>> Allegations of bad behavior at the BMV.

A lawsuit over inadequate mental health treatment.

Plus, Democrats and Libertarians hold joint town halls and more on Indiana Week in Review for the week ending May 13, 2022.

"INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW" MADE POSSIBLE BY THE PUBLIC BROADCASTING STATIONS.

This week, former BMV Commissioner Peter Lacy had his job offer in Virginia pulled after the Indianapolis Star published allegations that Lacy had behaved inappropriately at work.

Lacy had been set to take over the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles are leaving Indiana's agency last month.

But the Star report detailed workplace complaints from people who worked under Lacy, who abruptly resigned his role in April weeks before he was set to depart.

The story alleges that Lacy resigned from his position in Indiana a day after he appeared to be drunk in a meeting with top BMV officials.

And his reported behavior at the agency included "crude sexual remarks to women" and "angry outbursts" - which allegedly included berating employees and throwing things.

Lacy was allowed to resign, instead of being fired•which means his employment record is largely sealed from public view.

Does the governor need to directly address these allegations?

It's the first question for our Indiana Week in Review panel DEMOCRAT DREW ANDERSON, REPUBLICAN MIKE O'BRIEN, JON SCHWANTES, AND NIKI KELLY, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF States Newsroom Indiana I'm Indiana Public Broadcasting Statehouse reporter Brandon Smith.

LACY IS OUT OF state government.

Is that the most important element here?

>> HE, HE NEEDS TO COME CLEAN ABOUT WHY THEY SAID NOTHING.

HIS FAMILY IS A BIG FAMILY OF DONORS THAT HELP HIS PARTY, AND IT JUST SHOWS THE BUILDING CORRUPTION IN THIS PARTY.

>> DOES THE GOVERNMENT NEED TO ADDRESS THIS?

>> I THINK IT IS BEING ADDRESSED AT THE HIGHEST LEVELSES WHERE IT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AT THE HEAD OF PERSONNEL, WHICH SOUNDS LIKE IS DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THIS MEETING THAT, OBVIOUSLY, PRECIPITATED THE ABRUPTNESS OF THE RESIGNATION, THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE RESIGNATION.

THIS HAPPENS FROM TIME TO TIME.

IT HAPPENS IN CORPORATE AMERICA, IT HAPPENS IN PUBLIC SERVICE.

HOW YOU HANDLE IT, MATTERS.

MITCH HAD A LOT OF THESE, YOU DO HAVE TO BALANCE TO SOME DEGREE.

LACY'S NAME IS NOT ON A BALLOT, BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE TRANSPARENCY BALANCED AGAINST, WE ASK PEOPLE TO COME INTO PUBLIC SERVICE AS STATE GOVERNMENTAL EMPLOYEES WHO MAY HAVE ISSUES LIKE THESE.

AT SOME LEVEL, YOU HAVE TO BALANCE THE APPETITE AS MUCH POLITICAL DAMAGE THAT DREW WANTS TO PUT ON THIS, WITH THE FACT WE'RE DEALING WITH A GUY WHO NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.

DOES THAT MEAN HE GETS TO BE THE HEAD OF THE BMV?

OF COURSE NOT.

DOES THAT MEAN THE EMPLOYEES WHO WERE SUBJECT OF ABUSE OR THE AGGRAVATIONS SHOULDN'T HAVE A VOICE IN THAT AND SHOULD BE KNOWN, YES.

SHOULD WE PUT EVERY DETAIL ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE PAPER, OF COURSE, IS WHAT DEMOCRATS WANT, BUT THERE HAS TO BE BALANCE.

>> JUST A COUPLE WEEKS AGO THERE HAS BEEN STRAW DONOR CORRUPTION AGAIN SHOWS REPUBLICANS PUT IN MONEY OVER THE FUTURE OF THE STATE.

REPUBLICAN COMMITTING VOTER FRAUD.

>> THOSE WERE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND -- >> HOLD ON.

I WANT TO ASK THIS QUESTION, BECAUSE THE STAR STORY POINTED OUT THE IDEA OF ALLOWING SOMEONE TO RESIGN VERSUS FIRING THEM HAS TO DO WITH WHAT RECORDS ARE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AND WHAT AREN'T.

IF YOU'RE ALLOWED TO RESIGN, THE STATE DEPARTMENT CAN TELL YOU, NO, THAT IS ALL SEALED.

THAT IS NOT FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED UNDER GOVERNOR HOLCOMB.

WE SAW SOMEONE RESIGN INSTEAD OF THE STORY, I THINK IT WAS INAPPROPRIATE ADVANCES TO, I THINK IT WAS AN INTERN.

IS THAT THE CORE ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY THE GOVERNOR AT THIS POINT?

>> THAT IS AN ISSUE, BECAUSE WE ALL ASKED FOR THOSE DOCUMENTS AT SOME TIME IN THE PAST.

WHAT YOU GET, GENERALLY IS EMPLOYMENT DATE, INCOME, WHEN RAISES WERE RECEIVED, OR DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS.

IN ABSENCE OF DISCIPLINARY PROCEED,, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET ANYTHING, SO THAT IS BY DEFINITION IMPEDIMENT BY FULL TRANSPARENCY.

IS THAT WHAT HAPPENS IN MOST EMPLOYMENT SITUATIONS?

I SAY EMPLOYMENT, BECAUSE LET'S KEEP IT GENERIC, PRIVATE SECTOR, NONGOVERNMENT, THE RULES ARE PROBABLY DIFFERENT IN ALL OF THOSE.

LET'S FACE IT, IN THIS SITUATION, THE ULTIMATE EMPLOYERS ARE THE CITIZENS AND TAXPAYERS OF THE STATE OF INDIANA.

THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PAYING, LITERALLY, PAYING THE SALARY OF THIS INDIVIDUAL.

SO, I THINK IT BEHOOVES PUBLIC OFFICIALS TO ERR ON THE SIDE, AND WHO IS TO SAY IT IS ERRING, BUT TO BEND OVER BACKWARDS TO BE OPEN AND AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE.

EVEN IF YOU KNOW, I'M SURE THERE IS SOMEONE'S DOCTORAL DISSERTATION WHO SPECIALIZES IN H.R.

ISSUES AND HOW THESE THINGS ARE DEALT WITH, THERE'S A TIME-HONORED TRANSITION OF SAYING, WOW, WE DODGE HAD THE BULLET.

WE DON'T NEED LITIGATION AND WE DON'T NEED SOMEONE SUING US.

WE DODGED THE BULLET AND THAT PASSES.

>> BUT COMING UP AGAINST MY OWN INTEREST, BUT THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS IT LEADS TO, I'M DOING TO BE THE HEAD OF THE BMV IN VIRGINIA AND DO THE SAME THING WITHOUT ANY ACCOUNTABILITY.

>> I AM NOT CONDONING THAT.

>> THAT IS WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU.

>> THAT IS WHAT I WAS GOING TO PUSHBACK AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO ASK ME A QUESTION.

YOU SAID WE HAVE TRANSPARENCY NOW.

WE ONLY HAVE TRANSPARENCY BECAUSE THE INDIANA STAR PUSHED FOR IT.

I DO THINK THERE IS A BALANCE AND IT IS ONE THING TO DO THE BALANCE WHEN YOU FIRST ANNOUNCE HE IS LEAVING, OKAY, BUT THERE WAS AN INCIDENT, THERE WAS AN ABRUPT DISRUPTION AND THEY WERE ASKED AND THEY WERE STONEWALLED.

>> Indiana is being sued over allegations it's letting people who need mental health treatment sit in jail rather than get court-ordered services.

The lawsuit was brought by the ACLU of Indiana and the Indiana Protection and Advocacy Services Commission.

When a person is found to be incompetent to stand trial, the state is required to provide what are known as "competency restoration services."

Those are often provided at state psychiatric hospitals.

A new lawsuit argues that the state's Division of Mental Health and Addiction has "grossly inefficient capacity" to get people the services they need.

That means those defendants must sit in county jails without access to necessary treatment, sometimes for months.

ACLU of Indiana Legal Director Ken Falk says the state is not only violating the law but also doing immense harm to people's health.

The lawsuit asks the court to order the state to put prisoners in need of treatment into the proper facilities.

MIKE O'BRIEN, WE TALKED A LOT ON THE SHOW AND TEASED OUT HOW THE GOVERNOR TEASED OUT THAT HE IS GOING TO ASK FOR A MAJOR BUDGET IN 2023, I ALMOST FORGOT WHAT YEAR IT IS, CAN A ■LAWSUIT LIKE THIS this be used as•almost leverage to get the General Assembly to invest in public health next session?

>> THIS IS CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN THE WAY THAT KEPT LOW-LEVEL OFFENDERS IN COUNTY JAILS WHERE THERE ARE NO SERVICES.

ACLU IS NOT CREATING ANY NEWS HERE.

THE LEGISLATURE ACKNOWLEDGED THIS.

THE JUSTICE REINVESTMENT ADVISORY COUNSEL, WHICH IS MADE UP OF THE SUPREME COURT, ALL THESE INTEREST GROUPS HAVE BEEN MEETING FOR SIX MONTHS TO PREPARE FOR THE NEXT SESSION THAT TAKES CARE OF THIS PROBLEM.

WHAT THE LEGISLATURE DID LAST SESSION, THEY TOOK LEVEL SIX OFFENDERS WHO HAD MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.

>> WHEN THERE ARE PROGRAMS.

>> THEY ARE NOT IN THE COUNTY JAIL, THEY ARE IN D.O.C., SO CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM MISSED TOO FAR BY KEEPING LOW-LEVEL OFFENDERS IN COUNTY JAIL AWAITING TRIAL OR PROSECUTION.

THE LEGISLATURE IS TRYING TO DIAL THAT IN AND SAY, OKAY, WE MISSED FAR OVER HERE.

LET'S TAKE HOUSE BILL 1004 TO THIS, SO THEY CAN GET SERVICES AND NOW LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE ON HOW TO ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IN D.O.C.

AND STATE HOSPITALS AND OTHER PLACES.

THIS IS ALREADY UNDERWAY.

I DON'T KNOW IF ACLU IS LITIGATING BECAUSE THEY KNOW IT IS THERE.

>> MIKE JUST TALKED ABOUT THE STEPS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO TAKE TO FIX PROBLEMS LIKE THIS.

IS THE RUBBER GOING TO MEET THE ROAD WHEN WE SEE A BUDGET NEXT YEAR?

>> THE REPUBLICANS ARE TRYING TO BUILD UP FOR THIS MOMENT FOR THE NEXT BUDGET YEAR, BECAUSE THEY HAVE A COMMISSION THEY ARE INVESTING IN.

THE LAST TIME THEY DID A COMMISSION WAS ON EDUCATION AND THEY DID NOT TAKE ANY OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE GIVEN TO THEM.

>> THEY EVENTUALLY DID.

>> THEY DID NOT GIVE THE PRESSING ONE, WHICH IS TEACHER PAY.

>> IT WORKED.

>> THROUGH THE RESCUE PLAN.

THE RESCUE PLAN DELIVERED, YES IT DID.

IT TOOK THE RESCUE PLAN.

STATE DOLLARS PROVIDED BY THE RESCUE PLAN.

I HAVE NO FAITH.

>> YOU'RE WRONG.

>> THE FIRST TIME WAS THROUGH THE STATE BUDGET.

IS THE RUBBER GOING TO MEET THE ROAD?

THIS IS NOT A ONE-YEAR PROBLEM.

WE HAVE KNOWN FOR A LONG TIME THERE NOT ENOUGH MENTAL HEALTH FOR EVERYONE IN THE STATE.

>> YEARS AND YEARS AGO, WE CLOSED DOWNSTATE HOSPITALS AND TOOK BEDS AWAY.

I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED AND I DID READ THROUGH THE COMPLAINT TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT LEVEL OF CRIMES THEY ARE.

THEY ARE PRETRIAL, SO ARE THEY MURDERERS WHO ARE SITTING THERE, IN WHICH CASE THEY WOULD ALREADY BE THERE WAITING A TRIAL?

OR CAN THEY GET OUT ON BAIL WHILE THEY ARE WAITING ON THE TRIALS?

I WAS CONFUSED ABOUT HOW THAT PLAYS.

>> IF YOU'RE RULED INCOMPETENT TO STAND TRIAL, IT DOES NOT SAY FOR WHAT.

>> RIGHT.

>> TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, THE ACLU BRINGING THIS LAWSUIT, IF THERE SIMPLY AREN'T BEDS AVAILABLE AND THEY CAN'T BE, WELL, MAYBE THEY CAN BE QUICKLY MADE.

IF THERE AREN'T BEDS AVAILABLE, IF THERE AREN'T PROGRAMS IN PLACE, WHAT DO WE THINK A COURT CAN FORCE THE STATE TO DO HERE?

>> THE COURT CAN ISSUE AN ORDER AND I GUESS, UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH THAT ORDER, YOU WILL GET COTS.

I DON'T KNOW, YOU WILL FIGURE SOMETHING IT OR HIRE PEOPLE ON AN EMERGENCY BASIS.

WE CAN POINT TO INSTANCES AROUND THE COUNTRY WHERE JUDGES HAVE BEEN IGNORED OR SLOW WALKED.

WE'RE DOING THAT.

THAT IS WHAT IS TOUGH ABOUT THIS.

GRANTED, EVERYBODY HAS SORT OF RECOGNIZED OR MANY PEOPLE HAVE RECOGNIZED THIS IS A PROBLEM, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN A GROUP SUCH AS THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION CAN SAY THIS IS IN PROGRESS.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE DATA IN MARIAN COUNTY, THESE ARE INDIVIDUAL, AS YOU POINTED OUT, NOT CONVICTED, LIKE THE LEVEL SIX OFFENDERS, THESE PEOPLE WERE DEEMED NOT TO BE COMPETENT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY ARE BEING CHARGED WITH OR IF THEY COULD ISSUE A PLEA OF GUILTY OR NOT GUILTY.

THEY ARE WAITING, IN MANY CASES, ON AVERAGE FOR MONTHS AND SOME ARE WAITING LONGER THAN 200 DAYS.

IT IS HARD WHEN YOU'RE IN THE CIVIL LIBERTIES BUSINESS TO SAY, TELL THAT PERSON WHO IS, YOU KNOW, THE ONE WHO IS ARGUABLY SUFFERING IN A MANNER THAT HE OR SHE IS NOT SUPPOSED TO THAT SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN EVENTUALLY.

I MEAN -- >> IT PUTS MORE PRESSURE.

>> IT DOES PUT MORE PRESSURE AND TO THAT EXTENT, IT WILL BE GIVEN EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO BE FUNDED FOR NEXT SESSION.

>> TIME FOR VIEWER FEEDBACK.

WILL THE INDIANA INTLE MAKE A MAJOR INVESTMENT IN THE NEXT STATE BUDGET?

If the Supreme Court clears the way, will Indiana fully ban abortion, with no exceptions for rape, incest or the life of the pregnant person?

53% SAY YES, 57% SAY NO.

I THINK THOSE NUMBERS ARE CLOSER THAN THAN I THINK THE CHANCES ARE.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE PART in the poll go to WFYI.org/IWIR and look for the poll.

Indiana Democratic and Libertarian candidates are working together to hold a series of town halls across the state.

The events, organized by the state Democratic Party, invite Hoosiers to ask questions of the candidates ahead of this fall's elections.

Democratic Secretary of State candidate Destiny Wells says the town halls are a response to what she calls the "divisiveness" in politics over the last few years.

DESTINY WELLS: WE NEED TO BE RESPONSIBLE AND SHOW HOOSIERS THAT POLITICIANS AND CANDIDATES CAN WORK TOGETHER AND PLAY TOGETHER IN THE SANDBOX >> Libertarian U.S. Senate candidate James Sceniak says the town halls are vital to hear directly from voters.

JAMES SCENIAK: I BELIEVE THAT ANY OFFICE WE HOLD IS A PUBLIC SERVANT OFFICE.

AND IF WE'RE NOT HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC, WE'RE NOT DOING OUR JOB.

>> And Libertarian Secretary of State candidate Jeff Maurer says the town halls are about the fundamentals of the "democratic process."

JEFF MAURER: AND SO, NO MATTER WHAT PARTY, WHAT BRAND, WHAT PHILOSOPHY, WHAT IDEOLOGY YOU HAVE, WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER AS HOOSIERS AND AS NEIGHBORS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE WANT FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.

>> Indiana Republicans were invited to participate but chose not to.

>> Niki Kelly, this elevates Libertarians.

Does it diminish Democrats?

>> I DON'T THINK IT DIMINISHES.

I MEAN GOOD FOR THE LIBERTARIANS FOR GETTING THEIR MESSAGE OUT THERE.

REPUBLICANS SENT A LOVELY LETTER BACK DECLINING TO PARTICIPATE BECAUSE IT IS A POLITICAL STUNT AND I BELIEVE THEY HAD CHOICE WORDS FOR TWEETS THAT ARE NOT DECENT AND RESPECTFUL.

>> SOME OF THEM WERE.

I DON'T THINK IT HURTS DEMOCRATS AT ALL.

>> DOES REPUBLICANS SAYING NO MAKE SENSE TO YOU POLITICALLY?

>> I UNDERSTAND IT.

I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND IT.

WHAT WE SAY IS WHAT WE WANT IS A HOOSIER SOCIETY AND WHAT CANDIDATES WANT IS TO GET BEYOND THE BICKER AND WHETHER THEY DO, IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT, NOBODY WOULD SHOW UP, BECAUSE THEY WOULD BE BORED TO DEATH.

>> NOT ME, JON.

>> NO, THERE WO WOULD BE FIVE OS THERE.

WHAT IS CULTURALLY SEEN AS ADVANTAGEOUS WHEN YOU'RE POLLING AND SAYING, I WANT TO HEAR THAT, THAT IS WHAT EXPLAINS WHY THEY SAY THAT.

IN ANY CASE, IT DOES NOT NECESSARILY HURT REPUBLICANS AND IT IS PROBABLY DECENT FOR DEMOCRATS.

YOU LOOK LIKE YOU'RE DOING WHAT NORMAN ROCKWELL WOULD SUGGEST IN TERMS OF DEMOCRACY.

THESE PEOPLE DID NOT SHOW, WE HAVE THESE PEOPLE.

THAT GETS MORE COVERAGE AND YOU HAVE SEEN THIS IN THE COVERAGE, YOU'RE GETTING MORE COVERAGE BECAUSE THERE IS THE NOTION OF A DEBATE OF SOME SORT, WHERE YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE PARTY.

>> TWO PARTIES WORKING TOGETHER ON A SINGLE EVENT.

>> OR MORE EARNED MEDIA.

YOU MIGHT GET SOME LIBERTARIANS THERE WHO WOULD SAY I WOULD HAVE NEVER LISTENED TO THIS DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE, BUT NOW I LIKE WHAT THIS PERSON IS SAYING.

THERE IS SOME ISSUE WHERE LIBERTARIANS MIGHT MAKE A POSITION OUT OF CHARACTERISTIC WITH INDIANA'S THINKING, COLLECTIVE THINKING AND THAT MAKES THE DEMOCRAT LOOK LIKE HE IS ON SOLID GROUND.

I DID NOT READ YOUR TALKING POINTS WHEN YOU PUT THAT TOGETHER.

IT MAKES POLITICAL SENSE WITH LITTLE DOWNSIDE.

>> I FIND IT FUNNY THAT THEY ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT A STAFFER'S TWEET WHEN A PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES SENT MEAN TWEETS FOR FIVE YEARS.

>> IF YOU'RE DONALD TRUMP OF INDIANA.

>> REPUBLICANS AREN'T DOING JACK ANYTHING.

>> WHAT EVERYONE IS ASKING FOR IS COMBINING THE DEMOCRATIC AND LIBERTARIAN PARTIES IN INDIANA.

NEITHER ARE COMPLETE PARTY, SO MAYBE TOGETHER THEY ARE HALF A PARTY.

>> LET ME ASK THIS, IF YOU'RE A REPUBLICAN, WHY IS THIS AN EASY NO?

>> IT IS DREW ANDERSON'S POLITICAL STUNT.

>> IT IS NOT A POLITICAL STUNT.

YOUR FOLKS ARE AFRAID TO TALK ABOUT WHY THEY ARE SAYING NO TO ALL OF THE INVESTMENTS FOR STATE.

>> IT'S THE JOE DONNELLY TOUR.

IT IS -- >> THEY ARE NOT ON TOUR.

>> I BELIEVE THE EXAMPLE WAS JENNIFER AND EDDIE MILTON.

I'M GOING TO GRAB THIS REPUBLICAN DEFECTOR AND WE'RE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF LIBERTARIANS TO PUT ON A POLITICAL STUNT.

>> NO, WE'RE NOT.

>> YOU CAN'T AGREE ON ANYTHING OTHER THAN YOU'RE TRYING TO BE A REPUBLICAN AND YOU CAN'T.

>> THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A LISTENING TOUR.

I THOUGHT THE POINT WAS CITIZENS COME AND SAY WHAT THEY WANT, NOT SO MUCH WHAT THE LEADERS ARE SAYING.

>> DO YOU KNOW ALL OF THE CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN PRODUCTIVE AND YOU'RE HITTING ON OUR TOURS.

YOU PRAISED OUR TOURS.

>> I THOUGHT YOU WERE DOING A GREAT JOB WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED.

THIS IS ABSURD, BUT IF I'M WRONG AND THERE WILL BE A POLITICAL CONSEQUENCE IN THE FALL AND WE CAN COME BACK ON.

>> LET'S LOOK FORWARD TO THAT.

A nonpartisan website Legistorm reports that Spartz had the highest turnover among staff in 2021.

Politico followed up with allegations from unnamed sources, including, apparently, former staffers - who say Spartz "frequently yells and curses at aides, belittling her staff's intelligence and berating them in front of others."

An unnamed Republican source in the piece also says GOP leadership has "tried to address her performance as an employer" twice already.

In the story, Spartz acknowledges in a statement that she works "extremely hard at a pace that is not for everyone."

Jon Schwantes, do the voters care about this?

>> I WILL GO BACK TO SOMETHING I SAID A FEW MOMENTS AGO IN A DIFFERENT CONTEXT.

WE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO EMPLOY THESE INDIVIDUALS.

THE ULTIMATE BOSS, AND NOT JUST FOR THE STAFF MEMBERS, BUT FOR THE MEMBER OF CONGRESS HERSELF IN THIS INSTANCE.

SO, YOU SHOULD CARE.

YOU DON'T WANT TO BE CONTRIBUTING TO A WORKPLACE THAT IS HOSTILE.

NOW, THAT'S SORT OF THE HIGHFALUTIN REASON.

THERE IS PRACTICAL REASON THAT YOU WANT YOUR CONGRESSIONAL OFFICE TO BE FULLY FUNCTIONING, WELL OILED.

WE ALL KNOW THAT MEMBER, PARTICULARLY OF THE U.S. HOUSE THRIVE ON CONSTITUENT SERVICE.

SOME PEOPLE NEVER HAD A BILL, YOU KNOW, PASS AND MAYBE A BILL HEARD, BUT BY GEORGE, THEY WILL BE ELECTED AGAIN AND AGAIN BECAUSE OF CONSTITUENT CASE WORK AND PEOPLE FEEL THEY CARE.

IT ONLY STANDS TO REASON, LET'S TAKE IT OUT OF THE CONTEXT OF A HIGHLY POLITICAL ATMOSPHERE.

IF YOU MAKE WINDOW GETS -- WIDGET, AND IF YOU HAVE COMPLAINTS, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A PROBLEM.

IT DOESN'T MATTER NECESSARILY THAT -- IT DOES WHAT THE REASON IS.

IF YOUR OFFICE IS MESSED UP, YOUR OFFICE IS NOT FUNCTIONING AND YOU WANT A CONGRESSIONAL OFFICE TO FUNCTION FULLY.

IT IS AS SIMPLE AS THAT.

>> HE MADE A COMPELLING ARGUMENT FOR WHY VOTERS SHOULD CARE.

DO THEY?

>> I THINK SOME OF THEM.

SHE DID AN INTERVIEW THIS WEEK AND SHE DID NOT DENY THIS.

SHE SAID THE YOUNG PEOPLE NEED TO TOUGHEN UP.

SSHE SAID, THEY SENT ME HERE TO SHAKE THINGS UP AND THAT IS WHAT I'M GOING TO DO.

I THINK YOU CAN SHAKE THINGS UP AND HAVE COMMON COURTESY AND RESPECT FOR HUMAN BEINGS.

>> IT FEELS LIKE IT MIGHT HAVE MATTERED MORE IF THE REDRAWN LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT WAS NOT SO FAVORED FOR REPUBLICANS.

>> I THINK THE POPULATIONS ARE DRAWN AROUND FAVORING REPUBLICANS, WHICH IS THE STATE.

>> IS SOMETHING LIKE THIS GOING THE MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN NOVEMBER?

>> I WILL BE HONEST, PROBABLY NOT.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, KIND OF WHAT SCHWANTES SAID, IF YOU HAVE THAT MUCH TURNOVER, YOU HAVE FOLKS WHO DO NOT HAVE THE VISION OF WHAT THEY WANT TO ACCOMPLISH FOR CONSTITUENTS AND REALLY MESSING UP THE ELECTED OFFICIAL.

AND YOU'RE KIND OF ALREADY SEEING IT.

WE HAVE LOCAL PRESS IN HER DISTRICT SAYING SHE IS M.I.A.

SHE IS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND AND THAT IS GOING TO FURTHER -- IT IS ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE IF SHE KEEPS ABUSING STAFF.

>> DOES VICTORIA SPARTZ NEED TO START CARING MORE ABOUT THIS?

AS NIKI POINTED OUT.

SHE IS DEFENDING HERSELF.

SHE IS NOT DENYING ANY OF THIS.

SHE SAYS, NO, THAT IS HOW I RUN MY SHOP.

IS THAT GOING TO BE A PROBLEM FOR HER LONG TERM IN TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH THINGS AS AN ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE?

>> WE HAVE HAD OTHER EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE ON THIS LIST AND NOW THEY ARE ELECTED TO ATTORNEY GENERAL.

I THINK THE ANSWER IS NO.

I THINK TO THE EXTENT IS THAT YOU'RE TAKEN SERIOUSLY, IT DOES.

HE IS IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT BENEFITS HIM.

IF YOU WANT TO APPROACH THINGS LIKE DONALD TRUMP, YOU WILL BE POLITICALLY REWARDED IN INDIANA IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, BUT IT DOES IMPACT THE SERIOUSNESS OF WHICH PEOPLE TAKE IDEAS, HE HAS BEEN CRITICIZED FOR BEING OUTSIDE OF HIS LANE AND TOO POLITICALLY BEFORE.

IN SITUATIONS, WE TALKED ABOUT, I DON'T RECALL THE ISSUE, BUT IT WAS IN THE CHARGE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.

>> HE WAS INVESTIGATING BLACK LIVES MATTER.

>> HE WITH US DISMISSED FOR THAT.

WHETHER YOU THINK IT IS POLITICALLY MOTIVATED OR NOT, IT WAS IN THE CHARGE OF HIS OFFICE.

THESE DO HAVE AN IMPACT ON WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH IN PUBLIC.

>> Finally, Indiana recently had an auction for alcohol licenses.

Such licenses in Indiana are limited by population, so after a new census, new licenses become available.

And some of those licenses sold for high six-figure amounts with one even going for nearly $2 million.

Mike O'Brien, how much would you be willing to pay for an alcohol license?

>> I GUESS $2 MILLION, BECAUSE YOU WILL MAKE MORE THAN $2 MILLION.

>> I THINK IT WAS A SENATOR QUOTED WHO SAID KNOWS WHAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT AND HE SAID, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT IS PROFITABLE.

>> WE WILL FIND OUT.

>> IT IS FUNNY, BUT IT IS WHY WE HAVE TROUBLE CHANGING ALCOHOL LAWS, BECAUSE WHEN SOMEONE SEES THEY PUT $1 MILLION INTO A LICENSE, YOU DON'T WANT TO SAY, WE WANT TO ALLOW A BUNCH MORE PEOPLE SELL COLD BEER WHEN THEY JUST PAID $1 MILLION FOR A LICENSE.

>> IS THIS WHY WE WON'T SEE SERIOUS ALCOHOL CHANGES?

>> WE TALK ABOUT MORALITY BEING THE ISSUE WITH ALCOHOL, NO, IT IS THE WRONG M. IT IS ABOUT MONEY.

>> That's Indiana Week in Review for this week.

OUR PANEL IS DEMOCRAT, DREW ANDERSON, Republican Mike O'Brien , Jon Schwantes of Indiana , Lawmakers and Niki Kelly of States Newsroom Indiana If you'd like a podcast of this program you can find it at wfyi.org/iwir or starting Monday you can stream it or get it On Demand from Xfinity and on the WFYI app.

I'm Brandon Smith of Indiana Public Broadcasting.

Join us next time because a lot >> "INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW" IS AN WFYI PRODUCTION IN