Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales was in the hot seat this week, but if lawmakers expected apologies, they didn’t get them.

Morales appeared before the State Budget Committee, asking for more than $10 million in new spending authority. But it didn’t take long for the hearing to turn from numbers to nerves.

Lawmakers grilled Morales on everything from campaign donors and no-bid contracts to missed meetings and staffing spikes. His response? He didn’t flinch.

“I won’t apologize,” Morales told the committee. “My work ethic is unmatched. I arrive at the Statehouse by 5 a.m. every day. Nobody outworks me.”

The budget requests were broad. Morales wants money for IT upgrades, fraud restitution, election security, and more staff. His team says the money would come from four existing funds and would not require dipping into the general fund.

But senators weren’t just focused on the numbers.

Democratic Senator Fady Qaddoura led the charge, calling Morales out for skipping a previous budget hearing. Instead, Morales had traveled to India for tech conferences.

“You’re not the U.S. Secretary of State,” Qaddoura said. “You’re the Secretary of State of Indiana.”

Morales stood by the trip. He said he was promoting Indiana businesses and had cleared his absence ahead of time. “I’m out there talking about Indiana,” he said. “That’s my job.”

The tension didn’t stop there.

Lawmakers also questioned Morales about state contracts awarded to campaign donors. Morales admitted companies like MTX and Cleanslate had contributed to his campaign and secured contracts with his office. He defended the deals.

“These are experienced companies,” he said. “We’re saving taxpayer dollars.”

Senator Mike Gaskill wasn’t convinced. He questioned Morales’ $6 million IT request, pointing out that bids haven’t even come in yet. “This feels like the cart before the horse,” Gaskill said.

Morales’ general counsel, Jerry Bonnet, said the office has issued 11 public RFPs. He said they’re following new rules passed in Senate Bill 5, which now require competitive bidding for these types of contracts.

Then came questions about staffing.

Since Morales took office in 2022, the Secretary of State’s staff has nearly doubled—from 46 employees to 88. Morales said that’s because the office is handling more responsibilities, especially around cybersecurity and elections.

But Senator Chris Garten pushed back. “Most agencies are shrinking,” he said. “Why is yours exploding?”

Bonnet said they’re replacing expensive outside contractors with internal staff and building software tools to modernize the office. Still, lawmakers weren’t sure the growth was justified.

Through it all, Morales stayed on message.

He talked about his military service. His immigrant roots. His long hours. His passion for the job.

“I believe I’m here for such a time as this,” he said. “Like it says in the Book of Esther.”

When Qaddoura said he was disappointed in Morales’ leadership, Morales didn’t blink. “I won’t apologize for working hard,” he said. “People can judge me for one meeting, but they’re missing the bigger picture.”

You can watch Morales’ testimony in the You Tube clip.  It starts about 1:40:00.