dirty laundry.

Can Philpot lift that heavy load?

-={ARCLIGHT}=- · **Posted:** Sat Dec 19, 2009 1:08 pm

freetime wrote:

[size=150]I didn't appreciate his attack on me either. /size]

Are you ever NOT the victim?

Northwest Indiana Discussion

Is Philpot Fit for Sheriff?

Who is online