Media Release: Contact:
October 9, 2008 Joel Miller, Linda Pence for Attorney General
(317) 750-5757
Linda Pence: 'I will close the revolving door in the Attorney General's Office'
Pledges to protect taxpayer investment by ending sweetheart deal with Indianapolis law firm
Indianapolis - Attorney General candidate Linda Pence today announced she will close the revolving door in the Attorney General's Office by ending a contract with Indianapolis law firm Lewis & Wilkins.
Pence's declaration stems from the Attorney General's decision in late 2004 to outsource the office's Tort Litigation Division to the division chief's newly formed law firm, Lewis & Wilkins. According to newspaper reports, the division chief, John Lewis, helped provide key information to the team drafting the request for proposal, and incorporated his firm while still employed by the Attorney General's Office. Only two proposals were received and a two-year contract in the amount of $1.3 million was awarded in January 2005 to the division chief's new firm. Thereafter, Marion County Republican Chairman Tom John joined the firm and it was renamed John, Lewis & Wilkins. As written, the contract provides incentives to the firm for keeping cases open and for negotiating settlements. The contract, originally approved in January 2005, has been repeatedly renewed.
The campaign web site of Pence's opponent and current Chief Deputy, Greg Zoeller, states he directs work performed by outside counsel.
"I find the actions of the Attorney General's Office disturbing," Pence said. "The chief of the tort division provided information about the division to the team writing the RFP and was allowed to get his law practice off the ground while still employed by the state. Within a month of incorporating his firm he received a contract in excess of a million dollars for doing the same work he performed for the people of Indiana. I absolutely won't stand for this type of conduct which is why I'll immediately put an end to this contract if elected."
"Secondly," Pence continued, "the tort litigation division serves a very important function as it defends tort claims filed by individuals and businesses when they believe they have been damaged as a result of state action. Citizens who have been harmed deserve respect and attention. Importantly, there are zero employees with historic memory who have been trained in the last four years to handle these cases. "
While Indiana laws bans former state employees from turning around and performing the same work for the state in the private sector, state agencies can waive that restriction by filing a written explanation with the Ethics Commission stating why the work is not adverse to the public interest. The Pence campaign has repeatedly requested that the Ethics Commission and the Attorney General's Office share the written explanation with the public and it has yet to be produced.
"As Attorney General, fighting for families and protecting our children will be my top priority. That's why I'll put an end to the revolving door and restore the tort division to protect the investments of our taxpayers. At the same time, I'll refocus efforts and resources so we can make serious headway against child abuse and closing a loophole that allows sexual predators to victimize our children without repercussions. "
To learn more about Linda Pence and her campaign for Attorney General, please visit www.lindapence.net.
Paid for by Indiana Democratic Party. www.indems.org.
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