Campaign watch

Learning Curve

It's easy to see why Indiana Gov. Mike Pence is so eager to embrace the pro-privatization forces working to dismantle public education. They spend lots of money, after all, electing politicians to support their mission.Tuesday

ALEC's star performer

ALEC, the corporate-controlled legislative group promoting a systemic destruction of public education, has released its annual report card. Indiana, ALEC's poster child for destructive reform, earns a B+ on the dubious roll and ranks it first in the May 9, 2013

Bad news for voucher supporters

A different state, a different decision. Louisiana's Supreme Court has ruled the funding mechanism for the school voucher program violates theMay 7, 2013

State Superintendent Tony Bennett has picked up another hedge-fund manager as a campaign supporter. A just-filed campaign finance report shows a $10,000 contribution from Paul Singer of 1 West 81st St. in New York City. (That's a lovely Central Park West view, if you're unfamiliar with NYC addresses.)

Singer, according to media reports, is the "publicity-shy" founder and CEO of Elliott Management Corp. and major GOP donor. He's also chairman of the conservative Manhattan Institute for Policy Research. Bennett met with Manhattan Institute representatives in September.

Another campaign contribution just posted comes from Edward D. Easton, a Miami-based real estate official who was part of Jeb Bush's campaign finance team. Easton donated $1,000 to Bennett's re-election effort.

Bennett's largest gift this week – $15,000 – comes from the Fort Wayne-based Northeast Indiana Political Action Committee for Better Government. The PAC's largest contributor is Richard Freeland, owner of the Pizza Hut franchises in northeast Indiana.