Northwest Indiana Discussion

Mayor Uran has paid over $250,000 is legal fees, mostly to Ice Miller LLC, for suing Plasmatronics. It appears that Crown Point will recover only $10,000.

However, Ice Miller LLC contributes sizeable amounts to the Indiana Democrat and Republican Parties in Indianapolis.

The Indiana Democrat Party may pay Indianapolis firms for mailers, polling surveys, phone banks, political consultants, etc. for the Uran campaign.

The money comes from the City of Crown Point Treasury to Indianapolis where it stays and may be spent in Indianapolis for the benefit of Uran.

Crown Point city attorney David Nicholls, who previously worked for Mayor Pastrick in East Chicago, appears responsible for setting up this fee arrangement.

This appears to be a common practice throughout Lake County and Northwest Indiana.

There once was a time before the consultant era. If politicians didn't know how to do something, they didn't do it.

Many consulting contracts aren't about benefitting the taxpayers. The main idea is spending taxpayers' money that comes back as campaign contributions. Lake County thrives on this practice.

Absoluely right, freetime.

Uran of Crown Point and McDermott of Hammond are very close.

Their practices are stinking up both Crown Point and Hammond - with an East Chicago, Pastrick lawyer as the go-between.

Folks are starting to notice.

Bill Dolan has written a series of articles about the use of downstate consultants, lawyers and engineers by Lake County politicians.

I'm not sure that he realizes that there is considerable incentive for northwest Indiana politicians to hire downstate lawyers, engineers and consultants and pay them from nwi public treasuries. The money goes to Indianapolis and is contributed in part to the Indiana Democrat and Republican parties who spend the money IN Indianapolis on contributions in kind (mailers, political polls, political consultants, phone banks, etc.) for the benefit of Northwest Indiana politicians.

It is a very large and stinky business.

Uran has shipped over $250,000 in the Plasmatronics case alone to the Indianapolis based Ice Miller law firm. He has hired Greg Guerrettaz of the Bloomington FSG financial consulting firm to consult on the Bo Jackson development. Greg Guerrettaz did the due-diligence review of the $500,000 Plasmatronics loan. Uran recently hired Indianapolis based RQAW as new consultants on the Crown Point bike trail. As long as Uran is in office this will continue.

Lobbyists also receive money from northwest Indiana cities, townships and counties which goes to the Indiana Democrat party and is spent IN Indianapolis for the benefit of northwest Indiana politicians.

Uran pays Bob Kuzman about $2,000 to $10,000 per month to lobby for Crown Point according to the Crown Point Clerk-Treasurer's cash disbursement records. Bob Kuzman works as a lobbyist at the Ice Miller LLP law firm in Indianapolis. Can't think of anything Crown Point needs lobbying for that isn't being paid for separately. The checks are made out to Ice Miller each month. Ice Miller contributes to the Indiana Democrat Party and the Indiana Democrat party pays Indianapolis firms for mailers, phone banks, polls, political consultants, etc. for Uran's campaign.

This stinks!!

Money also goes to Indianapolis and to the Indiana Democrat or Republican Parties for media buys in Indianapolis to benefit to nwi politicians