SOUTH BEND, Ind. — St. Joseph County Democratic Party chair Don Westerhausen filed paperwork this afternoon filling several ballot vacancies ahead of the November 3rd election.

Autumn Kaylor will fill the vacancy for County Auditor; Dan Caruso & Marcy Kauffman will run for New Carlisle Town Council at-large; and Christy Donlon will vie for the Walkerton Town Council.

“Indiana law clearly states political parties may fill a ‘candidate vacancy that exists before the thirtieth day before a general’ election,” explained Westerhausen. “We look forward to seeing Autumn, Dan, Marcy and Christy’s names on the November ballot so voters have choices in their respective elections.”

For more information: communication@stjoedems.com

Subscribe now

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The following is a statement from St. Joseph County Democratic Party chair Don Westerhausen regarding today’s unnecessary and undemocratic decision by the GOP-controlled County Election Board to disqualify five Democratic candidates appointed to fill vacancies on the November election ballot:

Today’s hyper-partisan St. Joseph County Election Board proceedings proved one thing: The Clerk of Circuit Court Amy Rolfes has surrounded herself with incompetent, partisan hacks.

For example, GOP Election Board chairman John Jurgonski rammed through the disqualification of five Democratic Party candidates without even hearing from the candidates affected.

After ruling against the candidates, the public learned from several of our first time candidates that they had asked the Clerk’s office if their paperwork was in order and various Deputy Clerks assured them it was.

If the Clerk is taking a neutrality position on paperwork accuracy, informing them everything was in order is ineptitude at best, and deception at worst.

Furthermore, this is a Clerk’s office in such disarray that earlier this summer they contacted us — The Democratic Party — asking if we had retained copies of candidate paperwork because they had lost or misplaced them, blaming her office move as the reason.

The Clerk of Circuit Court’s office is supposed to be a neutral, nonpartisan arbitrator. Today, much like the election deniers who lead their party — President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Diego Morales — they proved they would go so far as to deny St. Joesph County voters a choice in several races this November.

Democrats believe in democracy and allowing voters choices. The Republican Party, led by the hyper-partisan Amy Rolfes, does not.

We will refile our candidates, as allowed by Indiana law. We are confident we will prevail.

For additional information, contact communication@stjoedems.com.

Remember, we must defeat Trump’s MAGA sycophants and enablers right here in St. Joe County.

It has been 170 days since Donald Trump launched his illegal and stupid war against Iran. And his chief enabling sycophant and all-around-coward (see below) Rudy Yakym has voted six times to continue this war and blames Joe Biden for Trump’s failing economy.

Folks, we must win all our local campaigns this year! To do this, we need your help: donate, volunteer, show upand stay informed! In solidarity — St. Joe Dems

Upcoming events:

Saturday, August 22rd | 10:00am until 2:00pm

Let’s Take Democracy for a Walk!

Saturday canvassing. Bring a friend, bring your cellphone, wear comfortable shoes, and we’ll take care of the rest. We’ll provide all the training you need, pair you up if you’d like, and make sure you feel confident before you head out...

St. Joe Dems Headquarters | 2411 E Mishawaka Ave, South Bend, IN 46615

SIGN UP TODAY!

Trump’s stupid, deadly, never-ending war.

Ossoff: ‘Something uniquely despicable about lying a nation into war’ | The Hill

... “Remember, last year, they claimed Iran’s nuclear program had been obliterated? Then, this year, they claimed it posed an imminent nuclear threat? Both times, lies. On day one of the war, listen to this, day one, the president said the war was quote, ‘Ahead of schedule.’ Ahead of schedule. On day four, he declared victory. Today is day 170... on day nine of the war, the incompetent Pete Hegseth guaranteed Iranian surrender. On day 14, he claimed Iran’s military had been destroyed. On day 40, he said every single objective had been achieved. That was four months ago...”

MAGA’s murderous, mass deportation campaign.

The Cost of Deportations Calculator | Economic Policy Institute

... The 2025 Republican tax and spending megabill (the OBBBA) enabled the Trump administration to take your taxpayer dollars to pay for mass deportations. This calculator helps you see what the money could have funded instead through the remainder of Trump’s term...

Trump’s mass deportation campaign — enthusiastically supported by Rep. Rudy Yakym — is costing each St. Joseph County taxpayer $1,674!

🐓 Rep. Rudy Yakym is a coward. 🐓

WNDU’s Joshua Short tries repeatedly to get Yakym to answer why he never holds open town halls.

Rudy evaded with a word salad of “Hoosiers Hoosiers Hoosiers Hoosiers focused on ‘productive conversations’ Hoosiers Hoosiers Hoosiers Hoosiers Hoosiers Hoosiers...”

Rudy is a coward.

🤡 Joe Thomas, Amy Drake & Jamie O’Brien played starring roles in bringing Amazon & Microsoft to St. Joe County. 🤡

Subscribe now

Earlier this week I went to the budget meeting the County Council had with the local Department of Health.

The one that Amy Drake gutted, with the help of her MAGA pals in Indy. The one that included hard-working folks that she terrorized.

And she wasn’t even there to hear about the positions that had to be cut and how they’re doing their best with their limited funds.

Some may argue she is trying to avoid any flubs or mistakes, but her hyper-partisan newsletter is proof she doesn’t care. Some may say she doesn’t find the work of the health department important. That may be her truth, but we believe her absence says something more.

It says she’s scared. She’s scared of facing the department she harassed before and after being elected (by just 35 votes!). She’s scared of the community she serves. But most of all, she’s scared of us.

She’s scared that we’re going to win.

We were there Monday, and we learned how much their budget has been slashed under Amy Drake. We learned how many incredible programs they have been able to keep running despite less money from the state and county. And we learned Amy Drake doesn’t care about our neighbors here in St. Joe County.

WATCH:

In a recent partisan blog, Amy Drake asked, “What can Ranjan offer to give you for free?”

Well, we’ve never offered anything for free, but here’s an actionable list:

• We will respect expertise (especially from highly trained medical professionals)

• We will not harass and terrorize St. Joseph County employees

• We will offer a comprehensive plan on how to evaluate future data center proposals (not just asking nicely in sternly worded letters after we’ve given them massive tax breaks).

• A citizens advisory commission to remove partisanship and gerrymandering from redistricting

• We will put out a list of roads that will be repaved every year

• The decency to show up for the meetings that affect YOU!

These are all common-sense (and common decency) actions that, despite being free, Amy Drake and her MAGA colleagues can’t seem to ever afford.

If you’re interested in bringing civil work back to civil service, please visit voteforranjan.com to learn how you can support our campaign to defeat Amy Drake.

And if you are interested in property tax relief for seniors, as I heard from a constituent I met last week, be sure to visit the county auditor’s website for any forms you may need.

With gratitude — Ranjan

DONATE to Ranjan!

SIGN UP TO KNOCK ON DOORS

Subscribe now

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The St. Joseph County Democratic Party is taking their monthly meeting outside with their 3rd annual Picnic in the Park:

Saturday, August 8, 1:00—3:00pm, Potawatomi Park, Pavilion 1 (2105 E Mishawaka Ave, South Bend, IN 46615).

All three statewide Democratic candidates set to speak — Jessica Bailey (Comptroller), Beau Bayh (Secretary of State) & Coumba Kebe (Treasurer) — as well as our local Democratic candidates.

For more information: communication@stjoedems.com

Additional Saturday events (CLOSED PRESS):

Additional News:

Democratic Party blasts Jamie O’Brien’s performative hypocrisy on data centers.

... To be crystal clear: Jamie O’Brien played a leading role in the passage of both the Amazon and Microsoft data centers...

... The Amazon and Microsoft deals had Jamie O’Brien’s stamp of approval on them from the beginning.

To whine today about the structure of these deals is the height of hypocrisy.

It is literally the disgraced former County Council Attorney criticizing the work of the disgraced County Council Attorney...

Disgraced former County Attorney Jamie O’Brien standing before the County Council decrying data centers and calling for a two-year moratorium was some of the most performative hypocrisy we’ve seen in a while.

To be crystal clear: Jamie O’Brien played a leading role in the passage of both the Amazon and Microsoft data centers.

In 2024, when Amazon’s secretive shell company Razor5 sought rezoning while hiding beyond non-disclosure agreements, it was the County Council Attorney — Jamie O’Brien — who made sure the deal was in legal compliance with county ordinances.

When the rezoning vote for Microsoft’s Granger site took place, it was O’Brien providing the legal and procedural guidance to the Council.

Later that summer, when Amazon was gifted a $4 billion tax break, it was Jamie O’Brien advising the Council on the structure of the contracts and tax ordinances.

The Amazon and Microsoft deals had Jamie O’Brien’s stamp of approval on them from the beginning.

To whine today about the structure of these deals is the height of hypocrisy.

It is literally the disgraced former County Council Attorney criticizing the work of the disgraced County Council Attorney. Everything he is decrying about the Amazon and Microsoft deals went through him first.

Equally laughable is County Council members Joe Thomas and Amy Drake joining O’Brien to declare themselves the anti-data center coalition.

Fact: Amy Drake voted in favor of the Razor5 shell corporation’s rezoning request that cleared the way for Amazon.

Fact: Joe Thomas voted for the Microsoft rezoning and voted to give Amazon — the wealthiest corporation in the known universe — a $4 billion tax break.

The record is clear: While members of both parties supported these data centers, Joe Thomas, Amy Drake & Jamie O’Brien played starring roles in bringing Amazon and Microsoft to St. Joseph County. For them to suggest otherwise is hypocritical and false.

TIMELINE

January 10, 2023 — Jamie O’Brien assumes the role of St. Joseph County Council attorney.

Councilwoman Amy Drake made the motion to nominate O’Brien, which was seconded by Dan Schaetzle. The nomination passed 6-3: In Favor (6): Amy Drake, Dan Schaetzle, Joseph G. Thomas, Randall L. Figg, Bryan Tanner, and Mark Root. Against (3): Rafael Morton, Diana Hess, and Mark A. Catanzarite.1

March 12, 2024 — Rezoning request for a “secret” developer.

County Council voted to approve a rezoning request for a massive 640-acre parcel of agricultural farmland near New Carlisle. At the time of the vote, county officials were negotiating under a non-disclosure agreement with a shell company named Razor5, LLC. County economic development directors later revealed Razor5 was a front utilized to acquire the footprint for what would become the multi-billion dollar Amazon Web Services (AWS) campus approved later that summer.2

Amy Drake voted in favor of this rezoning request on behalf of Amazon’s shell company.3

Jamie O’Brien did not object to the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) while serving as County Council attorney during Razor5 rezoning. His responsibilities focused on procedural compliance and legal formatting for the county’s ordinances.

May 14, 2024 — Initial rezoning approval for Microsoft data center.

The project first came before the County Council when Microsoft petitioned to rezone the vast farmland northeast of Capital Avenue and Cleveland Road. At the time, the tech company was not yet publicly identified. The County Council officially voted to approve the industrial rezoning, clearing the very first major hurdle to allow a data center on the site. The rezoning passed 6-3 with Joe Thomas voting in favor.4

When the rezoning vote for the Microsoft Granger site took place, Jamie O’Brien provided legal and procedural guidance to the council.

August 13, 2024 — Amazon’s $4 billion tax break.

The County Council voted 7-2 to give final approval to four separate bills granting Amazon a 10-year tax break—specifically, a 50% property tax abatement and an 85% tech equipment tax break. Joe Thomas voted in favor of the tax break for Amazon.5

Amazon Web Services (AWS) secured an incentive package valued at approximately $4 billion to $4.2 billion over 35 years for its data center campus. When combining local property incentives with state-level sales tax exemptions, some watchdog tracking groups estimate the total value of the “megadeal” could reach as high as $8.2 billion over the life of the project.6

Jamie O’Brien did not publicly speak out against the Amazon Web Services project while serving as the County Council attorney in August 2024. As the council’s legal counsel at the time, his role was focused on advising the body on the legality and structuring of the contracts and tax ordinances.

In June 2026, compliance reviews revealed Amazon had $38 million in property taxes abated in just the first six months of 2026. This massive sum led four Republican council members to send a sternly worded letter asking Amazon to voluntarily give up a portion of their tax breaks or pay into a local relief fund to offset rising resident property tax bills.7

Jamie O’Brien’s last day as the County Council attorney was January 28, 2025. His two-year tenure concluded during the council’s public meeting when the they voted to replace him.8

Jamie O’Brien did not publicly speak out regarding data centers at any point during 2025.

Throughout 2025, O’Brien maintained a low profile in county politics following his departure as County Council attorney in January of that year. During the major December 2025 council showdown—where the council ultimately voted 7-2 to deny a third multi-billion dollar data center—the public pushback was led entirely by local grassroots neighborhood coalitions and sitting council members. O’Brien did not join that public debate or issue any policy statements on the matter until he formally launched his campaign for the County Council seat in early 2026.

In December 2025, Jamie O’Brien was investigated for receiving Public Employees’ Retirement Fund (PERF) benefits for which he was ineligible. Under Indiana Public Retirement System (INPRS) rules, an employee must work at least 1,000 hours per year to qualify. O’Brien only logged roughly 200 hours per year during his tenure as county council attorney.9

During the review of the controversy, the St. Joseph County Council Rules Committee established that, based on county ordinances and state guidelines, the County Council attorney position is completely ineligible for public retirement benefits.10

JAMIE O’BRIEN’S PERFORMATIVE DATA CENTER TRANSFORMATION

Jamie O’Brien’s first known public opposition to data centers came in February 2026 when he attended a town hall meeting about the Microsoft facility in Granger organized by his Democratic opponent, Jan Cervelli.

He did not call for a moratorium: “In my opinion, data centers should be in much less populated areas and in areas that want and embrace them, and that’s certainly not Granger at this point.”11

Again, two years earlier, O’Brien was the County Council Attorney reviewing and signing off on the Microsoft agreement.

On July 28, 2026 his performative nonsense came full circle when he delivered a speech to the County Council proposing an immediate two-year countywide moratorium on all large-scale data center developments.

O’Brien bemoaned “utility usage, water usage and disposal, noise, construction, traffic and disruption to residential neighborhoods.” All concerns he should have addressed when he was reviewing these agreements as the County Council Attorney!12

JAN CERVELLI (D)

Jan Cervelli first publicly spoke out and took major action against the data center developments in February 2026 when she organized a town hall in Granger.

As an urban planning expert, a St. Mary’s College professor, and the Democratic nominee for the St. Joseph County Council District C seat, Cervelli emerged as an early organizer of community pushback far ahead of her opponent, Jamie O’Brien.

February 18, 2026: The Granger Town Hall

Cervelli organized and moderated a heavily attended public town hall meeting at the Harris Branch Library in Granger. The forum brought together environmental experts and county officials to publicly challenge the transparency of Microsoft’s upcoming hyperscale data center project on the St. Joe Farm site. During the event, she emphasized that tech companies must be transparent about how their operations impact local infrastructure. Jamie O’Brien showed up at the town hall organized by Cervelli.13

March 24, 2026: Official Petition for a Data Center Pause

Cervelli brought a formal petition directly to the St. Joseph County Council. Warning that hyperscale facilities were “flooding into communities” without resident awareness, her petition requested:

• A temporary freeze on improvement location permits before construction could begin.

• The creation of a special public utility commission to independently study and publish the facilities’ environmental and economic impacts.

• A total ban on future data center tax abatements and non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) between the county and developers.14

For over a week St. Joseph County has held department budget meetings in the run up to the most important thing the County Council does every year: Set the County’s budget.

Amy Drake has missed every budget meeting to date.

But that hasn’t stopped her from writing ill-informed, partisan blog posts.

Seems Amy is upset over a recent Facebook post by the St. Joseph County Democratic Party:

“ICE is murdering people in the streets & Trump’s stupid war with Iran is neverending… but, hey, at least Todd Young and Rudy Yakam had time to take a fancy boat ride. But Hoosiers still can’t have healthcare.”

OK, Amy, we’ll bite… what part of this is inaccurate?

True, we did misspell Rudy’s name (maybe if he ever held a town hall we’d know how to spell it).

But these are facts: ICE is murdering people in the streets. Trump’s stupid war with Iran is neverending. The boat ride does look fancy (both Young & Yakym are wearing really nicely starched shirts). And Hoosiers still can’t have healthcare.

Is it the healthcare part that’s so upsetting for Drake?

While she mocks our party chair “Dr. Don” — known to us as Don Westerhausen MD FACC, a doctor with four decades of experience treating patients and the past president of the Indiana Chapter of the American College of Cardiology — it is hard to argue things are going well when it comes to healthcare in Indiana.

We rank 38th in infant mortality, 38th in maternal mortality, and 34th in pre-term birth rates… Over half of our state’s rural hospitals have shuttered their obstetric units, leaving 42 counties completely lacking local labor and delivery services.

We are consistently among the 10 worst states for cancer death rates… and our life expectancy is two years lower than the national average.

Thanks to Rudy Yakym’s consistent votes against healthcare in Congress, approximately 25,000 St. Joseph County residents have no health coverage at all. The recent cancellation of Affordable Care Act subsidies only added to that number.

The ripple effect of these cuts is leading to Hoosiers facing some of the steepest rate hikes in the country. Individual insurance premiums in Indiana are projected to jump 43%, while out-of-pocket costs for patients average roughly $3,155 annually — significantly higher than the $2,710 national average.

And then there is Amy Drake’s reign of terror against our County’s public health. She worked to aggressively downsize the St. Joseph County Health Department by driving a massive funding contraction from $6.2 million down to $1.7 million. She repeatedly blocked critical health initiatives, including a $100,000 opioid-reversal grant, over her public opposition to “health equity” terminology. Her highly publicized political interventions ultimately forced the abrupt resignation of top county medical officials who warned that her actions crippled basic local healthcare delivery.

Yes, Amy Drake… Hoosiers still can’t have healthcare… because of rightwing fanatics like you and Rudy Yakym.

So, maybe sit this one out. Like you have for the past week’s budget meetings.

Volunteer! Donate! Show up!

Together we can win in November.

Stay vigilant — Councilwoman Jenn Shabazz

PS — While Amy Drake couldn’t be bothered to attend our budget meetings, it was great to see our nominee for County Auditor Autumn Kaylor and County Council candidates Lori Camp and Ranjan Rohatgi (who will defeat Amy Drake!) at several of this past week’s meetings!

Former Border Patrol leader to speak at ‘mass deportation’ rally in Fishers | Indiana Capital Chronicle

Counter protest, rally both planned for Aug. 1

... Greg Bovino, once the face of the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign, will speak at the invitation-only rally and a private dinner in Carmel organized by Save Heritage Indiana...

... The group will air video remarks from Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith, according to an online invitation and X posts...

... Indiana Democrats... said “Greg Bovino is a disgrace. He even thanked the ICE officer who killed an American citizen. Now, he’s headlining an event along with elected Indiana Republicans including Micah Beckwith for a new Indiana political organization aiming to ‘end all immigration’ and deport thousands of legal immigrants. It’s another reminder that this November we are facing candidates and elected officials on the other side who want armed agents on our streets, in our schools and at our workplaces.”

Will incumbent MAGA Assessor & Florida-man Mike Castellon condemn his buddy Micah Beckwith for speaking a racist rally?

🚨 Anger management issues? GOP Sheriff candidate Rod Laureys suspended again! 😠

St. Joseph County Sheriff Nominee faces second suspension | WSBT22

... Rod Laureys, the Nominee running for St. Joseph County Sheriff, has been suspended for six days without pay for crossing state lines during a police chase... Laureys told WSBT22 he also requested to perform a PIT maneuver, a policy he wrote, but he was denied...

RELATED: Democratic Party chair condemns violent comments by GOP sheriff candidate Rod Laureys | 10/7/2025

Laureys overheard saying “I want to shoot Democrats” at a public event.

“... Not only is Rod Laureys running for the highest law enforcement position in our county, but he currently serves as a deputy sheriff and should know better.

“We cannot, and will not, tolerate violent speech in our political discourse. We demand the St. Joseph County Republican Party publicly condemn Rod Laureys’ violent comments and we call upon county law enforcement to conduct a thorough investigation into this matter...” — St. Joesph County Democratic Party Chair Don Westerhausen

Mike Hamann 🔥

Subscribe now

“Here’s what’s going to happen tonight. The world’s most famous sore loser will deliver a prime time presidential sour grapes address to pursue his six year old grievances about the 2020 election… If there’s one person who committed election fraud in Georgia, it’s Donald Trump...” — Sen. Jon Ossoff

Last night’s speech by Trump was absolute horse manure. Sen. Jon Ossoff’s accurate statement above is all the analysis we need!

Here’s what Trump didn’t address:

ICE is back to murdering people in our streets, causing chaos across the country... Gas and grocery costs continue to rise... the ceasefire with Iran is over for the umpteenth time... and the corruption-in-broad-daylight by the Trump family and his cronies is so blatant even his teleprompter operator is in on the illegality!

We can end the chaos, corruption and rising costs crushing Hoosier families by crushing MAGA’s sycophants and enablers at the polls right here in St. Joseph County!

Early voting starts in 81 days!

Volunteer! Donate! Show up!

Together we can win in November.

Be vigilant — Don Westerhausen, Chair, St. Joseph County Democratic Party

Tomorrow we are knocking on doors!

Our August picnic!

MAGA’s murderous, mass deportation campaign.

AP Exclusive: ICE officer in Maine shooting has history of violent behavior, family and records say | Associated Press

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer who shot a Colombian man in Maine this week is an Army veteran who has struggled with serious mental health issues since early childhood and never should have been given a badge and gun to patrol American streets, several of his close relatives told The Associated Press.

David Brouillette has a history of terrifying and violent behavior, according to those relatives. They accuse him of attacking women in his life over the years, and one shared a voicemail with the AP from last winter in which he told her that he thought someone should slit her throat.

Brouillette’s troubling past further challenges how thoroughly the Department of Homeland Security has vetted recruits as it went on a hiring spree...

... Ashley Brouillette told the AP that she spoke to her ex-husband in a Facebook audio call, and he acknowledged that he had killed Durán Guerrero. Their 18-year-old daughter, Madison Brouillette, also told the AP that her father called her Wednesday and said that he shot and killed Durán Guerrero...

LORENZO SALGADO ARAUJO: The American Dream Shot Dead | Closer to the Edge

... His name was Lorenzo Salgado Araujo. Fifty-two years old. Mexican-born, Houston-built. He’d been in this country longer than some of the agents who killed him have been alive. He ran his own construction crew — a real one, a builder, the kind of man who drove other men to job sites before the sun was up and made sure they got paid. The men who worked for him called him el mundo entero. The whole world. Write that down. Underline it. That’s not a nickname you get from being ordinary...

Their last words before ICE murdered them...

Racist Greg Bovino coming to Indiana for racist rally with racist Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith.

Beckwith and Bovino scheduled to be part of ‘Mass Deportation Rally’ in Fishers | The Indiana Citizen

Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith and former U.S. Border Patrol Commander-at-Large Greg Bovino are slated to be featured at an Aug. 1 event in Fishers hosted by an anti-immigration nonprofit that says it aims to “save Indiana’s heritage by reversing mass migration”...

... “I’m speaking unfiltered at the first Mass Deportation Rally in U.S. history with Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith,” Bovino said on X...

Beckwith ignites new round of criticism after claiming Islam worse than Nazism | The Indiana Citizen

... Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith, in his latest remarks condemning Islam, claimed that the religion is “actually worse” than Nazism, called for the state to take steps to ban the Islamic call to prayer and said mosques’ funding should be investigated…

Under Gov. Braun, Indiana is flush! But, Hoosier families still can't have nice things.

Gov. Mike Braun spent the week bragging about how fiscally flush we are with cash reserves topping $4 billion... meanwhile kids go hungry...

Cuts to SNAP, Medicaid could impact free school meals at high-poverty schools | Indiana Capital Chronicle

... The Center for American Progress identified 643,773 Hoosier students who were eligible for free or reduced-price meals individually or through school participation in the Community Eligibility Provision whose automatic enrollment could be in jeopardy... And an estimated 174,000 Hoosier children are no longer insured through Medicaid...

... “We have a bare refrigerator” by the end of the month, said Alexandra McMasters, a single mother of two children living in Clinton...

Indiana leads nation in decline of children insured through Medicaid | Indiana Capital Chronicle

... An estimated 174,000 fewer Hoosier children were insured through Medicaid programs in April compared to January 2025... That’s a 20% decline — the highest rate in the nation, the report found...

Portage Township trustee raises concerns over alleged eviction notices | South Bend Tribune

The Jefferson apartments has drawn the attention of the Portage Township Trustee’s office after residents of the apartment complex said that they were threatened with eviction for publicly speaking out about sewage backups and a lack of emergency maintenance response... Portage Township Trustee Jason Critchlow said, the office has received a steady increase in complaints about the apartments after residents found what appeared to be sewage water rising in their sinks.

“These folks were just panicked, and they were saying how their sewage was backing up and getting ready to overflow into their carpets,” Critchlow said. “There’s nobody down at the office in person for them to actually talk to about this”...

💩 Cyclospora... Thanks RFK, Jr. 🚽

2026 Democratic candidates!

WATCH: State Treasurer nominee Coumba Kebe makes the case for universal healthcare

... Universal access to healthcare isn’t radical. It’s common sense and a basic human right. Talking about healthcare as a human right is only “controversial” because of the few people + systems that benefit from keeping it that way.

Scott Ruszkowski earns endorsements from Ironworkers & IBEW unions

“Received yet another Union endorsement from our brothers and sisters at Union Ironworkers Local 292, and a quadruple-❤️ from the hardworking folks of Electrical Workers Local 153...”

Mueller selected for Harvard-run city leadership initiative | South Bend Tribune

South Bend Mayor James Mueller is one of 46 mayors worldwide selected to participate in the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, a professional management program during which South Bend’s chosen focus area is addressing barriers to entrepreneurship and small businesses...

Subscribe now

This boondoggle is dead, at least for now, for two reasons: The people of North Liberty rose up in opposition and South Bend Councilmember Oliver Davis fought right by their side.

The Midwest Continental Divide Trail is a proposed bike and pedestrian path designed to link South Bend’s west side with Potato Creek State Park and North Liberty, but the project was officially scrapped by St. Joseph County officials following heavy pushback from local property owners.

Originally signed into law last year by Gov. Mike Braun, many farmers and local homeowners testified they were entirely left in the dark, only finding out about the trail’s proposed route days before local approval votes.

North Liberty residents and farmers aggressively opposed the Midwest Continental Divide Trail project due to its lack of transparency, fears of property rights infringement via eminent domain, and worries over declining property values.

Photo credit: WSBT

Dr. Oliver Davis, who is running for State House District 7 against incumbent Republican Jake Teshka this November, publicly questioned and criticized the $40 million project, voicing skepticism regarding its return on investment and prioritizing other community initiatives.

Under intense public pressure, Rep. Teshka reversed his stance on the project—moving from an initial supporter to a vocal critic who apologized to constituents and pledged to repeal the very state law that authorized the trail commission.

And while this is good news, proof public pressure still works, and leaders who fight like Oliver Davis matter, there is one outstanding issue: Do we get the initial half-million-dollars spent on this project back?

According to County records, $553,360 has already been spent on this so-called “plan” with $337,500 authorized by the St. Joseph County Redevelopment Commission to pay no-bid consultants tasked with pushing the project forward.

The consultant publicly identified in the planning of the Midwest Continental Divide Trail project is Community Redevelopment LLC, led by local attorney Shawn Peterson — a longtime associate of County Councilman Randy Figg (R).

Will the St. Joseph County Redevelopment Commission — stacked with hand-picked appointees by County Commissioner Carl Baxmeyer (R) — claw back the $337,500 paid out to Randy Figg’s flunkie for a project now dead?

Are we seriously going to continue allowing incompetence and chaos to be rewarded by no-bid contractors and the stooges on the St. Joseph County Redevelopment Commission?

Given the overwhelming rising costs St. Joseph County families are facing due to policies supported by the likes of Teshka, Council members Figg and Joe Thomas, and Baxmeyer, that $337,500 — not to mention the bill’s overall $40 million — could pay for quite a few summertime school lunches or universal daycare and/or, god forbid, healthcare! — Dr. Don Westerhausen, chair, St. Joesph County Democratic Party

Subscribe now

... President Donald Trump said he hasn’t decided whether he will sign a bipartisan housing bill, dismissing the landmark affordable housing legislation as “a big yawn” and “so unimportant”... — ‘A big yawn’: Trump says he’s unsure on signing affordable housing bill | USA Today

Local Democrats lead on affordable housing initiatives for working-class Hoosiers.

Earlier this year, led by St. Jospeh County Council President Bryan Tanner (D), the council approved a Land Bank to help jumpstart affordable housing options.

The St. Joseph County Regional Land Bank is a multi-jurisdictional collaboration between the county, the City of South Bend, and the Michiana Area Council of Governments (MACOG) designed to transform roughly 300 blighted, vacant, and tax-delinquent properties into affordable housing. Backed by a $20 million Lilly Endowment grant and $500,000 in initial city startup funds, the program bypasses standard demolition by clearing property titles and acquiring problematic real estate that failed to sell at public auctions. A seven-member board oversees the initiative, managing the properties and strategically transferring them to local developers to revitalize neighborhoods and boost the regional housing supply.

Additionally, the City of South Bend secured nearly $199 million in funding through the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program to support six local housing developments. The funding will directly finance new construction and major renovations —including projects at Stadium Flats, Western Avenue, and Beacon Heights — ultimately creating or preserving over 1,000 affordable housing units for seniors and working families across the city.

“Every one of these awards represents families gaining a safe, stable place to call home,” declared South Bend Mayor James Mueller (D) last week.

Indiana assessed value rises 10% since 2025 | Indiana Capital Chronicle

... “The whole assessment system is something that needs to be looked at,” Gov. Mike Braun told reporters this week — after saying he’d like to “figure out” if the process is “opaque” last month...

... Cheryl Marshall spent three years preparing to leave her Fort Wayne house following big increases in her property taxes. Rent was “too high,” so she bought a condo in a high-rise.

“I’ve been looking so forward to the tax break that we were supposed to be getting,” she said, following the major property tax changes in 2025’s Senate Enrolled Act 1...

... Instead, her bill last month —$808, or $1,615 for the year — was about the same she would have paid for her old house, despite an assessment at one-third the home’s...

This Midwestern state leads the nation in home foreclosures as US filings jump by 26% | FOX News

Foreclosure filings are hitting red states the hardest among the 118,727 properties affected in the first quarter of 2026

... Indiana was hit hardest and logged one foreclosure filing for every 739 housing units in the first quarter of 2026... This is nearly two-thirds higher than the nationwide rate...

... The latest data released in April shows that red states are being hit the hardest by the sweeping affordability crisis — and with the 2026 midterm elections approaching, economic woes are at the top of mind for many voters and policymakers...

... Against that backdrop, experts say rising mortgage rates, higher living costs and other homeownership expenses are putting increasing pressure on some homeowners, pushing up monthly payments and making it harder to keep up with housing costs...

Subscribe now

"Observers are noting that the reflecting pool fiasco, in which Trump created the idea there was an emergency, ignored experts, bypassed normal procedures to give a wildly inflated contract to a crony, bragged about his success, ignored the problems, claimed his enemies had sabotaged him, and finally stationed troops around the landmark he had turned into a swamp, represents the Trump administration perfectly..." — Letters from an American, by Heather Cox Richardson

As we prepare to celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday, it’s not fireworks we are facing, but gaslighting from MAGA sycophants like Sen. Jim Banks and Rep. Rudy Yakym.

Instead of working to lower costs and combat corruption, Banks took to the Senate floor this week to complain about “record-low” poll numbers among Gen-Z Americans and their low sense of patriotism and national pride.

And, Yakym seems to think patriotism means taking as many selfies as he can in front of the empty National Mall, with Lee Greenwood, Trump, toy RVs, and even fancy cakes!

Maybe, young folks are not feeling very patriotic these days because politicians like Banks and Yakym keep voting for policies that make life more and more expensive... college unaffordable... homeownership and rent prohibitively expense... healthcare unaffordable and simply unavailable.

Maybe Gen-Z’ers (and everyone else) are sick of politicians like Rudy Yakym voting four times to allow Trump to continue his stupid war with Iran!

Truth is Jim Banks and Rudy Yakam don’t know what patriotism is.

Daniel “Chappie” James Jr. was a patriot. He flew 101 combat missions in Korea and 78 more in Vietnam. He was America’s first Black four-star general. Former Fox News weekend host Pete Hegseth removed his portrait from the Pentagon.

Harriet Tubman was a patriot. She was an abolitionist who escaped slavery and risked her life leading enslaved people to freedom through the Underground Railroad. During the Civil War, she also served the Union Army as a scout, nurse, and the first woman to lead an armed American military assault. The Trump Administration deleted her image and quotes from the National Park Service website.

According to America’s Voice, “40,000 immigrants currently serve in the U.S. Armed Forces as of 2024 – filling critical roles from medics to cyber defense specialists.”

Yet, countless “veterans have faced criminal prosecution or are seeking legal damages after being wrongfully detained by immigration authorities.”

For example, Sae Joon Park is a patriot. He is a Purple Heart recipient who had his deferred action protection revoked last year after checking in regularly with immigration officials for 14 years, forcing him to self-deport. “They allowed me to join, serve the country — front line, taking bullets for this country. That should mean something,” he said. “This is how veterans are being treated.”

And Renee Good and Alex Pretti were both patriots. Both were just 37-years-old, American citizens and Minneapolis residents who were fatally shot by federal immigration officers in January 2026 amidst local protests against the Trump administration’s mass deportation operations. Good, a mother of three and local writer, was killed in her car by an ICE agent, while Pretti, a Department of Veterans Affairs intensive care nurse, was shot weeks later by Border Patrol officers while participating in protests surrounding her death.

Both were patriotically exercising their 1st Amendment protected right to protest.

So do not let like cowards like Jim Banks and Rudy Yakym gaslight us! We know who our nation’s real patriots are!

And we will be all over St. Jospeh County this weekend patriotically celebrating our nation and advocating our policies to save our nation from the corrupt, tyrannical Trump regime.

Stop by our booth at the 4-H County Fair from July 3-11... or catch us at the North Liberty Fourth of July Parade... or the Walkerton Fourth of July Parade...

Or go door-knocking with Jenn Shabazz, Jason Critchow, Amy Cressy, Vic Cummings, Autumn Kaylor, Lori Camp and more on Monday, July 6th (more details below)!

Ida B. Wells was a patriot. The legendary journalist, civil rights leader and co-founder of the NAACP, said it best: “The only way to possess liberty is to be constantly vigilant.”

Be vigilant — Don Westerhausen, chair, St. Joseph County Democratic Party

Signup today for door knocking with Jenn Shabazz, Jason Critchlow, Amy Cressy, Vic Cummings, Autumn Kaylor, Lori Camp and many more!

Monday, July 6, 5:30pm | Counterspell Cafe | 908 Portage Avenue

In other words, Drake and O’Brien will celebrate someone who advocates making life more unaffordable for working moms and their families… all for the low, low price of $100,000!

Pullman wrote the “truth is, ‘affordable childcare’ is itself a scam” and called Head Start “pretty scammy!”

Head Start, first enacted in 1965, is a federally funded program providing free, comprehensive early childhood education, nutrition, health, and family support services to low-income families.

O’Brien and Drake could not be more out-of-touch with everyday Hoosier families.

This is the same Amy Drake who spearheaded the GOP so-called affordability agenda — consisting of tax cuts, more tax cuts, tax deferments and ways to pay your taxes monthly — only to have it unanimously struck down by the GOP-controlled County Commission!

Drake’s opponent, math teacher Ranjan Rohatgi, condemned this out-of-touch view of daycare:

“My wife and I both work full-time teaching (plus she works part-time as a nurse practitioner!). We can attest to just how un-affordable daycare is in St. Joseph County (we pay $450-per-week!).

“In this extremely expensive economy, working-class families depend on dual incomes and hopefully affordable daycare to just survive. We should be looking to expand affordable daycare and programs like Head Start, not advocating their demise by hosting far-right crackpots.”

Demand leaders who put our families first, ahead of partisan politics. Unite behind Jan Cervelli and Ranjan Rohatgi to defeat MAGA hacks like Jamie O’Brien and Amy Drake!

In his rant he vowed to “obtain and share publicly 100% of all properly available communications concerning the Granger Data Center so that there is full transparency…”

And who exactly was the County Attorney when Amazon negotiated their $4.2 billion tax break and Microsoft’s data center in Granger got approved?

Jamie O’Brien.

Jamie O’Brien was the County Attorney whose job it was to review both the Amazon and Microsoft deals… and today he is complaining about the lack of transparency.

Hypocrisy abounds.

The cost of MAGA’s corruption is crushing St. Joseph County families.

That is why we must defeat Jamie O’Brien by electing Jan Cervelli to County Council, District C.

Over the next 111 days let’s volunteer, show up, and donate. Together, we can win this!

In solidarity — Don Westerhausen, chair, St. Joseph County Democratic Party

PS — We are supporting candidates up and down the ballot this year with literature, digital ads, mailings etc. For example, 2500 printed door-hangers featuring our five countywide candidates, Commissioner candidate Bill Redman, Council candidate Jan Cervelli and our Harris Township team, cost us $696.

Please chip in what you can so we can continue to give our candidates and volunteers the tools to win!

DONATE

Subscribe now

County Clerk Amy Rolfes — aka our corrupt Secretary of State Diego Morales’ BFF and Guatemala travel buddy — appeared in an ad endorsing the Hoosier state’s Secretary of Corruption & Incompetence!

Morales’ corruption has reached a level of toxicity that even MAGA sycophants Sen. Jim Banks and Attorney General Todd Rokita have un-endorsed him.

But not Amy Rolfes… rather than preparing for the upcoming general election (after making an absolute mess of last month’s primary), she is standing by her BFF, making fancy campaign ads, and proclaiming, “Diego has been such a superstar!”

The cost of MAGA’s corruption is crushing St. Joseph County families.

That is why we must defeat Amy Rolfes and elect Stephanie Ball as our next Clerk of the Circuit Court.

Over the next 111 days let’s volunteer, show up, and donate. Together, we can win this!

In solidarity — Don Westerhausen, chair, St. Joseph County Democratic Party

DONATE TODAY!

Subscribe now

We have a tremendous slate of candidates this year and they all need our help.

The way we defeat Trump and the rising costs and the mind-boggling corruption and constant chaos is by defeating his MAGA enablers right here in St. Joe County!

So let’s start knocking on doors and showing up to meetings and community events. Find a candidate you like and host a house party or BBQ... volunteer... donate... share their social media posts... get involved!

Starting with this Saturday’s Monthly Democratic meeting: June 13th, 9:30am, Legends at Notre Dame. Our speakers will include Alex Wait (our nominee against MAGA State Rep. Dale DeVon) and Lori Camp (our nominee for County Council District E).

And if you cannot attend, join us via Zoom (details here).

RSVP

But, wait, there’s more: Several of our candidates will be attending the North Liberty Strawberry Festival this Friday and Saturday...

Amy Cressy, our candidate for Prosecutor, is hosting a golf fundraiser on Thursday, June 18th... and later that same evening our nominee for Assessor, Vic Cummings, is hosting a happy hour fundraiser...

And our newly formed Latino Caucus is hosting a World Cup Watch Party featuring several of our candidates on Wednesday, June 24th... You can track our events all summer via Mobilize.

Together we can countywide, win control of the Commissioners and County Council, and win township races! Let’s get to work! — Don Westerhausen, chair, St. Joseph County Democratic Party

DONATE

Trump: "I love the inflation."

Trump says ‘I love the inflation’ after consumer price index hits 3-year high | CNBC

President Donald Trump on Wednesday said, “I love the inflation” after being asked if he was concerned about new consumer price index data that showed the annual inflation rate at 4.2%, a three-year high...

... “You know what I really love? I love the inflation. You know why?” Trump said. “Because as soon as this war is over, you know I can say it now ... you know we’ve been taking out millions of barrels of oil”...

Mapping the farmers ruined by Trump’s war with Iran and the MAGA reps to hold accountable | The Democracy Labs

... “The price of nitrogen fertilizers jump has almost doubled to around $700 per metric ton, since Trump and Netanyahu attacked Iran. The Middle East is a large exporter of urea and nitrogen products.” - CNBC...

400,000 Hoosiers lose Medicaid coverage.

More Hoosiers go uninsured, resulting in higher emergency department usage | WTHR

Indiana hospitals are reporting a double-digit increase in the percentage of emergency department visits since the start of 2025 — a rate that is expected to climb as more Hoosiers go without health insurance or opt for high-deductible plans to offset surging premiums.

Nearly 60,000 fewer Hoosiers signed up for insurance through the Affordable Care Act exchanges this year following the expiration of enhanced tax credits that once kept their monthly premiums low...

... Another 400,000 Hoosiers are no longer covered by Medicaid since the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration imposed additional eligibility checks...

... Meanwhile, those insured through employer plans are reporting unsustainable monthly premiums, pressuring them to consider high-deductible plans or forego coverage altogether...

... Emily Meyer, a case manager in Martin County... said her family’s premium increased from $400 to $1,000 a month this year for a high-deductible plan.

“So, not only am I paying $1,000 a month for insurance, I’ve got an $8,000 to $10,000 out-of-pocket expense on top of it,” she said. “What’s the point of having insurance if I’m already paying that much out of pocket?”...

MAGA’s mass deportation campaign.

The Darkest Chapter of Immigration Enforcement Starts Now | Migrant Insider

Congressional Republicans just spent another $70 billion on mass deportations. The only silver lining here is that ICE will never get its legitimacy back.

Two votes. That’s the margin — 214–212, party-line — by which House Republicans put mass deportations on steroids Tuesday night, passing a $70 billion budget reconciliation package that bankrolls immigration enforcement through fiscal year 2029 with no Democratic votes...

... We are entering an unprecedentedly dark chapter for immigration enforcement. But if there is any solace to take from this loss, it’s that the political consensus on ICE is permanently broken. The agency is the most hated federal agency in America. Opposition is everywhere — and wildly unafraid of the agents hiding behind masks in their communities...

NOTE: The author, Pablo Manríquez, is a University of Notre Dame alum (2006).

Trump’s corruption.

President Trump pardons former Republican congressman from Indiana convicted of insider trading | WTHR

President Donald Trump has issued a pardon to Stephen Buyer, a former Republican congressman who served nearly two years in prison for making illegal stock trades...

RELATED: Trump stock trades fuel accusations of corruption and profiting off presidency | PBS News

ALSO VERY RELATED: Rudy Yakym Stock Trading Activity | Insider Trading Tracker

EXCLUSIVE: Inside the White House Freakout Over the Epstein Files | New York Times Magazine

The president’s top advisers gathered in a series of Situation Room meetings as they struggled to contain a scandal engulfing Donald Trump himself...

2026 Democratic candidates!

The job of sheriff includes understanding trauma | Opinion by Henry Mudari, South Bend Tribune

“… The next sheriff must know they will be the chief administrator of the county’s largest mental-health focal point, crisis responder and community bridge-builder. To succeed, they must understand trauma, how it influences behavior, fuels crisis and guides interactions with law enforcement. To his credit, the current sheriff is leaving behind footprints of established precedent where none dare trod before him. Sheriff William Redman’s leadership in navigating poverty, homelessness, crime and incarceration and mental health and addictions merits more than our collective standing ovation…”

Beau Bayh defeats Blythe Potter for Democratic secretary of state nomination | Indiana Capital Chronicle

... “Hoosiers are ready for something different, something better. They’re tired of insider dealing, they’re tired of the corruption. That’s why I’m going to open an independent audit to root that out on day one,” Bayh told reporters after winning the nomination...

❄️ SNOWFLAKE WARNING ❄️

🤡 CORRUPT KNOWS CORRUPT 🤡

Upcoming events.

Subscribe now

For Morales, his corruption reached a level so toxic that even notorious insider-stock-trader Sen. Jim Banks and serial ethics violator Attorney General Todd Rokita dropped their support for his reelection.

Scandal is nothing new to Diego Morales… accused of committing voter fraud in 2018… a 2020 presidential election denier… allegations of exaggerated valorconcerning his military record… and multiple accusations of sexual harassment.

Once in office, Morales doubled down on corruption:

• Morales was referred to state ethics investigators for violating campaign laws and subsequently banned from a county election center.

• Office mismanagement and nepotism have also haunted Morales. He hired his brother-in-law into a six-figure position and circumvented state guidelines to hand out thousands in questionable taxpayer-funded staff bonuses and massive salary raises while other state workers received nothing.

• Morales doled out millions in no-bid contracts to campaign donors, used government funds to purchase a $90,000 luxury GMC Yukon Denali, and took a 10-day unannounced state trip to India without disclosing who funded it.

Even with all this corruption and chaos, Epstein-class elites like Sen. Jim Banks and AG Todd Rokita still endorsed Diego Morales’ 2026 reelection… until it was revealed Morales’ chief-of-staff was accused of being a non-citizen who was illegally registered to vote.

Game over for Diego.

In St. Joseph County, Diego Morales’ BFF (best friend forever!) and Clerk of the Circuit Court Amy Rolfes is replicating her mentor Diego’s corruption and chaos locally.

Starting with the controversial nearly 50-percent pay bump to $100,000-per-year just six months into her term, Rolfes has run a Diego-Morales-like chaotic Clerk’s office.

Rolfes took what she called a “unique opportunity” to fly internationally on a junket to Guatemala with Diego Morales. Rolfes claimed her Guatemala experience gave her “a new perspective in election administration” — which is disturbing considering human rights groups say the nation is heavily influenced by a “criminal oligarchy“ — a network of corrupt political, economic, and military elites who control key state institutions to protect themselves from prosecution.

After penning a glory-be-upon-me opinion piece this spring — I’m seeking reelection. Here’s what I’ve done as county clerk — Rolfes promised us “fair and secure” elections while vowing to “pay attention to detail at every step along the process.”

Well, some important details have not exactly been paid attention to:

• Pre-Primary allegations of absentee ballots being slid under the door into the ballot room without a Democratic representative present.

• Two eligible 17-year-old voters denied their registration to vote in the May Primary (Indiana law allows 17-year-olds to vote in primary elections if they will turn 18 by the time of the general election).

• Ballot errors in Walkerton causing Primary Day chaos among voters.

Rather than taking responsibility, our $100k-per-year Clerk Amy Rofles fired longtime staff member Trisha Carrico in an ill-advised office shakeup just 155 days before the November election.

Maybe this is the kind of “new perspective” Rolfes learned in Guatemala with Diego Morales?

Democrats will decide between two outstanding candidates at our convention this Saturday — Beau Bayh or Blythe Potter

RELATED: Electability, future of party on minds of delegates as Democrats choose secretary of state nominee | Indiana Capital Chronicle

St. Joe Democrats stand with our nominee for Clerk of the Circuit Court: Stephanie Ball

Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith faces backlash after calling Islam a ‘demonic death cult’ | WNDU

... “These remarks are outrageous and completely unacceptable. I’m a Hoosier and a Muslim. There are tens of thousands of Hoosier Muslims in our state. First responders. Teachers. Doctors. Small business owners. Veterans. We deserve the same dignity and respect as anyone else.” — Rep. André Carson

Trump’s immoral war.

Trump’s Iran War Was a Failure | The Bulwark

... The bad news is that since Trump is our president, the country will pay a price for his foolishness and recklessness and hubris. And the damage that’s been done is real... It is a depressing but unavoidable fact that in this instance, Trump’s defeat is also America’s. And it’s important to acknowledge that this defeat will be very difficult to reverse...

Rudy Yakym has voted against the War Powers Act four times since Trump illegally declared war on Iran. Yakym could stop this war if he had courage. He does not.

Trump: Affordability crisis is a 'hoax.'

Mike Johnson says lawmakers’ $174K+ salaries haven’t kept up with inflation — they need stock trading for support | yahoo!finance

... Rank-and-file members of Congress make $174,000... For 2025, Johnson scheduled the House for 136 working days in Washington... Members also get federal health benefits through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, a defined-benefit pension that kicks in after five years of service, Thrift Savings Plan matching and allowances for travel and office expenses. They keep their pay during recesses and stay pension-eligible after leaving office...

Poor members of Congress... How are they supposed to survive on only $174k per year + full benefits while only working one-third of the year?!?

RELATED: Ramirez, García, Simon, Mejia, Workers & Labor Leaders Introduce the Living Wage for All Act | Rep. Delia Ramirez (IL-03)

“The need for a living wage couldn’t be clearer. The gap between the wealthy and everyone else keeps widening.Corporate profits are at a record high and bosses are actively cutting their workforces, undermining organizing efforts, and trying to replace labor entirely. Meanwhile, working families are struggling to pay their rent, buy groceries, and go to the doctor. It’s past time that workers are paid what they deserve.” — Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04)

Gabrianna Gratzol for State Senate, District 11

MAGA’s mass deportation campaign.

Pregnant, Indicted, and Not Backing Down: Rep. LaMonica McIver Returns to Delaney Hall (EXCLUSIVE) | Migrant Insider

... On the one-year anniversary of the Delaney Hall confrontation, McIver introduced the “No Delay for Immigration Oversight Act” with Watson Coleman and Menendez — legislation that would permanently codify Congress’s right to immediate, unimpeded access to ICE detention facilities and require the termination of federal contracts with any private operator that blocks a visit...

2026 Democratic candidates!

Heidi Beidinger-Burnett chosen to take vacant South Bend Common Council seat | WNDU

... “I care about people. They matter. Everybody has a story. Everybody deserves to be able to thrive in our community. I was taught that at a very young age from my mom and dad, take care of each other, take care of our family, take care of our neighbors, and that has been with me through my entire career,” said Beidinger-Burnett...

Upcoming events.

Saturday, June 13th, 9:30am, Legends at Notre Dame | Monthly Democratic meeting

Can attend in person? Join via Zoom (details here).

MORE EVENTS

DONATE via ActBlue

Subscribe now

Corruption-addled Jamie O’Brien and anti-public health extremist Amy Drake are holding a “Replenish 100” joint $100,000 (!) fundraiser next month featuring Joy Pullman, author of a baseless condemnation on daycare and Head Start.

Pullman wrote the “truth is, ‘affordable childcare’ is itself a scam” and called Head Start “pretty scammy!”

Head Start, first enacted in 1965, is a federally funded program providing free, comprehensive early childhood education, nutrition, health, and family support services to low-income families.

O’Brien and Drake could not be more out-of-touch with everyday Hoosier families.

This is the same Amy Drake who spearheaded the GOP so-called affordability agenda — consisting of tax cuts, more tax cuts, tax deferments and ways to pay your taxes monthly — only to have it unanimously struck down by the GOP-controlled County Commission!

Drake’s opponent, math teacher Ranjan Rohatgi, condemned this out-of-touch view of daycare:

“My wife and I both work full-time teaching (plus she works part-time as a nurse practitioner!). We can attest to just how un-affordable daycare is in St. Joseph County (we pay $450-per-week!).

“In this extremely expensive economy, working-class families depend on dual incomes and hopefully affordable daycare to just survive. We should be looking to expand affordable daycare and programs like Head Start, not advocating their demise by hosting far-right crackpots.”

Demand leaders who put our families first, ahead of partisan politics. Unite behind Jan Cervelli and Ranjan Rohatgi to defeat MAGA hacks like Jamie O’Brien and Amy Drake!

Trump’s immoral war.

House vote on Iran war powers resolution fails for third time | CBS News

The House voted for a third time against acting as a check on President Trump’s military powers in Iran, even as a growing number of Republicans express concern about the prolonged conflict.

Thursday’s vote on a Democratic resolution to rein in Mr. Trump’s authority was 212-212, falling just short of a majority...

Rep. Rudy Yakym could have stopped the Iran war if he had courage. He does not.

Holding Michiana’s Lawmakers Accountable: Reaching out to Rep. Yakym’s office | ABC57

For 19 straight business days, ABC57 has been attempting to call and email Indiana Second District Congressman Rudy Yakym asking for an interview. We are aiming to speak with him about some of the big issues of the day, including gas prices, inflation, and the war in Iran...

MAGA’s mass deportation campaign.

AOC Leads Outrage at PunchUp Revelation ICE Relocated Agent Who Killed Renee Good | Punch Up

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has led furious Democratic outrage at PunchUp’s discovery that ICE has quietly relocated the agent who shot dead unarmed American mother Renee Good.

As PunchUp reported Monday, Jonathan Ross, 43, was moved out of Minneapolis after just three days on administrative leave for the fatal Jan. 7 shooting, and is now back on duty in a fresh posting, handling investigations and administrative work…

100,000+ more Hoosiers will lose healthcare.

Indiana Medicaid changes will leave more than 100,000 without coverage, according to advocates | WFYI

... Republicans championed SB 1 as a legislative priority that would bring the state in line with work requirements and eligibility checks on welfare programs instituted at the federal level...

... Now, Tracey Hutchings-Geotz with Hoosier Action said a new analysis shows over 100,000 additional people could be cut from Indiana’s Medicaid program because of the changes made by state Republicans.

Hutchings-Geotz said the change won’t save the state money.

“We’re really setting ourselves up for more expensive costs in the future by making our population poorer and sicker,” she said...

US freezes Medicare enrollments for new home healthcare and hospice providers | Reuters

The Trump administration will block new home healthcare and hospice providers from enrolling in Medicare for at least the next six months... It is the latest move by Vice President JD Vance’s anti-fraud task force...

... CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz did not provide specific evidence to reporters on Wednesday to explain ​why the Trump administration believes it is necessary to bar new enrollments across the U.S., as opposed to in specific areas...

JD Vance’s so-called anti-fraud task force should look at Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s $92 billion spending spree on lobster, sushi, ribeye steaks... FBI Director Kash Patel’s private jet fetish... or Trump’s billion dollar ballroom... instead of cutting off hospice care for 2 million Americans!

Diego Morales is a gift to Indiana Democrats | Indy Star

2026 Democratic candidates!

Enter Autumn Kaylor!

Autumn will bring a disciplined, transparent, and accountable approach to managing taxpayer dollars as our County Auditor.

Upcoming events.

Wednesday, May 20th, 6:00pm, Howard Park Event Center | Caucus to fill 4th District Councilmember Troy Warner’s open seat

Sunday, May 24th, 1:00pm | Canvass with Ranjan

Join Ranjan as he sets out to meet neighbors in District B. We will meet at a private residence in Swanson Highlands... Sign up using this form and we will give you the meeting location.

Monday, May 25th, 8:00am | South Bend Memorial Day Parade

Join the St. Joseph County Democratic Party as we walk in the Westside Memorial Day Parade. More details / RSVP here.

SAVE THE DATE: Saturday, June 13th, 9:30am, Legends at Notre Dame | Monthly Democratic meeting

DONATE via ActBlue

Subscribe now

Autumn fills our final countywide candidate slot, joining Amy Cressy (Prosecutor), Stephanie Ball (Clerk of the Circuit Court), Scott Ruszkowski (Sheriff), Vic Cummings (Assessor), and District 1 Commissioner nominee Bill Redman.

Autumn’s story is an American story:

In 1979, her “family fled Vietnam on a small boat during a storm, running out of food and fuel after days at sea. They were rescued by a Japanese ship captain who had been ordered not to stop—but chose to act anyway, knowing their lives depended on it. Because of his courage, her family survived. Autumn was later born in a refugee camp in Japan and came to the United States as an infant.”

Autumn is eminently qualified to lead our county as Auditor:

A Certified Treasury Professional (CTP), she earned an MBA from the University of Notre Dame, served 15 years with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and ultimately built a career in corporate finance, managing financial operations and working through audits.

Autumn and her husband live in Granger, where they are raising three children, including a son currently serving overseas in the U.S. Air Force.

We are confident Autumn Kaylor will bring a disciplined, transparent, and accountable approach to managing taxpayer dollars as our County Auditor.

Learn more about Autumn here and join me in donating to her campaign!

In solidarity — Don Westerhausen, chair, St. Joseph County Democratic Party

Subscribe now

Scott Ruszkowski wins Democratic nomination for County Sheriff!

“My whole career, everything I’ve ever done, ever since I was able to do it, from the military all the way to where I am now, has always been about the people; put my trust and confidence in the people...” — Scott Ruszkowski

Lori Camp wins Democratic primary for County Council District E seat, South Bend Tribune

“... We all want the best for our children. We all want good jobs. We all want a good environment, parks and libraries, health department. So all those things, I’m going to take in consideration all of the constituents...” — Lori Camp

Democrat Decio targets affordability, Trump as ‘bully’ for campaign, South Bend Tribune

“... I think the thing that’s on everyone’s mind is affordability. Gas is too high, housing is too high, healthcare is too high. The American Dream seems to be slipping out of reach for most Americans, and I think the idea of someone going and fighting on your behalf to make your life easier is one that everyone can identify with.” — Jamie Decio campaign

Vic Cummings earns the most votes in St. Joseph County!

Congratulations to our nominee for County Assessor, Coach Vic Cummings, for earning the most votes of any candidate in the county on Tuesday with 12,857 votes!

For perspective, that is more than the entire GOP voter turnout!

The ongoing MAGA civil war.

Tuesday’s biggest GOP loser? Amy Drake.

Amy Drake barely survives primary challenge; ekes out win by less than 200 votes.

“There has been a lot of internal strife with the Republicans...” — Amy Drake

WATCH her unhinged press conference where she complains about how her GOP not-so-much affordability plan was defeated by the GOP.

We have a fantastic candidate for District B against in Amy Drake in Ranjan Rohatgi:

“... [about] MAGA extremist Amy Drake’s not-at-all ‘Affordability Agenda.’ The centerpiece of this misguided ‘plan’ to help a select few was struck down unanimously by St. Joseph County Commissioners on Tuesday. Yes, you heard right. The Republican Party just defeated the Republican Party’s so-called Affordability Agenda. The GOP-controlled Board of Commissioners opposed it, as well as several Republican countywide officials...” — Ranjan Rohatgi, Democratic nominee for St. Joseph County Council, District B

Indiana Senator Linda Rogers loses primary to Trump-endorsed candidate, South Bend Tribune

... [Brian] Schmutzler gave his thanks to Jesus and President Donald Trump, who had endorsed Schmutzler via a Truth Social post.

“He’s been awesome, his office has been awesome, and I thank him not only because he didn’t have to do this but that he cared enough about this race to say, ‘Hey, I’m going to support this guy I’ve never met from nowhere Indiana,’” Schmutzler said. “I really appreciate his support and would love to have his support in the general.

“I’m going to do everything I can to support his America First agenda”...

NOTE: One of Schmutzler’s TV ads referred to Democrats as an “existential threat” to the country. He is a dangerous fanatic.

Choose your fighter: Working-class mom Gabrianna Gratzol... or multi-millionaire Trump supporter Brian Schmutzler?

Meanwhile, gas is $4.99/gal.

Gabrianna Gratzol is a working-class mom who supports raising the minimum wage to $15/hour and will fight for unions! Her entire campaign is centered on making life affordable for our families.

Send Trump a message today — donate to Gabrianna!

MAGA hack Jamie O’Brien defeats Dan Schaetzle

“I’m sure my opponent [Schaetzle] isn’t particularly excited right now...”

That’s the ever-so-gracious-in-victory, scandal-riddled MAGA extremist Jamie O’Brien’s statement last night.

WATCH: “If I win in November, and join the council, my priorities will be dependent on whether the Republicans have the majority or not...” — Jamie O’Brien

Statement from Don Westerhausen, chair, St. Joseph County Democratic Party, on Jamie O’Brien’s nomination:

“Jamie O’Brien is nothing more than a petty, partisan hack. Last night his only concerns were himself and his MAGA sidekick Amy Drake. He didn’t thank the voters... instead he rubbed Dan Schaetzle’s nose in his defeat and immediately and publicly calculated his priorities.

“Their agenda is personal power and fealty to Donald Trump. Ideologues like O’Brien and Drake are driving up costs for Hoosier families and creating upheaval and chaos that is causing real harm in our communities.

“We demand leaders who put our families first, ahead of partisan politics. That is why we must unite behind Jan Cervelli and Ranjan Rohatgi to defeat MAGA hacks like O’Brien and Drake.”

County Council District C voters can elect longtime education leader, Democrat Jan Cervelli:

“Our county is facing major challenges of affordability, access to health care, and public safety... and is in need of purposeful leadership...”

Trump’s war of choice.

Pentagon says Iran war costs $25 billion. See how it measures up, USA TODAY

That’s roughly equivalent of the annual budgets of the Coast Guard, the National Park Service, and the Environmental Protection Agency, combined.

Iran Damaged or Destroyed Hundreds of Targets in US Bases, Reporting Reveals, truthout

At least 228 facilities or pieces of equipment have been struck, a new analysis finds.

... “Experts who reviewed The Post’s analysis said the damage at the sites suggested that the U.S. military had underestimated Iran’s targeting abilities, not adapted sufficiently to modern drone warfare and left some bases under-protected”...

MAGA’s mass deportation campaign.

Inside the quiet collaboration between Indiana police and ICE, FOX News 59

... Gov. Mike Braun last year signed an executive order directing state agencies to fully cooperate with ICE and “encouraged” local agencies to do the same. But a new state law removes local discretion and compels police departments and sheriff’s offices to comply more with federal immigration enforcement...

Couple in ICE custody fighting to be with dying Chicago-born son in his final days fighting cancer, ABC News 7

... Kevin Gonzalez has stage 4 colon cancer. His parents are being detained in Arizona. They were arrested trying to cross the border from Mexico to see their son. They are now pleading to be by his side...

... He was diagnosed after falling ill while visiting his brother and other relatives in Chicago this past Christmas. While he was born in Chicago, Gonzalez lived in Mexico with his parents, who were both deported from the U.S in the past. It is why their emergency visa request was rejected...

Trump’s ongoing corruption.

A Billion in Taxpayer Money for Trump’s Ballroom, The American Prospect

In his vanity, Trump seems determined to alienate Republicans in Congress from most voters.

Senate Republicans have added a billion dollars to a must-pass immigration bill for President Trump’s East Wing ballroom, which was supposed to be financed entirely with private donations. The billion is part of a $70 billion reconciliation package that finances the Department of Homeland Security. Democrats have blocked some of that funding to negotiate restraints on ICE abuses...

Release the Epstein files!

WATCH: Comer says Commerce Secretary Lutnick hasn’t been ‘100% truthful’ about Epstein’s island, PBS News

The Republican chair of the House Oversight Committee said Wednesday that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was not “truthful” about his Jeffrey Epstein ties...

... California Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna, who accused Lutnick of “changing his story” as new facts have emerged... Khanna said: “If Donald Trump had seen the video transcript, he would have fired Howard Lutnick. It was really embarrassing”...

2026 Democratic candidates!

St. Joseph County improperly rejects voter registration applications from 17-year-olds, WSBT

“In an era where we openly lament the lack of youth participation in our elections, accidentally rejecting two 17-year-olds attempting to lawfully vote in Tuesday’s primary is unacceptable. The current Clerk must take immediate steps to correct this error.

“Every effort should be made to EXPAND voter participation by our young adults, not contract it!” — Stephanie Ball, Democratic nominee for Clerk of the Circuit Court

What’s behind our grassroots campaign for county council, by Ranjan Rohatgi, South Bend Tribune

... we need to prioritize public health and safety. A thriving community is a healthy and safe one, and this can only be achieved through support of our Department of Health, not by cutting services or blocking progress. We need to support initiatives that help our most vulnerable, from the behavioral crisis center to low-barrier housing to the Crisis Service Unit in the county police department...

Behold the power of knocking on doors!

County Councilwoman Jenn Shabazz won one of the closest races Tuesday in her campaign for Precinct Committeewoman in South Bend by a 51-47 vote margin.

What’s her 4-vote victory secret? She knocked on her neighbors doors and asked for their support!

DONATE via ActBlue

VOLUNTEER

Subscribe now

“We are aware of numerous complaints from voters that County Councilwoman Amy Drake has set up a tailgate tent in cahoots with Turning Point Action in front of the voting center at Clay High School.

“Numerous reports have been filed that Drake and her dark money henchmen are being overly aggressive with voters and making them uncomfortable. These complaints have been forwarded to the voter protection team.

“For a rightwing fanatic like Amy Drake to publicly align herself with a dark money-funded Christian nationalist group like Turning Point Action does not surprise us in the least.

“Based in Phoenix, Arizona, Turning Point Action was founded by the late Charlie Kirk who openly advocated for a ‘great replacement strategy’ to establish a whites-only Christian nation and launched a campaign to discredit Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. calling him ‘awful’ and ‘not a good person.’ [1] [2]

“What does surprise us is Drake’s inability to read the room: Hoosiers are sick and tired of MAGA’s in-your-face, holier-than-thou style of politics that have given us skyrocketing prices, unprecedented corruption, and nonstop chaos.

“We urge voters to remain vigilant about exercising their right to vote today and ignore any thuggery from the likes of Amy Drake and her out-of-state mercenaries.”

1. Charlie Kirk in his own words: ‘prowling Blacks’ and ‘the great replacement strategy’, The Guardian

2. How Charlie Kirk Plans to Discredit Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Act, Wired

Subscribe now