(La Porte, IN) - An area attorney made an appeal for the ongoing political fighting to cease at today's La Porte County Commissioners meeting, arguing that the infighting will impact the growth and future of the community.
During public comment, local attorney Dave Ambers said it's time to take off the gloves for the greater good of the county. Ambers said he feared current and future investors from outside the area would pull back if they got a glimpse of what's happening in the political arena here.
“I’ve picked up so many out-of-state clients that are bringing businesses here and if they come sit in here and watch this circus they’re going to walk out and go somewhere else,” Ambers said.
Since the first of this year, the political fighting began gaining significant traction after La Porte County Attorney Shaw Friedman filed a defamation of character lawsuit in February against newly elected La Porte County Auditor Tim Stabosz. Stabosz alleged that Friedman runs county government by having undue influence over chief elected officials.
After the lawsuit, working its way through the evidence-gathering phase, was a second lawsuit by the commissioners against Stabosz to comply with the commissioner's requests. Stabosz began withholding payment to Friedman & Associates for work that Stabosz didn't believe fell under the purview of a county attorney and has since ignored two orders from the commissioners to reimburse Friedman's firm.
Stabosz said he wants answers to questions about some of Friedman's billing before releasing payment.
Other political fighting included regular verbal sparring sessions between Commissioner Joe Haney and the county attorney and verbal jabs exchanged between Haney and Commissioners Rich Mrozinski and Sheila Matias.
Mrozinski today called for a 15-minute recess while Stabosz and Friedman kept interrupting each other while Stabosz was giving his interpretation of state law governing the duties of auditors on claims. During the break, Mrozinski, Friedman, and Haney met with La Porte County Police Chief Deputy Ron Heeg and Courthouse Security Officer Vern Hohnke.
Mrozinski said he was considering ordering security to escort Stabosz from the meeting but decided against it.
