Democratic Power Brokers Hold Strategy Session to Address Cross Party Endorsements and Secession from State Party

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Democratic Power Brokers Hold Strategy Session

This morning at 8:15 am a select group of Democratic officeholders were invited to a closed door meeting at the Evansville Democratic Headquarters to discuss the recent fracturing of the Vanderburgh County Democratic Party and the controversy over Democratic Vice Chair Connie Robinson’s recent endorsement of Republican candidate for Mayor Lloyd Winnecke. The meeting was called by Alex Jarvis and reportedly went out after midnight to the invitees.

The following Democrats have been confirmed to have attended:

1. Indiana State Representative Gail Riecken
2. Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel
3. Councilman Curt John
4. Councilman John Friend
5. Councilwoman Connie Robinson
6. Councilman Don Walker
7. Councilwoman Missy Mosby
8. Councilman Dr. H. Dan Adams
9. County Councilwoman Stephanie Terry
10. Vanderburgh County Surveyor Bill Jeffers
11. Vanderburgh County Recorder Z Tuley
12. Vanderburgh County Coroner Annie Groves
13. City Council Candidate Jonathan Weaver
14. City Council Candidate Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley
15. City Council Candidate Conor O’Daniel
16. Vanderburgh County Democratic Chairman Mark Owen
17. Private Citizen David Mosby

It is to be noted that Vanderburgh County Sheriff Eric Williams, City Councilwoman Wendy Bredhold, City Councilman B. J. Watts, Vanderburgh County Treasurer Rick Davis, County Commissioner Stephen Melcher, and City Council Candidate Al Lindsey were not in attendance. It is not known at this time whether or not they received invitations.

It has been reported that this was an opportunity to unify the party that neither Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel nor Party Chairman Mark Owen chose to pursue.

Sources have advised the City County Observer that the discussion rapidly became a series of negative statements aimed directly at Democratic Candidate for Mayor Rick Davis and City Council Candidate Al Lindsey. The statements were allegedly so acidic that some may constitute slander.

Furthermore our sources (Mole 3 surrogate) have told the CCO that somewhat serious discussion was held regarding the possibility that the Vanderburgh County Democratic Party will consider withdrawing from the Indiana State Democratic Party.

Dr. H. Dan Adams is reported to have advised Councilwoman Connie Robinson that she absolutely has the right to free speech and that she may endorse anyone that she wishes but that doing so while Vice Chair of the Democratic Party may be a violation of State of Indiana Party Policy.

A letter of endorsement for Republican Candidate for Mayor Lloyd Winnecke to be signed by any of the invitees who wish to sign it was also discussed according to CCO sources.

Councilman Adams and State Representative Riecken reportedly left the meeting early expressing that they have no interest in supporting the withdrawal of the Vanderburgh County Democratic Party from the Indiana State Party.

This is a developing story so check back as more details emerge.

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88 COMMENTS

  1. Looks like Team Weinzapfel is getting on board to back Winnecke.

    Them suckers are trying to steal his agenda and corrupt him more than they did with the Homestead Tax Grab. Winnecke oughta tell these hyenas to stick their endorsement where the sun don’t shine.

    They will ruin any hope he ever had of doing something decent.

  3. WOW! are they scared or what! must be some might juice stuff that they want to keep hidden from the public. So it begs the question if they are willing to go to such a length to maintain their power structure the skeletons they are wanting to stay buried must be very damaging…jail time I wonder?

    All of this cannot be simply based on them being mad at Davis and Lindsey, there has to be much much more to this story….surly they are not that petty?

    JMHO

  4. Why in the world was David Mosby there when is not an elected official, nor is he a candidate? He shouldn’t be a Ward leader either as he has no interest in this election other than to cause a DEMOCRAT candidate to spend approximately $6,000 plus in attorney fees because he cannot accept the fact that the voters in the 6th Ward are tired of the Mosby BS. Of course they would attack the two candidates that have been strong without the machines help, especially when they are not there to respond. They are afraid that once Davis, Lindsey, etc get in office, that all of their skeletons will be revealed. It’s about time someone represents the citizens FOR the citizens and not for themselves.

  5. Are you kidding me? For those of you wondering when the big boys were going to rescue Ms. Robinson, here it is. But to secede from the state party? That is near treasonous. What the blazes is going on in this city? Grow up! It is clear the walls are closing in on the machine and they are in panic mode. BTW…a huge BRAVO to State Rep. Gail Riecken for walking out of this monstrosity and wanting no part of state secession. Dan Adams too!!! These are true representatives of the people!!

  6. Did Mr. Jarvis drive this meeting of the Democratic Confederacy of Vanderburgh County? Shouldn’t their County Chairman Mr. Owen be calling the meetings instead of their hired operative?

    • I think Owen & Whinney-Zappel got him a Free Pass (Jarvis)…or get out of jail free card. ….I doubt Owen called the meeting, probably was the King himself that called it after all it is his kingdom that is crashing down around him. 😉

      JMHO

  7. So one of their own breaks the rules and their reponse is to run away from the rule makers. That is intersting. The fact that they would propose leaving the state party shows what I have been saying all along. It is NOT about the party. It is ALL about the power.

  8. You are right. David Mosby has ALOT of skeletons. Plus where do Owen, Weinzapfel and the rest get off by taking vanderburgh county out of the Indiana democrat party. They are not the voice of ALL democrats in Vanderburgh county. And why weren’t all the elected precinct committeemen invited to this meeting????

    • I’d imagine Mr Williams is going to be mighty upset about this he has aspirations too ya know.

      JMHO

  9. Let me count the City Councilmen in attendance. Adams, Walker, John, Robinson, Friend, and Mosby.

    That makes 6 which makes a quorum of the Council.

    I think Team Weinzapfel may have just violated the Sunshine Law.

    Was this meeting advertised to the public?

    • No it was not. It wasn’t even advised to ALL the democrat elected precinct committeemen or office holders. It was advised to WEINZAPFEL croonies.

    • Didn’t need to be advertised because city business wasn’t discussed.
      Did you read the article? They met to discuss the Vanderburgh county Democratic Party. Learn the law idiot!

      • They are part of the County Democrat Party IDIOT!!! They were ELECTED as a committeeman and/or office holder!!! So how about you realize what elected means before you start your ranting and raving about it!!!!!

      • LOL…bit touchy on the subject are we?…as a registered democrat my personal belief is that I have a right to know what my party leadership is doing behind closed doors, I wonder how they would like it if the next election cycle if all of us unimportant democratic voters registered as republicans or independents? without subjects to lead/bleed they have no power at all.

        JMHO

        • You ought to switch now so that you can support the best candidate for mayor – Lloyd Winnecke!!!

          • LOL….a stuffed shirt howdy dowdy banker who is lead around by his wife cowering in her shadow…not likely. 😉

            JMHO

        • Blanger, here they allowed “Private Citzen” Dave Mosby to attend Democratic Chairman Jefferson Davis Owen’s meeting at the HQ. So as a fellow registered democrat “Private Citizen” you should also be able to attend all the rest of their 8:15 am meetings to discuss if and when when they will withdraw from the Indiana State Democratic Party. Bring donuts to share and provide Mr. Jarvis with your preferred e-mail address.

          • Unfortunately unlike them at 8:15am I’m at work and I doubt they would appreciate my comments anyway….but I would have loved to be a fly on the wall after Adams and Riecken left the meeting.

            JMHO

      • Since we’re making wishes, here’s a few:

        If only Owen were as important as he thinks he is…

        If only Connie were as important as she thinks she is…

        If only Weinzapfle were the powerful leader he thought he was…

        If only Connie hadn’t sold out her neighbors for her sweet contracts to save her toilet paper…

        If only her neighbors would follow the queen and not think for themselves…

        If only we DEMS had had the guts a few years ago to put someone COMPETENT in our party Chairman’s position, we would not be in this mess…

        It’s okay, though, because we’ll see on election day who the people choose, and it will be Rick Davis.

        The status quo must go!

    • Do you honestly think I am *surprised* that this corrupt little group of insiders is supporting Mr. Winnecke? Why do you think I decided to endorse Mr. Davis in the first place? If this isn’t proof positive of what my endorsement said, I don’t know what is.

      Frankly, every day that passes offers more proof that my critique of them back in 2007 was accurate.

      • ” Why do you think I decided to endorse Mr. Davis in the first place?”

        Because you’re a weasel!

        • As I said, every day that passes offers more proof that my critique of them back in 2007 was accurate.

          See Exhibit A above.

      • Yep, you were spot on… in your 07 critique.

        This little strategy session might be more evidence of my thinking that Davis (win or lose) already should have the power to destroy “the machine”…

  11. Perhaps this is the death knell of the political careers of some of the attendees. Me thinks some of these politicians should seceed to private life.

    • 2 — 1 to have the courage to change it, and the other to lie and backstab about it….

  14. No. Nor would I know what the Treasurer’s office employees are doing. But I’m sure the voters live that you’re posting while at the coroners office.

        • Della…Della….we’ve been waiting for you! Please tell us how succeeding from the state demo party is going to help the new (Whiney-Zapple inspired) Democratic Party Of Southern Indiana? Gonna be might hard for a candidate that has aspirations to run for a state seat or maybe even governor without their support (state demos). I’d say this is the death rattle of the machine.

          JMHO

  15. Johny’s legacy across this state will be how he destroyed the democrat party in southern Indiana.
    Mosby clan– Red is rolling in his grave.

  16. Good God! If this isn’t enough reason to vote for Rick Davis, I don’t know what is. These people are criminals and they need to go. They don’t have anyone’s best interest in mind other than their own and those that are in bed with them. I’s sure like a report on what side each person fell on this issue. Congratulations Rep. Reicken and Councilman Adams. You may be the only good apples in the bunch.

    • Yes!

      Every single Republican should read this and ask themselves: “Why is the entire corrupt leadership of the Vanderburgh Democratic Machine lining up behind Winnecke?”

      One thing is certain: it ain’t principle!

  17. Here’s what I’d like to know: why isn’t the Courier reporting on this??? Aren’t they supposed to be the main investigative journalism outlet in the area?

    Or should we only expect pre-packaged “official news” from them?

    • Because the Courier and Press checks facts and substantiates claims before printing allegations. There are two completely false statements attributed to “sources” in the City County Observer’s story. Both lies are key elements in the version of the story as given by CCO.

        • There was no discussion about secession from the state Democrat party, and there was no discussion of drafting or signing a document with the attendees endorsing Winnecke. Period.

      • C&P check facts first that’s pretty funny. I’ve seen stories where they have had the facts wrong more than once.

    • They are waiting for the official press release from Mr Owen, this succession from the state party will have the same end result as the south trying to succeed from the US…civil war among the two groups!

      JMHO

      • I’ll tell you one thing FO SHO’…if Larry Aiken were still alive, none of this nonsense would be going on in Central Committee. Larry was smart enough to swallow his pride and ego when he needed to.

        Too bad Mark Owen and David Jones are too dumb to know how much damage they are inflicting on themselves.

        Speaking of which, someone needs to ask Winnecke if he plans to retain Jones as city attorney in his administration…

      • If they are all gonna quit the party, shouldn’t the state party be looking into freezing the bank accounts, if they haven’t already stolen it all, until we can elect a sane replacement for Mr Owen?

          • Reason I asked is because you say “until we can elect a sane replacement for Mr Owen” when unless you’re a committeman, you have no vote in that election, Chuck. Neither does Rick since he isn’t a committeeman either. Or Dan Adams.

          • I understand how the process works and I believe the day will soon come, that the representatives of the party will get fed up with the questionable actions of Mark Owen and Alex Jarvis and make the change

          • That could be, Chuck. But the fact remains that you will not be included in the “we” who elects the next chairman as you tried to indicate in your first try. That’s the problem with all you people who barely understand the political process, you spew out all sorts of mistaken assumptions about things you know nothing about and expect the reader to take you at your word.

    • Okay, first though here is the incorrect version as written by whoever the poorly informed writer is who repeated false rumors from “sources” who apparently are either devious individual or brain dead nitwits: “A letter of endorsement for Republican Candidate for Mayor Lloyd Winnecke to be signed by any of the invitees who wish to sign it was also discussed according to CCO sources.” Hogwash. Never happened. No discussion took place regarding a letter of endorsement of Winnecke for mayor. None, zip, nada. Complete falsehood.

      • When an obvious Central Committe operative like Clovis uses terms like “devious individual or brain dead nitwits” to describe sources, you can be assured the CCO got it right. Sounds just like the John Edwards love baby denials, the Mayors press release that a joint bi-partisan decision was made to not renew the homestead tax exemption at the Mayor’s April Fools day conference room meeting and Clinton’s finger wagging I did not have sexual relations with that woman.

  19. Is that John Paul Josey? No, it’s too early. He doesn’t saddle up to the bar until 8 p.mm.

  20. Interesting that Eric Williams did not attend. As all of the insiders already know, he is the “anointed one” to run against either Winnecke or Davis in the next election. I guess they are trying to protect him from the taint of being associated with their activities.

    He will absolutely crush Winnecke as the “unity” candidate for Dems. I’m not so sure he could unseat an activist and populist sitting Democratic mayor, however…

    • LOL….your probably right about the tainted part, but then again the imposing figure of a man in uniform with a gun and hand cuffs might have given them all a reason to pause.

      JMHO

  21. Andrew Smith has NO credibility!! Here’s what others have to say about Andrew Smith and his company: “they marketed themselves like the Red Cross and operated their business like Dracula”-Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon 10/24/03; “Used their credit counseling business to deceive nearly 300,000 consumers about the services they provide, the fees they charged amd their status as a not-for-profit company” – Federal Trade Commission 1/11/06 and the list goes on and on. This is why Andrew Smith was run out of town.

    • LOL. The poster is referring to a company called Ameridebt, which I ran as interim CEO for 4 months after their entire management team left in disgrace. I am the one who decided to shut the company down.

      As for being “run out of town,” if you call raising $5MM in venture capital during the worst recession in living memory being “run out of town” more power to you. Louisville suits me just fine!

      Sorry folks, but the political dirty tricks are really pretty irrelevant at this point, seeing as how I’m not running for office!

    • I should add for the sake of public record that the wrongdoing at Ameridebt occurred literally years before I was brought in.

      (Sheesh. As if I need another reminder of what a stellar group of human beings the Machine has at its disposal.)

  22. I was in this meeting and nothing was ever discussed about endorsing Lloyd Winneke or withdrawing from the State Party. YOU can’t. The Vanderburgh County Democrats operate as a division of the State Party as provided by state law.

    • Clearly the topic of endorsing Winnecke was discussed. Connie Robinson’s endorsement was the reason for the meeting.

      • Again, there was no discussion regarding the attendees en masse endorsing Winnecke as the CCO article attributes their “sources” alleging. That is total hogwash.

          • Furthermore, why weren’t committeemen/women invited? I know I certainly was not! But if I had been, this is the message I would have delivered: ENOUGH!! Grow up! Democrats have chosen their candidate, and you should be respectful of that and ashamed of your recent behavior. Mr. Owen, if you have any decency left, resign immediately and take Alex Jarvis with you. I hear the Terry White campaign is hiring.

    • We got the visual: Chairman Owen and you reprimanding Vice-Chair Robinson for her public endorsement of Mr. Davis opponent and threatening she’d be kicked out of your secret morning meeting at HQ if she didn’t withdraw her endorsement. LOL.

  23. Rev. Brooks on Connie Robinson from today’s Courier&Press article:

    “I told him she is our most effective local person in politics,” Brooks said.” (Sarkissian, C&P)

    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

    What she is is an embarrassment.

    An embarrassment to voters: telling them to stay home and not vote.

    An embarrassment to her party: endorsing the opposition party’s candidate.

    An embarrassment to the city council: with her private business dealings with corporations doing business with local political subdivisions.

    When looking for a political leader to represent the local black community Rev. Brooks would do well to aim a little higher.

    __

  24. This is pathetic! A house of cards tumbling down, blown over by the very children who are its caretakers.

    As many have stated before, the only way to rise above the manure is to elect Davis as mayor. These people would make his life hell but I think he can handle that. He seems to be doing so now.

    If Winnecke is elected, Weinzapfel, John, Mosby and all the rest will be given 4 years of time and space to regroup all the while Winnecke will be collaborating with everyone to help put Humpty Dumpty (Dem. party) back together. And we really don’t need to have the party put back together in it’s current condition.

    Thanks to the two adults in the group, Gail Reicken and Dan Adams, for walking out of the meeting. Interesting that there were only two level heads out of 17 in attendance.

    And, are you SURE that the sunshine law law was not broken? Most such laws are very strict. I am sure they talked about more than their mutual dislike of Davis. We all know that there were mentions of city and county business at this meeting. You can’t separate politics and government on a practical level especially in the middle this heated election. With this much heat, someone is going to get cooked.

    • Very well said.

      Electing Davis will have two very positive benefits for Evansville:

      1) The Machine will be finally, irrevocably dismantled. A new, principled Democratic party will rise in its place.

      2) The Republicans will finally have to start standing on principle, too. They will no longer be able to cut backroom deals for scraps off the Machine’s table.

      This may be the most important election Evansville has ever had.

  25. “Dr. H. Dan Adams is reported to have advised Councilwoman Connie Robinson that she absolutely has the right to free speech and that she may endorse anyone that she wishes but that doing so while Vice Chair of the Democratic Party may be a violation of State of Indiana Party Policy.”

    * * * * * * * * * * *

    Ya think?

  26. It strains credulity to believe for even a minute that these democrats are so dense that they do not hear and understand the message coming from the people that they are fed up with the way they are doing the people’s business.

    The way I see it, the only hope this party has is Rick Davis!

    __

  28. Oh I can’t wait until November 8th when Rick Davis and Al Lindsey make Robinson, Mosby, and the rest of them eat their words. Connie Robinson and Mark Owens need to step down or the Indiana State Party needs to get rid of them!!!

  29. Applause for Representative Reicken and Councilman Adams. They are the type of office holders we can only hope for more of from both parties.

  31. I see that Jeffers is on the Winnecke train also, according to his commentary in the paper. Smoke another blunt Bill. His wanting Winnecke to win wouldn’t have anything to do with Rick Davis not hiring his daught in the Treasurer’s office would it. Just another slimey politician who forgot where he came from. I bet if you had a picture of Bob Brenner’s butt it would look just like Jeffer’s face since he had his nose up there for how many years? Why didn’t he hire her in his office that way every day could be a family reunion. Jeffer’s theme song should be smoke gets in your eyes.

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