Attorney General Todd Rokita leads 23-state effort to combat federal takeover of states’ elections
In a letter to congressional leaders, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita warns that a reckless piece of legislation under consideration on Capitol Hill “would allow the United States Department of Justice to usurp the authority states rightly possess over their own elections, essentially federalizing the election system.”
Attorney General Rokita’s letter opposing the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act — or H.R. 4 — is joined by 22 other attorneys general. Already passed in the House, the legislation requires states to obtain “preclearance” from the federal government before enacting election reforms such as voter identification requirements and voter list maintenance laws.
“This legislation is a misguided, clumsy, and heavy-handed effort to circumvent Supreme Court decisions, state sovereignty, and the will of the people,” Attorney General Rokita writes in the letter.
The legislation essentially establishes the U.S. Department of Justice as a national election czar dictating to states exactly how they must administer their elections.
“States that create laws based on what works best for their jurisdiction to respond to a crisis of confidence in our elections systems,” Attorney General Todd Rokita writes, “will inevitably be targeted by the Department of Justice leading to more confusion, litigation, and concerns over the validity of elections going forward.”
The proposed legislation ignores states’ legitimate interest in preventing voter fraud, safeguarding the right to vote and ensuring that every legal vote is counted without being diluted by illegal votes
Martinsville Man Arrested for Possession of Child Pornography
On Wednesday morning, Troopers with the Indiana State Police Bloomington District assisted Troopers with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) as they served a search warrant at a Martinsville residence that resulted in the arrest of Andrew L. Schaeffer, 20, on charges of possession of child pornography. The investigation by the Indiana State Police ICAC began in June when cyber tips were received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Those cyber tips along with an extensive investigation by Trooper Kevin Getz culminated in today’s arrest when Schaeffer was transported to the Morgan County Jail on Five (5) Counts of Possession of Child Pornography.
Anyone having any information related to crimes against children is encouraged to contact their local law enforcement agency or visit the NCMEC website at http://www.missingkids.com/home and find the link to make a CYBERTIPLINE report.
***All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CBU Investigates Recent Taste and Odor Complaints, Confirms Safety of Drinking Water
City of Bloomington Utilities (CBU) began to receive a series of taste and odor complaints on Friday, September 10 from across the service area. Drinking water tests performed multiple times daily have demonstrated that samples continue to be free of contaminants that affect public health. CBU’s water quality team is investigating the cause of the taste and odor complaints in order to eliminate the issue and restore the normal appeal of Bloomington’s tap water. Actions taken include flushing lines and tasting the water as it leaves the plant and each of the utility’s storage tanks. CBU is also doing additional testing for common taste and odor producers at the lake, the treatment plant, the storage tanks, and some sample sites in the distribution system where there have been complaints.
One possible cause for the taste and odor issues is the recent dry and warm weather, which can produce a spike in organic compounds produced by higher levels of algae. CBU’s treatment system is able to remove algae, but the taste and odor they produce sometimes persist after treatment. While they affect the aesthetic appeal of the drinking water, these compounds are not a health concern. In the meantime, customers should contact CBU’s water quality team if they have taste or odor complaints. The 24-hour line is 812-339-1444 or customers can send an alert through the UReport system at bloomington.in.gov/ureport.
Scam Alert from Bloomington State Police Post
The Indiana State Police Bloomington Post received several complaints this week from local citizens reporting a phone scam. ISP receives numerous reports of phone scams each year, but this particular scam has drawn specific attention to the area. The scammer called local citizens with the Caller ID showing “Indiana State Police” with the “812-332-4411” phone number. The scammer identified himself as an Indiana State Police officer and commenced to tell the citizen that he was the victim of ID theft. The scammer then asked the citizen to go to a local store and obtain a prepaid credit card or gift card; money that would then be used to assist the scammer to clear up this alleged identity theft.
Fortunately, this citizen did not fall victim to this scam, rather he became suspicious and immediately reported the incident to law enforcement. The Indiana State Police would remind all Hoosiers that these types of phone scammers are pervasive and technically savvy, as was definitely the case here. Scammers will often play on your emotions and fears in order to get to your money. The easiest way to protect yourself from being scammed over the phone is either to ignore unsolicited calls from unknown callers or just hang up when something doesn’t seem right.
You should never provide any information over the phone to an unknown caller regarding your personal identity, social security number, bank account(s), or credit card number(s). If in doubt, or if you feel you may have fallen victim to a phone scammer, just hang up and immediately report the incident to your local law enforcement agency.