State senators wasting time writing about Obama nominee

Indiana lawmakers were unable to perform the one task they were required to accomplish this year – adopt a new state budget.

But 31 of the Indiana Senate’s 33 Republicans did find time to sign on to a letter to Sens. Richard Lugar and Evan Bayh urging them to vote against Indiana University law professor Dawn Johnsen, whom President Obama wants to head up the office of legal counsel in the Justice Department. The state senators were apparently jumping because Indiana Right to Life, which doesn’t want Johnsen in the assistant attorney general role, told them to. The state legislature has absolutely no jurisdiction whatsoever on the U.S. Senate’s vote on Obama nominees.

Only two GOP senators declined to sign the letter: Vaneta Becker of Evansville and Teresa Lubbers of Indianapolis. Lubbers suggested that Lugar – one of the most intelligent and well-respected members of Congress – probably didn’t need her advice on how to vote on a sub-Cabinet secretary nomination.

Mourdock points finger at wrong person about pension fund

Indiana government lost some money on its Chrysler investments when the automaker filed for bankruptcy.

It was President Obama’s fault.

At least that’s who the man responsible for the state’s investments, state Treasurer Richard Mourdock, blamed this week.

Mourdock said it was Obama’s fault that the Indiana State Police pension fund lost nearly $150,000 and the Major Moves construction fund lost nearly $900,000, both on Chrysler bonds. Obama insisted that secured creditors receive only 29 cents on the dollar, Mourdock said.

“The managers did nothing wrong, but the portfolios have been victimized due to the actions of the federal government in the Chrysler bankruptcy,” Mourdock said.

What the state treasurer didn’t mention is that if the federal government had given no bailout money to Chrysler, the automaker would have likely filed for bankruptcy with fewer assets.

That would have meant less money for creditors.

Mourdock, a Republican, also failed to mention who in state government thought buying and keeping Chrysler bonds was a good idea. The company’s problems didn’t begin with bankruptcy.

So now, Mourdock says, the state will not be investing money in any company that received federal bailout aid.

He specifically said the state will not be investing in General Motors.

Good call.