Indianapolis Democrat City-County Councilor Stephen Clay is challenging Maggie Lewis for the position of Council President.

The Council Democratic caucus voted Monday night to re-nominate Lewis for President.   Clay apparently mounted a challenge and was defeated.  He lost 9-3.

He later sent a letter to his fellow Democrats accusing the current Council leadership of being “hypocritical, divisive and manipulative” and the body “needs real change”.

Clay has attempted to challenge Lewis in the past, even reaching out to Republicans at one point in time trying to garner their support.

A copy of Clay’s letter is below.  The full  Council will formally choose its next President in January.

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Fellow Councillors,

Greetings!

Please allow me to take a few moments out of your hectic schedules to reflect on last night’s Caucus meeting. I am confident, more than ever, that the need for change in our Council leadership could not be clearer.

The current style of leadership has proven over the years to be hypocritical, divisive and manipulative. We deserve more than lip-service to change – we need real change.

We deserve better.

While I’m clear one could argue that the votes cast last night appear to be a call for more of the same, I wanted to make another appeal to your conscience. Clearly, there are many unaddressed and suppressed issues in the hearts and minds of many of our colleagues.   There may even have been votes cast last night out of a sense of obligation and/or some other counterproductive nexus.  The time has come to move beyond entanglements.

 The actions taken in our Caucus last night for all intents and purposes have no binding effect on the full Council elections set for January 8, 2018.

I hope you will use this Holiday Break to earnestly reflect on the direction and future of our Council leadership.  I would consider it an honor to have a conversation with you about the best way forward. I will be attempting to call each of you to ask that you reconsider your vote.

I am asking for your vote as Council President on January 8, 2018.   

“When a leader fails to address a problem, the leader eventually becomes the problem.”

Sincerely,

Stephen J. Clay,

Councillor