Indiana Attorney General offers statement on Disciplinary Commission resolution
“First things first: I deny and was not found to have violated anyone’s confidentiality or any laws. I was not fined. And I will continue as Indiana’s duly-elected attorney general.
Despite the failed attempt to derail our work —which could have disenfranchised nearly 2 million voters, the largest amount in Indiana history for any state office candidate — it all boiled down to a truthful 16-word answer I gave over a year ago during an international media storm caused by an abortionist who put her interests above her patient’s. I received a ‘public reprimand’ for saying that “…we have this abortion activist acting as a doctor— with a history of failing to report.
The media, medical establishment ,and cancel culture, all on cue, supported—and then attempted to vindicate—the abortionist who intentionally exposed personal health information at a political rally all in furtherance of their shared ideological and business interests.
These liberal activists would like to cancel your vote because they hate the fact I stand up for liberty. In the healthcare space alone, I stopped the vaccine mandate, publicly contested severely flawed Covid data, significantly curtailed Indiana’s abortion business and fined hospitals and healthcare providers for not putting patients’ privacy first.
Having evidence and explanation for everything I said, I could have fought over those 16 words, but ending their campaign now will save a lot of taxpayer money and distraction, which is also very important to me. In order to resolve this, I was required to sign an affidavit without any modifications.
Now, I will focus even more resources on successfully defending Indiana’s laws, including our pro-life laws, and fighting the mob that silences parents, employees, conservative students, law enforcement, Believers of all faiths, American patriots and free enterprise itself.
As I said at the time, my words are factual. The IU Health physician who caused the international media spectacle at the expense of her patient’s privacy is by her own actions an outspoken abortion activist.
Many know that she openly discussed with a reporter, and caused to be identified, a 10-year-old rape victim at a political rally. She also used this opportunity to wedge herself into various media outlets, including MSNBC and CBS News. In the end, she had the attention of the entire country, including the pro-abortion President and Vice President.
Less well- known is that for years she has appeared as the keynote speaker at pro-abortion rallies and has roamed the hallways of the legislature in a white lab coat attempting to influence lawmakers. Then, in 2019, the doctor unsuccessfully brought litigation against the people of Indiana to legalize a brutal abortion procedure where the living child is extracted piece by piece. She also poses and is interviewed regularly in media outlets and her full-time patient practice focuses exclusively on performing abortions.
Bernard also claims a tattoo —an image of a coat hanger— that she displays and openly discusses with the national media. Whether you think this behavior is good or bad, I challenge any objective Hoosier to conclude that she isn’t an “abortion activist,” as I stated.
Also, according to media accounts and complainant press releases, it was in fact publicly alleged well before my tv interview that the abortionist had failed to properly report her work to the state’s department of health.
Privacy must exist between doctor and patient in order for trust to exist so that healthcare can advance. So, we work hard to protect personal health information—like a little girl’s identity and medical trauma—from publication by their caregivers. This is why Bernard’s own peers fined her the maximum allowed by law.
By the way, the Office of Attorney General has nearly two dozen patient privacy cases pending at any time, debunking any claims of a vendetta against Bernard.
Had the cancel culture establishment been successful disenfranchising us, they also would have stifled other elected officials from keeping voters, citizens, and taxpayers informed—especially when uncomfortable facts fall outside a preferred narrative.
I thank Hoosiers for their continued support as we fight for our values.”
Todd Rokita, Indiana’s Attorney General
Monroe County Sheriff’s Department responds to report of Fraud
On 10/24/2023, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Crane Federal Credit Union located on Jonathan Drive in reference to a fraud in-progress. The caller, an employee of the bank, advised that a white female was in the lobby of the bank, and had presented what was believed to be a false driver license claiming to be a member of the Credit Union. It was later determined that the same female presented the same false identification card at two other Crane Credit Union locations (Plainfield and Franklin) for a total of $25,000 over the course of the afternoon.
While en-route, Monroe County Dispatch advised that the suspect female had left northbound on N Curry Pike, driving a white SUV, and wearing a bright yellow t-shirt. Shortly after seeing the updated information Deputies observed a vehicle matched the description from the bank traveling in the northbound lanes. The vehicle was later determined to be a 2023 Chevrolet Equinox owned by a rental car company. As the vehicle passed, Deputies noted that the driver was a white female in a bright yellow t-shirt.
Given the proximity to the bank, and the matching suspect and vehicle description, Deputies attempted to initiate a traffic stop. While trying to initiate a traffic stop on Vernal Pike, the vehicle sped up and failed to stop. The pursuit eventually traveled north on I-69.As traffic conditions became heavier and the suspects driving behavior continued to escalate as the vehicle was swerving from shoulder to shoulder, and in-between vehicles with very little room for error while traveling approximately 120 miles per hour. Given that information, the on-duty supervisor terminated the pursuit.
A short while later, the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office, advised that they had located the vehicle and re-initiated pursuit northbound near Liberty Church Road on I-69. The pursuit continued at a high rate of speed, eventually ending after a successful PIT from the Bargersville Police Department at the intersection of I-69 and I-465. An inventory was completed of the vehicle, during which $3,944.00 in cash and several false identification cards were recovered. The female suspect was taken into custody by the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office and held locally in their facility with charges of Resisting Law Enforcement w/ Vehicle, Reckless Driving, Identity Deception, and Leaving the Scene of an Accident.
A probable cause affidavit for Monroe County for criminal charges of: • Fraud (IC 35-43-5-4.5, Level 5 Felony)• Identity Deception (IC 35-43-5-3.5, Level 6 Felony) • Resisting Law Enforcement (IC 35-44.1-3-1, Level 6 Felony) • Possession of False Government ID (IC 35-43-5-2.5, Class A Misdemeanor)• Reckless Driving (IC 9-21-8-52, Class C Misdemeanor)
This case is still under investigation.
*Criminal Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law
Ivy Tech Offers Free Uber Rides to Campus
Ivy Tech Community College announced it will offer Uber vouchers for round-trip rides (up to $100) to and from Ivy Tech campuses on Tuesdays. The rides are part of Tuesdays@TheTech, which are events hosted at Ivy Tech locations to help current, new, and prospective students apply and enroll in classes.
A $100 Uber voucher is available per student, which includes a round trip ride on Tuesdays between 9 a.m. – 8 p.m., Central and Eastern time zones, to and from an Ivy Tech campus within a 25-mile radius. Riders must be 18 or older, and riders are responsible for any costs incurred over the $100 voucher. Vouchers are good on Tuesdays only. Uber terms and conditions apply and shall be provided upon distribution or claiming of the voucher.
Locations participating in the partnership between Tuesdays@TheTech and Uber include Anderson, Bloomington, Columbus, Crown Point, East Chicago, Evansville, Ft. Wayne, Gary, Hamilton County, Indianapolis and Lawrence, Kokomo, Lafayette, Lawrenceburg, Madison, Marion, Muncie, Richmond, Sellersburg, South Bend, Terre Haute, and Valparaiso.
Ivy Tech Bloomington wins $40,000 for new Cyber Range Training Center
Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington won $40,000 in a “Pitch for the Skilled Trades” competition to build a Cyber Range on campus. The funds were awarded at the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) Annual Conference on October 31 in Nashville, Tenn.
“Pitch for the Skilled Trades” is a competition for faculty, staff, administrators, and presidents from NACCE member colleges to present to a panel of judges for funding. Winners demonstrate the greatest economic impact on the local level relative to jobs supported. The Cyber Range will enable Ivy Tech Bloomington to provide simulation cybersecurity training in a safe environment, run live team exercises, optimize tech stack and security processes, and foster collaboration among information technology students. Funds will be used to purchase hardware and software to set up the Cyber Range on campus in the Smithville Center for Computing and Informatics.
Ivy Tech Bloomington enrolls 190 cybersecurity students per year and partners with 55 local businesses and industries to ensure a strong workforce pipeline. The program is currently enrolling for classes that start January 16, 2024. For Hoosiers who have not earned a college credential, training classes could be free with Next Level Jobs.
This Week in Hoosier History
1884 – Thomas Hendricks, former Indiana Governor, was elected Vice-President of the United States under Grover Cleveland. He died in office a year later.
For more local news . . . Check out our archived episodes of What’s Happenin’ and Talkin’ Sports with Nick Jenkinson