Local News

Grand Jury Rules No Corruption

(La Porte County, IN) - A Grand Jury has found no reason to file charges after completing a seven-month investigation into claims of public corruption, official misconduct, and similar allegations within the La Porte County government.

 

La Porte County Prosecutor John Lake said the Grand Jury ruled no criminal charges were warranted on any of the allegations reviewed.

 

“While I cannot get into the specific details of the investigation due to the confidentiality of the Grand Jury process, I am able to relate that the Grand Jury returned zero true bills,” Lake said.

Lake assembled the Grand Jury in response to more than a year of almost constant allegations often voiced publicly by La Porte County Commissioner Joe Haney and La Porte County Auditor Tim Stabosz.

 

Haney said he was surprised no charges resulted from the Grand Jury proceedings. However, he said it's interesting that the decision was released one week before the November 8 election.

 

Haney also said the investigation might have been hampered by employees not coming forward out of fear of retaliation if their Grand Jury testimony was leaked.

 

La Porte County Commissioner Rich Mrozinski was not surprised by the Grand Jury's decision.  On the contrary, Mrozinski said that he expected that no wrongdoing happened.

 

Mrozinski also called the allegations primarily from Haney and Stabosz "a bunch of hot air."

 

“There’s no truth to any of their claims. None of the things they’re saying are happening in La Porte County. Everything is all on the up and up,” Mrozinski said.

Mrozinski said the only wrongdoing is from Haney, Stabosz, and a select number of other Republican officials doing things like spreading false information.

 

Allegations of corruption from Stabosz early in 2021 resulted in him being sued by La Porte County Attorney Shaw Friedman for defamation of character. The legal action is still being litigated in the courts. 

 

Mrozinski said the allegations were from people out to settle political or personal vendettas.

 

“They really have no business being in county government,” Mrozinski said.

Mrozinski said everyone else is trying to do a good job but has to endure a steady diet of allegations, name-calling, and fighting.

 

“I’m so tired of it. I’m over it. I just hope people will see what’s going on here,” Mrozinski said.

In writing, La Porte County Commission President Sheila Matias informed county employees about the grand jury's decision.

 

"You, over the last months, have seen and heard some individuals try mightily to undermine faith and trust in county government.

 

Thank you, county employees, for your diligent work through these difficult times. It is good to see that after months of meeting and listening to testimony from a multitude of people, the Grand Jury has zero findings to report in its public corruption investigation.

 

You are a  dedicated team of public servants giving your effort and care in service to this community, and we thank you for your work," Matias said. 

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