(La Porte County, IN) - A local candidate is being criticized for saying he’ll continue to fight corruption in La Porte County government on his campaign signs.

 

Tim Stabosz makes the claim on signs and billboards in his campaign for a seat on the La Porte County Council.

 

Former La Porte County government attorney Shaw Friedman said Stabosz has been making those claims for years without proof and even a grand jury assembled in 2022 to look into the allegations found no evidence of corruption. 

 

Friedman disputed the claims in a newspaper advertisement last week paid for by his law firm.   Here's what was stated at the bottom half of the ad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“None of the people in county government deserve yet another election year where empty claims are being thrown around like confetti,” he said.

 

Friedman said the grand jury ruling came after hearing seven months of testimony from various people, including Stabosz.  Stabosz, the former La Porte County Auditor, did not waver in sticking to his claims.

 

“I saw corruption as the auditor.   To see public officials obtaining private gain from their so-called public service, to me, is corruption,” he said.  He also called the advertisement “a laughable attempt to damage me in a political campaign.  It’s just that.  Laughable.”

 

Stabosz is running for the Republican Party’s nomination in the May 5 primary for the District 4 seat on the county council.  He’s challenging Jimmy Pressel, who has held that position since late last year when appointed during a Republican Party caucus to fill the vacancy.