Indianapolis, Ind.--Indiana Democrats exposed the full cost of TEA Party Treasurer Richard Mourdock’s suit to liquidate Chrysler today, calling the $3M boondoggle a “financial loser from day one” and questioning why Mourdock agreed to terms offered by Chrysler before later filing suit. Democrats claim that they’re ready to campaign on the issue for the remainder of the summer, and have a brand for the series of events to follow: My Way or The Highway.
Mourdock famously attempted to liquidate Chrysler and nearly 150,000 Hoosier jobs alongside it in a 2009 lawsuit. At the time, Chrysler strongly challenged Mourdock in the press, asking if his “motives were financial or political.” Democrats echoed that concern while requesting information from Mourdock’s office earlier this year, and now say that Mourock transparently placed his political career over Hoosier jobs and fiscal responsibility.
“Richard Mourdock accepted Chrysler’s original offer before later choosing to sue,” said Indiana Democratic Party Chairman Dan Parker, referencing a 2009 Washington Post story that the Treasurer declined to comment on. “His communication with the Attorney General shows that Mourdock knew his suit would be a financial loser. Why did he choose to press on? Thousands of Hoosier jobs were put at risk and millions of taxpayer dollars were wasted.”
Mourdock’s lawsuit, which the Treasurer has previously contested cost just $2 Million, instead cost Hoosier taxpayers $2.8 Million after a significant discount from a $3.3 Million figure invoiced in December of 2009. Included among those costs were $8,722.60 for airfare, $10,662.82 for hotels, $8,015.17 for meals, $44,813.30 for Westlaw services and $2,017.65 for taxis.
“Richard Mourdock not only sued to liquidate Chrysler, he asked Indiana taxpayers to pick up the expenses for his Wall Street law firm,” said Parker. “Hoosiers don’t like politicians wasting their money. How will they feel when they find out that Richard Mourdock spent over $2,000 of their hard-earned money on taxis, $8,000 on meals, and $10,000 on hotels for his Wall Street lawyers?”
He's for responsible government as he lost track of $600 million dollars and spent $3 million trying to get us to lose Chrysler too.
What a sorry sack of #@$% (fill in the blank)
Posted by: Ryan | July 09, 2012 at 04:45 PM
Where in the hell was this guy eating, sleeping and what kind of taxi was he riding in?
Posted by: Anon | July 10, 2012 at 09:43 AM
If I understand this correctly, he paid more in legal fees than he would have lost the state if he accepted the bailout deal?
Posted by: Stewie | July 10, 2012 at 09:45 AM
Stewie:
Chrysler repaid their bailout loan.
The jobs that would have been killed by Mourdock would have had a spillover effect. (Those guys lose their job, stop being able to spend, and then other people lose their jobs too)
Some people don't like Chrysler because it got bought out by Fiat. This doesn't change the fact that thousands of jobs in Indiana exist today that wouldn't have if Mourdock got his way.
Posted by: Ryan | July 10, 2012 at 10:50 AM
Just don't vote for him on election day!
Posted by: Jim | July 11, 2012 at 08:21 AM
Jim: Don't worry, I'd show up just to vote for anyone that is running against Mourdock. It's the only election this year where I don't have to stop and think about which candidate to choose.
I'm not happy with Donnelly for the same reasons I'm growing unhappier with the Democrats every year. They're not a liberal party and many of them are working for the same paymasters that the Republicans are.
Mourdock is just one of those examples where a candidate is so crooked, corrupt, and rotten, that unless Satan himself appears on the other side of the ticket, I simply must vote for anyone who runs against him. This guy is some seriously bad news.
I would like to know what Donnelly would do if another SOPA popped up. Gary, do you think you can ask him if you ever get a minute to talk with him? :)
Posted by: Ryan | July 12, 2012 at 09:58 PM