By Abdul-Hakim Shabazz, Editor, IndyPolitics.Org
If there’s one thing Indiana politics has taught me over the years, it’s that some elected officials treat the law like a speed limit on an empty road—just a suggestion.
Case in point: the Pike Township Board. Earlier this year, board members decided to hire outside legal counsel. On its face, that may not sound alarming—until you look at how they did it. No approval from the township trustee. No budget appropriation. And most notably, no legal authority to do it. Just vibes, a contract, and a public fund they don’t actually control.
Indiana law is clear. The township trustee is the executive. Under IC 36-6-4-3(b), only the trustee can engage legal counsel and authorize township spending. The board, as the legislative arm, has budgetary and oversight powers—not a blank checkbook and a hiring committee.
To make matters worse, the board’s own legal counsel—Attorney Jeffrey Bellamy—told them in writing, twice, that they lacked the authority to hire outside legal counsel. He laid it out plainly: you cannot do this without going through the trustee. The board ignored him. And then promptly hired McNeely Law LLP anyway.
Naturally, I submitted a public records request asking for the legal authority the Board relied on to justify this move. I’m still waiting for an answer. In fact, at this rate, Stevie Wonder will probably see it before I do.
So yes, I sued them.
And if this sounds familiar, that’s because it is. A couple of years ago, I had to take on Attorney General Todd Rokita after he banned me from his press conferences. Apparently asking tough questions was enough to get you locked out. We eventually settled that lawsuit. And in fairness, I do get his press releases now. Sometimes I even get invited to his virtual pressers—when someone remembers to send the advisory. So maybe a broken clock is right twice a day.
But back to Pike Township. This isn’t a technical glitch. It’s not a misunderstanding. It’s a group of elected officials knowingly stepping outside the bounds of their authority, ignoring legal guidance, and possibly spending public money in violation of state law. If that doesn’t raise red flags, then we might as well toss the Indiana Code into Fall Creek and call it a day.
This is about more than just Pike. It’s about accountability and the rule of law. When public officials act like the law doesn’t apply to them, someone has to remind them it does. Not with a press release. Not with a podcast. With a lawsuit.
I’ve done it before. I’m doing it again. And odds are, I’ll probably have to do it again after that.
Because public service isn’t supposed to be a power trip. And taxpayers deserve better than elected officials playing dress-up with someone else’s checkbook.
