(Indianapolis, IN) - The Indiana Democratic Party, in a tongue lashing, is telling the La Porte County Auditor to stop using public office to score personal and political vendettas at the expense of taxpayers.

 

In a prepared statement, the party said Tim Stabosz, a Republican, is attacking a variety of public officials while making costly mistakes himself.

 

The party cited his late bond payment last year, costing the county government $200,000 in a refinancing opportunity lost because of the oversight and the recent mistake on property tax bills estimated to cost $100,000 or more to correct.

 

“Stabosz is proving that just like the far right-wing of the party he identifies with, he has no plans for his county or the state’s future – just more raw partisanship, conflict, and turmoil,” the press release stated.

 

The party also recommended that Stabosz “focus on his full-time job rather than leading the charge as a partisan hack for the local GOP.”

 

“He has claimed for over a year his partisan crusade was against corruption and fraud in county government without bringing forward any evidence to government agencies like Indiana State Police, State Board of Accounts, and even the FBI,” the party said.

 

Stabosz, along with Commissioner Joe Haney, has been targeting County Attorney Shaw Friedman and Commissioners Rich Mrozinski and Sheila Matias.

 

Last year, Stabosz was sued by Friedman for defamation of character in a still-undecided lawsuit for alleging Friedman runs county government by controlling elected officials.

 

The auditor has also been withholding payment to Friedman & Associates on some of their claims.  Stabosz alleges Friedman is billing on those claims for work performed outside the scope of the duties of a county attorney.

 

A majority of the commissioners recently entertained a measure to start the process of having Stabosz removed as the county auditor. However, the proposal was put on the shelf until the property tax error is resolved.

 

"Most county officials around the state take off their party jerseys once the election is over and get to work rolling up their sleeves to work for taxpayers - not Timothy Stabosz," the party said.