>>> A NATIONAL ABORTION BAN PROPOSED IN THE U.S. SENATE.

DIEGO MORALES DODGES A DEBATE, PLUS ANOTHER STATE LAWMAKER ON AN OATHKEEPER'S LIST AND MORE ON "INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW" FOR THE WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 16, 2022.

>> "INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE SUPPORTERS OF INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING STATIONS.

>> THIS WEEK SOUTH CAROLINA REPUBLICAN U.S.

SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM UNVEILED A PROPOSED NATIONAL BAN ON ALL ABORTIONS AFTER 15 WEEKS.

NPR REPORTED GRAHAM'S MOVE WAS AN ATTEMPT TO FORCE REPUBLICANS TO ADOPT A PARTY-WIDE CONSENSUS ON THE ISSUE.

DEMOCRATS NATIONWIDE HAVE SOUGHT TO MAKE ABORTION RIGHTS A CATALYST FOR THEIR SUCCESS IN THIS YEAR'S ELECTION IN THE WAKE OF THE SUPREME COURT OVERTURNED GUARANTEED ABORTION RIGHTS THIS SUMMER.

GRAHAM REPORTEDLY ACKNOWLEDGED HIS PROPOSAL HAS LITTLE CHANCE OF BECOMING LAW IN THE NEW FUTURE.

DEMOCRATS CURRENTLY CONTROL CONGRESS AND WILL CONTROL THE WHITE HOUSE THROUGH AT LEAST 2024.

THE SOUTH CAROLINA REPUBLICAN PREVIOUSLY SAID ABORTION SHOULD BE LEFT TO THE STATES.

IS THIS PROPOSED NATIONAL ABORTION BAN A PROBLEM FOR U.S.

SENATOR TODD YOUNG?

IT'S THE FIRST QUESTION FOR OUR PANEL.

DEMOCRAT ANN DELANEY, REPUBLICAN CHRIS MITCHUM, JOHN, HOST OF INDIANA LAWMAKERS AND WHITNEY DOWNART FOR THE INDIANA CAPITOL CHRONICLE.

I'M STATE HOUSE BUREAU CHIEF BRANDON SMITH.

CHRIS, TODD YOUNG WANTS TO SPOTLIGHT THIS ELECTION ON INFLATION AND THE ECONOMY AS THAT'S CLEARLY A PROBLEM FOR PRESIDENT BIDEN ADMINISTRATIONND DEMOCRATS.

IS GRAHAM HURTING THOSE EFFORTS?

>> I DON'T THINK SO BECAUSE HIS ACTIONS WILL HAVE TO BE BROUGHT BACK UP IN A CONVERSATION, AND WE'VE SEEN AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT THIS ABORTION ISSUE HAS CERTAINLY SLOWED MOMENTUM FOR REPUBLICANS.

I DON'T THINK THEY ABSOLUTELY HAVE DASHED IT.

I THINK IT'S ACCORDING TO MOST ACCOUNTS, WE'RE STILL PROJECTED TO TAKE THE SENATE.

BUT MAYBE THAT DREAM OF TAKING THE HOUSE MIGHT BE A LITTLE HARMED BY THIS RECENT DEVELOPMENT.

BUT I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND REALLY WHAT THE REASONING WAS FOR SENATOR GRAHAM THERE.

I MEAN, I THINK IF SENATOR YOUNG WERE TO COME OUT AND SAY I THINK WE SHOULD LEAVE THIS TO THE STATE, HE WOULDN'T BE THE ONLY ONE.

McMITCH COME SAID PROBABLY LIKE THE SUPREME COURT SAID, WE SHOULD PROBABLY LEAVE THIS TO THE STATES.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE WOULD TRY TO GET AWAY FROM THIS TALKING POINT OF INFLATION.

YOU HAD THE RECENT -- THE BUREAU OF WORKFORCE COME OUT WITH A LESS-THAN-SPECTACULAR INFLATION REPORT THAT SHOWED WHILE GAS PRICES ARE GOING DOWN, FOOD PRICES, MEDICAL PRICES, CONTINUE TO GO UP.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT REPUBLICANS SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE FOCUSED ON.

>> HE'D BE JOINING LINDSEY GRAHAM WHO SAID THAT BEFORE THIS WEEK.

BUT HOW MUCH DOES THIS IMPACT INDIANA'S SENATE RACE?

>> I THINK IT HAS AN IMPACT BECAUSE HE'S GOING TO BE REQUIRED TO SAY WHETHER HE SUPPORTS A NATIONAL BAN ON ABORTION OR WHETHER HE SUPPORTS SENATE BILL 1, OR SENATE ENROLLED ACT 1, IN INDIANA.

I MEAN, IT'S CLEAR THAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS STATIONED THEMSELVES BEHIND ABORTION BANS IN HOWEVER MANY LEVELS YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT.

THERE ARE FOUR RESTRICTING AND IN SOME CASES ABSOLUTELY BANNING ABORTION, AND THAT'S IN SHARP CONTRAST WITH TOM McDERMOTT, HIS OPPONENT, WHO IS PRO-CHOICE.

SO HE'S GOING TO HAVE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS WHETHER HE LIKES IT OR NOT.

AND HE'S GOING TO HAVE TO ANSWER THEM BECAUSE THE VOTERS OF INDIANA DON'T LIKE THE REPUBLICAN POSITION ON THIS AS ENACTED BY THE STATE.

IT'S CLEAR THAT THEY DON'T LIKE IT.

AND PEOPLE THINK ABORTION OUGHT TO BE AVAILABLE, YOU KNOW, MY OWN HUSBAND WAS TALKING ABOUT MAKING A PROPOSAL OF 15 WEEKS FOR EVERYONE.

BUT THE RESTRICTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT IN BY INDIANA ARE UNREALISTIC AND THERE ARE MANY IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WHO WOULD HAVE REQUIRED THAT 10-YEAR-OLD TO CARRY THAT CHILD OF A RAPIST TO TERM AND THEN HAVE A C-SECTION.

I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT TODD YOUNG STANDS ON THAT.

>> AND THIS BECOMES -- IT'S NO LONGER A SOMETHING YOU CAN DISMISS AS A HYPOTHETICAL.

THAT'S WHAT GRAHAM'S PROPOSAL DOES, TOO, IS, YOU KNOW, BEFORE YOU COULD SAY TODD YOUNG COULD EASILY JUST SAY, WELL, THAT'S AN INDIANA LEGISLATIVE ISSUE.

I'LL LEAVE IT TO ININDDIANA LEGISLATORS.

BUT REPUBLICANS HAVE RUN ON ABORTION FOR A LONG TIME IN STATES LIKE INDIANA AND HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS ON IT.

DOES, YOU KNOW, LINDSEY GRAHAM'S, PART OF HIS REASONING WAS WE NEED TO SEEK OUT A PARTY-WIDE CONSENSUS.

IS THAT POSSIBLE WITH WHERE WE ARE NOW WITH THE ABORTION DEBATE?

>> I'M NOT SURE IT IS.

I JUST SAW A POLL FROM THE 19th WHERE IT SAID THAT 70% OF AMERICANS, REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS ALIKE, JUST DON'T TRUST POLITICIANS TO MAKE ABORTION POLICY ANYMORE.

SO I'M NOT SURE THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE A WIN FOR EITHER PARTY WHEN PEOPLE JUST DON'T TRUST THE POLICIES THAT THEY'RE PASSING TO BE HEALTH CARE FOCUSED AND ACTUALLY EFFECTIVE.

SO I DON'T REALLY SEE THIS GOING WELL FOR GRAHAM AND OTHER REPUBLICANS WHO ARE SUPPORTING THIS.

>> AND, YOU KNOW, WE SAW AT THE DEBATE AT THE INDIANA STATE HOUSE, REPUBLICANS AREN'T OF ONE BELIEF ON THE ABORTION ISSUE AT THIS POINT.

>> I MEAN, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE INDIANA LEGISLATURE WHO WOULD HAVE A REAL PROBLEM WITH LINDSEY GRAHAM'S BILL.

>> OH, SURE, SURE.

AND THIS IS SUCH A VOLATILE ISSUE RIGHT NOW.

THAT'S WHY YOU'RE SEEING REPUBLICAN NOMINEES AROUND THE COUNTRY AMENDING, VERY QUIET, BUT VERY EFFECTIVELY, THEIR WEBSITES AND THEIR LITERATURE -- >> I'M NOT SURE HOW EFFECTIVE IT IS.

>> WELL, IT'S EFFECTIVE IN THE SENSE THAT -- >> SNEAKY.

IT'S SNEAKY.

>> -- IT'S GONE.

THEY BEFORE MIGHT HAVE BEEN VERY ADAMANT ABOUT THEIR PRO-LIFE CREDENTIALS, NOW IT'S MUCH MORE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.

AND YOU COULD SAY, WELL, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS AFTER PRIMARIES.

YOU TACK TO THE MIDDLE, AND THAT'S TRUE.

BUT THIS IS UNUSUAL IN TERMS OF ITS -- I MEAN, IN SAILING TERMS, I THINK THE BOAT -- YOU KNOW, WE'D PROBABLY BE TIPPING OVER AT THIS POINT IN TERMS OF THAT COURSE CORRECTION.

SO IT'S -- I THINK THE ISSUE HERE FOR A LOT OF REPUBLICANS IS SIMPLY TIMING.

MAYBE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN OPPORTUNITY -- AND I'M SURE IT WAS POLL TESTED.

I'M SURE THAT GRAHAM DIDN'T JUST GO OUT AND SAY, HEY, LET'S THROW OUT THIS NUMBER.

BUT HE PROBABLY FORGOT TO ASK ON THE POLL OR HIS PEOPLE WAS, YOU KNOW, WAS THERE IDEAL TIME TO BRING THIS UP?

BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IS NOT, POLITICALLY SPEAKING, THE RIGHT TIME TO BRING THIS UP.

WHY RELITIGATE AN ISSUE THAT CLEARLY IS DANGEROUS, SEEMINGLY, TO A LOT OF REPUBLICAN NOMINEES WHO ARE GOING TO BE ON, YOU KNOW, VYING FOR ELECTION HERE IN SIX, WHAT IS IT, SIX WEEKS?

>> IT GIVES MORE FODDER BECAUSE YOU COULD MAKE A CASE THAT THIS IS A WINDOW TO THE REPUBLICAN PARTY'S SOUL, IF THEY GET CONTROL OF CONGRESS, THIS IS WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.

AND HE MADE A MISTAKE OF PUTTING IT OUT BEFOREHAND.

BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT THE VOTERS TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO AFTER ELECT, BUT THAT IS WINDOW TO THEIR SOUL.

>> OBVIOUSLY GRAHAM DIDN'T RUN IT BY McCONNELL IN ALL LIKELIHOOD.

HIS STATEMENT, I THINK HE READ THE WRITING ON THE WALL THAT SAID MAYBE THIS ISN'T THE BEST TIME TO DO THAT.

>> THAT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON THING NOW IN THE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS IN THE SENATE.

NOBODY SEEMS TO BE -- RICK SCOTT, MITCH McCONNELL, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF ILL WILL RIGHT NOW.

>> AND TO YOUR POINT IN INDIANA ABOUT IT BEING A RED, YOU KNOW, SEEMINGLY PRO-LIFE STATE, AND WE HAVE TROUBLE AGREEING HERE, IMAGINE ON A NATIONWIDE LEVEL IN CONGRESS.

THAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT.

>> REPUBLICAN SECRETARY OF STATE DIEGO MORALES IS RESISTING CALLS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DEBATE.

>> Reporter: MORALES'S CAMPAIGN SAYS HIS FOCUS IS ON TRAVELING ALL 92 COUNTIES.

THEY POINT TO INTERVIEWS HE'S DONE AND NOTE THERE ARE NO CONGRESSIONAL DEBATES IN INDIANA THIS YEAR, NOR IN OTHER STATEWIDE RACES FOR AUDITOR AND TREASURER.

LIR TAKENIAN SECRETARY OF STATE CANDIDATE JEFF MOORE SAYS MORALES IS HIDING.

>> YOUR IDEAS ARE SO BAD THAT YOU CAN'T EVEN STAND IN FRONT OF A GROUP OF CROWD OF PEOPLE, YOUR NEIGHBORS, TO DEFEND THEM, THEN SOMETHING'S WRONG.

YOU NEED BETTER IDEAS.

>> Reporter: DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE DESTINY WELLS SAYS VOTERS CARE ABOUT DEBATES.

>> IT IS A CHANCE FOR THE VOTER TO EASILY ACCESS INFORMATION IN DIRECT CONTRAST TO EACH OTHER INSTEAD OF HAVING TO GO ROOT THROUGH THE NEWS AND FIND EACH OF OUR DIFFERENT POLICY POSITIONS THROUGH INTERVIEWS.

>> Reporter: WELLS AND MOORE MAY PARTICIPATE IN A DEBATE NEXT MONTH WITHOUT MORALES.

>> ANN DELANEY, DOES A DEBATE REALLY MATTER IN A SECRETARY OF STATES RACE?

>> I THINK IT MATTERS IN THIS RACE BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ALLEGATIONS OR THE POSITIONS THAT MORALES HAS TAKEN.

HE'S OBVIOUSLY AFRAID OF DESTINY WELLS.

THAT'S CLEAR.

HE DOESN'T WANT TO APPEAR NEXT TO HER AND SAY HOW HE WAS FOR RESTRICTING ACCESS TO EARLY VOTING EARLY, AND NOW HE'S IN FAVOR OF IT AND HOW HE SAID THAT DONALD TRUMP SHOULD BE THE PRESIDENT, AND NOW HE'S RECOGNIZING THAT MAYBE JOE BIDEN WON.

AND ALL OF THESE POSITIONS WHERE HE'S CLEARLY FLIP-FLOPPED AND CAN'T BE TRUSTED.

AND EVEN TO THE QUESTION OF WHETHER OR NOT HE'S A VETERAN.

I MEAN, HE WAS IN THE NATIONAL GUARD FOR A SHORTENED PERIOD OF TIME.

LOOKS LIKE HE GOT AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE, BUT WHY NOT THE EIGHT YEARS EVERYBODY ELSE SERVES?

KIND OF HAD ME WONDERING.

WHY DOESN'T HE HAVE A PRESS CONFERENCE AND SHOW HIS ENTIRE RECORD?

AND, YOU KNOW, HE DIDN'T SERVE ABROAD AS FAR AS I KNOW.

AND SO I'M NOT SURE THAT HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE WEARING THAT VETERANS HAT.

THOSE, LIKE DESTINY WELLS, WHO ACTUALLY FOUGHT FOR THIS COUNTRY, WERE ACTUALLY IN ABROAD IN THE INTEREST OF THIS COUNTRY, MIGHT TAKE EXCEPTION TO HIM CLAIMING TO BE A VETERAN.

MY EXPERIENCE LOOKING AT WHAT THE MILITARY DOES, THEY DON'T WANT YOU, YOU CAN GET AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE.

JUST GO.

AND THAT'S WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE.

>> WHAT IS THE BENEFIT TO DIEGO MORALES JUST SAYING NO TO ALL OF THESE THINGS?

SAYING NO, I'M NOT -- >> HE DOESN'T HAVE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.

>> YEAH.

I THINK ANN'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

IF ANY DEBATE IN THIS RACE WOULD ALL BE ALL ABOUT DIEGO'S RECORD IN ALL LIKELIHOOD, I MEAN, YOU DON'T SEE THE SAME AMOUNT OF ELECTION SECURITY CONCERNS, ALTHOUGH THERE MIGHT BE SOME KIND OF, YOU KNOW, HIDDEN DEEPER IN OUR SYSTEMS, BUT YOU DON'T SEE THE SAME AMOUNT OF ELECTION SECURITY CONCERNS IN INDIANA THAN YOU DO OTHER STATES ON A NATIONAL SCALE.

SO I DON'T THINK, YOU KNOW, A SECRETARY OF STATE RACE DEBATE AT THIS RATE WOULD BE REALLY TALKING ABOUT THE DEALER RELATIONSHIP OR THE ELECTION SECURITY AND THINGS.

IT WOULD JUST BE ALL ABOUT DIEGO'S RECORD.

IT WOULD GIVE THE OTHER TWO THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO QUESTION HIM, PROBABLY RIGHTLY SO, ABOUT A LOT OF HIS BACKGROUND.

SO I ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTAND WHY HE IS REFUSING TO DO THIS BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY BENEFIT THERE.

>> WELL, I MEAN, IT'S A SECRETARY OF STATES RACE.

IT IS ABSOLUTELY GETTING MORE ATTENTION THAN THEY USUALLY DO IN INDIANA AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN ELECTIONS THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF 2020.

BUT IS THE AVERAGE VOTER GOING TO CARE WHETHER OR NOT DIEGO MORALES PARTICIPATED IN A DEBATE?

ARE THEY EVEN GOING TO KNOW THAT HE REFUSED?

>> PROBABLY NOT.

MANY VOTERS WILL NOT KNOW THAT HE REFUSED.

BUT THEY SHOULD.

I MEAN, VOTERS -- AND I FAULT VOTERS TO A LARGE EXTENT ABOUT YOU GET WHAT YOU -- YOU DON'T DO YOUR HOMEWORK, GUESS WHAT?

YOU GET THE RESULTS.

AND I'M NOT SAYING ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

BUT YOU SHOULD DO YOUR HOMEWORK SO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE VOTING FOR.

AND THIS TREND THAT I'VE SEEN WHERE CANDIDATES -- AND IT'S NOT JUST THIS YEAR.

THIS HAS GONE ON FOR A DECADE OR MORE.

YOU KNOW, CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRES.

HEAVEN FORBID, WE FILL OUT ANY LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OR ANY KIND OF QUESTIONNAIRE THAT SEEKS TO HELP -- I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE -- >> BASE.

>> EVEN THEN NOW THERE'S JUST THE SORT OF POLICY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SUCH A RELUCTANCE.

AND THEN THE SAME THING WITH DEBATES.

YOU KNOW, THE NOTION THAT IF WE DON'T CONTROL THE MESSAGE.

AND I MISS THE DAYS WHEN THE HURLEY BIRLEY OF POLITICAL CAMPAIGNING WHICH WAS THAT YOU GO OUT AND YOU ACTUALLY SUBJECT YOURSELF TO, YOU KNOW, THE OCCASIONAL CATCALL OR TOUGH QUESTION FROM REPORTERS OR VOTERS.

IT'S NOT JUST THE STATE PUBLIC SCRUTINY, THAT'S THE CRUCIBLE IN WHICH GOOD GOVERNMENT, IT SEEMS TO ME, IS FORMED.

THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT GO IN MORALES'S FAVOR, THOUGH.

I'LL GET BACK TO MY -- THERE ARE SMART VOTERS, DON'T GET ME WRONG.

EVERYBODY WATCHING AND LISPING TO THIS SHOW, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THEM.

I'M TALKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T LISTEN AND WATCH THE SHOW.

A LOT OF HOOSIERS DON'T DO THEIR HOMEWORK.

SO HE BENEFITS FROM THE FACT THAT HE'S REPUBLICAN, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE JUST GOING TO VOTE STRAIGHT LINE BECAUSE IT IS A REPUBLICAN STATE.

>> UNLESS HE GETS KNOWN.

>> THERE ARE POCKETS OF INDIANA WHERE A NON-ANGLO-SAXON-SOUNDING NAME LIKE MORALES, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I KNOW THIS IS 2022, BUT THAT WILL HURT HIM AMONG THE -- >> AMONG HIS CORE VOTERS.

>> AMONG INDIVIDUALS WHO DON'T TAKE THE TIME TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON.

I'VE SEEN IT TIME AND TIME AGAIN IN INDIANA.

>> WELL, THAT'S JUST THE REPUBICAN -- THAT'S JUST THE REPUBLICAN HIERARCHY.

>> THAT'S THE BASE OF THE BASE.

THAT'S TRUE.

>> WHAT WE CAN TELL ABOUT DIEGO'S STRATEGY IS HE SEEMS TO GO TO A LOT OF REPUBLICAN PARTY EVENTS ALL ACROSS THE STATE.

HE MARCHES IN PARADES ALL ACROSS THE STATE.

I CAN'T TELL IF HE'S DOING MUCH MORE THAN THAT.

HE DOESN'T DO A TON OF INTERVIEWS.

IS THAT A WINNING -- IS THAT GOING TO BE A WINNING STRATEGY?

>> I THINK UNFORTUNATELY IT MIGHT BE JUST BECAUSE HE IS CONNECTING ONE ON ONE WITH THOSE HYPER-REPUBLICAN ACTIVE PARTY MEMBERS.

AND THE OUTSIDE VOTERS WHO AREN'T PAYING ATTENTION JUST DON'T KNOW.

I TRIED LOOKING FOR RECENT IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS WITH MORALES.

I COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING OTHER THAN CANNED STATEMENTS, LIKE HE'S GIVEN MY PUBLICATION.

AND ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS I NOTICED IS THAT HE JUST NEVER SEEMED TO APPEAR IN A PLACE WHERE SOMEONE COULD ASK HIM A TOUGH QUESTION.

AND HE HAS DONE WELL RESPONDING TO TOUGH QUESTIONS THAT I'VE TRIED TO SEND HIM.

SO I THINK THAT IT'S A BIT OF AN ADVANTAGE FOR HIM TO AVOID ALL THAT, BUT THAT ONLY WORKS WHEN THE VOTERS ARE DISCONNECTED.

>> AND WE'LL SEE WHETHER THEY ARE, PARTICULARLY ON THE ABORTION ISSUE, BECAUSE HE'S OPINED ON THAT ISSUE AS WELL, AND YOU CAN SAY HE'S A REPUBLICAN.

HE'S FOR AN ABORTION BAN.

SO WHAT IF IT DOESN'T HAVE TO ANYTHING TO DO WITH SECRETARY OF STATE.

NOBODY KNOWS THAT.

AND HOW MANY TIMES WE'VE RUN CANDIDATES ON THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S RACE THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.

>> HE SAW A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, I'M RUNNING FOR SECRETARY OF STATE AND I'M AGAINST ABORTION, AND THAT GOT A LOT OF WHITNEY DOWNER, WHAT DOES THAT STATEMENT MEAN?

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, BRANDON.

ALL I CAN TELL IS HE WAS PART OF IT SEVEN YEARS AGO.

SO I TRIED LOOKING SEVEN YEARS AGO TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY EVENTS THAT MIGHT HAVE SPARKED IT.

SEVEN, EIGHT YEARS AGO, THE OATHKEEPERS WERE IN FERGUSON, MISSOURI.

BEFORE THAT THEY WERE AT THE STANDOFF AT THE BUNDY RANCH.

SO I -- THEY SEEMED PRETTY EXTREMIST BACK THEN.

IT'S NOT LIKE THEY WERE SUDDENLY EXTREME, YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR.

AND HE DIDN'T PROVIDE US ANY INFORMATION OF HOW LONG HE WAS WITH THEM, WHAT MADE HIM LEAVE.

WHAT MADE HIM JOIN, UNLIKE SCORE SCOTT BALDWIN WHO TOLD US, HEY, I GAVE THEM 30 BUCKS BECAUSE I HAD NO IDEA WHO THEY WERE AND I WAS TRYING TO RUN FOR HAMILTON COUNTY SHERIFF.

IT MADE ME HAVE MORE QUESTIONS THAN I HAD BEFORE.

>> WILL THIS -- SO THIS IS NOW, TOO, SCOTT BALDWIN SEEMED TO HAVE AT LEAST AN UNDERSTANDABLE EXPLANATION FOR WHY -- AND AS THE PIECE SAYS, THE LEAGUE S YOUR NAME APPEARS HERE, THIS DOESN'T MEAN YOU KNOW WHAT THIS GROUP IS, DOESN'T SAY HOW LONG OR WHETHER YOU'RE AN ACTIVE MEMBER.

SCOTT BALDWIN HAD AN EXPLANATION.

CHRIS JUDY DIDN'T SEEM TO HAVE MUCH OF ONE.

IS THAT GOING TO ULTIMATELY LEAD TO ANYTHING?

>> WELL, LIKE A BROKEN RECORD IN THIS REGARD, THE IMPACT -- NEGATIVE IMPACT ONLY IS SIGNIFICANT TO THE EXTENT THAT AN OPPONENT WISHES TO MAKE IT SIGNIFICANT.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THESE ISSUES, IT SEEMS TO ME, VARY BY DISTRICT.

SOME DISTRICTS, THAT MAY BE WORTH A FEW EXTRA POINTS, YOU KNOW?

OTHER DISTRICTS, IT WOULD BE HARMFUL, LET'S SAY.

BUT, AGAIN, IF NOBODY -- IT'S THE TREE FALLING IN THE FOREST.

IF NOBODY'S -- WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT NOW, BUT, YOU KNOW, MEMORIES -- OTHER THINGS COME UP, YEAH.

WILL IT COME UP?

IF SOMEBODY SOUNDED THAT DRUMBEAT DAY AFTER DAY, MAYBE IT WOULD MAKE INROADS.

THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR TO SAY, YOU KNOW, CLEARLY SEEING THAT MANY OF THE LEADERSHIP OF THIS ORGANIZATION ARE FACING, YOU KNOW -- >> FEDERAL CHARGES.

>> -- FEDERAL CHARGES, FELONY CHARGES AND SO FORTH, TO SAY THERE ARE SOME BAD THINGS THAT GO ON HERE THAT I -- EVEN IF I HAD SOME AFFILIATION PRIOR TO SEVEN YEARS AGO THAT I DON'T AGREE WITH, BUT INSTEAD IT'S ALMOST AS IF I WAS WAITING FOR THE NEXT LINE TO BE, THERE ARE GOOD PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, ON BOTH SIDES.

IT'S THAT SORT OF THING.

BECAUSE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISAVOW OR TO GO FURTHER THAN DISAVOW TO SAY -- TO CRITICIZE OR CONDEMN, AND THE BAIT WAS NOT TAKEN.

>> DOES CHRIS JUDY OWE HIS CONSTITUENTS AND HOOSIERS MORE OF AN EXPLANATION OF WHAT HE'S GIVEN SO FAR?

>> I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA.

MAYBE A SIMPLE STATEMENT.

OBVIOUSLY YOU KNOW THE OATHKEEPERS' REPUTATION NOW.

OBVIOUSLY THEY WERE THE SAME ORGANIZATION THAT THEY WERE SEVEN YEARS AGO, BUT WHAT WAS THE STATUS, WHAT WAS THEIR MAIN TALKING POINT SEVEN YEARS AGO?

I DON'T KNOW.

AND I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHO CHRIS JUDY WAS SEVEN YEARS AGO.

BUT THE TWO, THREE YEARS THAT I'VE WORKED WITH HIM, OBVIOUSLY I'VE SEEN NOTHING BUT A RESPECTFUL PERSON THAT VIGOROUSLY FIGHTS FOR HIS CONSTITUENTS, AND OBVIOUSLY HE LOVES HIS COUNTRY, FORMER IRAQ VETERAN.

REGARDING THE PERSON, THE WAY I KNOW HIM, I WOULDN'T THINK OF THIS AS A HUGE DEAL, BUT OBVIOUSLY YOU DON'T KNOW THE DEEP INTENTIONS OF CERTAIN PEOPLE.

>> YEAH.

I MEAN, IF YOU HAD ASKED ME, OKAY, SOMEBODY IN THE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS WAS A MEMBER OF THE OATHKEEPERS SEVEN YEARS AGO, I DON'T KNOW THAT CHRIS JUDY WOULD HAVE BEEN THE FIRST OR 30th PERSON THAT WOULD HAVE COME TO MIND.

>> COULD HAVE BEEN 30 PEOPLE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES?

>> NO, MY POINT WAS HE'S NOT SOMEBODY WHO CONSTANTLY GETS TO THE MIC AND RAILS AGAINST THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OR ANYTHING ELSE LIKE THAT.

>> RIGHT.

>> DOES HE OWE MORE OF AN EXPLANATION THAN HE'S GIVEN SO FAR?

>> I THINK HE DOES BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ALL HE WOULD HAVE TO DO -- MIGHT NOT EVEN NEED TO GIVE AN EXPLANATION OF WHAT HE WAS DOING THERE SEVEN YEARS AGO.

JUST REPUDIATE THEM.

SAY I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF AN ORGANIZATION THAT DOES THE KINDS OF THINGS THEY DID ON JANUARY 6, PERIOD.

OKAY?

>> WELL, HE SAID HE STAND IN THE STATEMENT I STAND BY THE RULE OF LAW.

>> WELL, THAT'S GREAT.

>> CLEARLY A LOT OF OATHKEEPERS AT THIS POINT DON'T.

>> THAT'S NOT A COMPLETE REPUDIATION.

IT'S THE SAME PROBLEM WITH JERRY GERRYMANDER GERRYMANDERING.

HE DOESN'T HAVE AN OPPONENT BECAUSE THAT DISTRICT CANNOT BE WON BY A DEMOCRAT.

IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW GOOD HE IS.

IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW BAD HE IS.

>> IN THAT PART OF THE DISTRICT, IS THERE ANY DISTRICT -- >> I DON'T KNOW.

I DON'T KNOW.

BUT YOU COULD AT LEAST MAKE THEM MORE COMPETITIVE.

I MEAN, WE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM IN MARION COUNTY.

WE HAVE OVERWHELMINGLY DEMOCRAT UK DISTRICTS IN MARION COUNTY.

AND THAT SHOULDN'T BE EITHER.

THERE SHOULD BE MORE COMPETITIVE DISTRICTS BECAUSE THAT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT MAKES FOR GOOD DEMOCRACY.

AND THEN IF YOU HAVE SOMEBODY WHO IS AN AFFILIATE -- HAS AN AFFILIATION WITH A GROUP LIKE THE OATHKEEPERS AND ISN'T WILLING TO REPUDIATE THEM, YOU CAN THROW THEM OUT.

HE CAN'T BE THROWN OUT UNDER THE CURRENT DISTRICT.

>> MEMBERS OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION JOINED GOVERNOR HOLCOMB AND TODD YOUNG AT PURDUE UNIVERSITY THIS WEEK TO TOUT THE INVESTMENTS OF THE C.H.

>>> P.C.H.I.P.S.

ACT.

>> Reporter: IT PUTS MORE THAN $50 BILLION TOWARDS BOLSTERING THE SEMICONDUCTOR IN THE UNITED STATES.

SEMICONDUCTOR CHIPS ARE USED IN NUMEROUS ELECTRONIC DEVICES INCLUDING PHONES, TV, AND CARS.

U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN SAYS SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES DURING THE PANDEMIC MADE IT CLEAR THAT THE U.S.

NEEDED TO SECURE THE PRODUCTION OF CHIPS.

>> YES, WE'RE IN A COMPETITION WITH CHINA AND OUR ABILITY IN THAT COMPETITION TO OFFER THE BEST CHOICE, THE BEST ALTERNATIVE, IS WHAT ULTIMATELY IS GOING TO CARRY THE DAY.

>> GOVERNOR HOLCOMB SAYS IN FIVE TO TEN YEARS, THE IDEA OF A SILICON HEARTLAND MANUFACTURING HUB IN THE MIDWEST IS NOT A STRETCH.

>> TO BE ABLE TO PLAY A PART IN TURNING A SUPPLY CHAIN PAIN INTO A SUPPLY CHAIN GAIN, THIS IS AN ENORMOUS SOURCE OF PRIDE AS WELL.

>> Reporter: EARLIER IN YEAR SKYWATER TECHNOLOGY ANNOUNCED A $1.8 BILLION SEMICONDUCTOR PLANT IN WEST LAFAYETTE.

FUNDING FOR THE PLANT WILL COME FROM THE C.H.I.P.S.

ACT.

TODD YOUNG VOTED FOR THE ACT, PUTTING HIM AT ODDS WITH SOME FELLOW REPUBLICANS, INCLUDING FELLOW HOOSIER SENATOR MIKE BRAUN.

IS THIS EVENT A POLITICAL BOOST FOR HIM OR POTENTIALLY SOMETHING THAT COULD HARM HIM POLITICALLY?

>> FOR TODD YOUNG, WE'RE TALKING?

>> FOR TODD YOUNG.

>> I THINK IT'S A WIN.

YEAH, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WILL CRITICIZE IT, BUT MY GOODNESS, IF YOU FRAME THIS WHICH IS LOGICAL WHICH IS THIS WILL CREATE LOTS AND LOTS OF JOBS.

NO IFS, ANDS OR BUTS.

>> THEY'RE NOT LIKELY TO DISAPPEAR IN FIVE YEARS.

>> YEAH.

$100,000 KIND OF JOBS.

THIS IS -- THESE ARE SIX-FIGURE JOBS.

AND THEN YOU THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, JUST THE COTTAGE INDUSTRY, AS WE'VE SEEN IN AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY, YOU HAVE THE BIG NAMES, THE TOYOTAS, THE HONDAS, BUT THEN THINK OF ALL THE OTHER BUSINESSES THAT WANT TO BE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY.

SO THAT WILL BE A BOOM.

AND THEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE OTHER ASPECT OF THIS, WHICH IS MAKING SURE THAT THE UNITED STATES ISN'T HELD HOSTAGE, AS WE'VE SEEN WHEN WE DEPEND SO HEAVILY ON OTHER NATIONS, INCLUDING NATIONS THAT DON'T LIKE US AND SEEM TO BE INCREASINGLY HOSTILE TOWARD US.

CHINA BEING AN EXAMPLE.

THE SAME LAWMAKERS WHO LAST SESSION WERE ARGUING ABOUT HAVING A REGISTRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KNEW WHEN CHINESE INTERESTS WERE BUYING FARMLAND, NOW SEEMINGLY, YOU KNOW, THINK THAT IT'S ALL RIGHT TO BE BEHOLDEN TO THEIR MANUFACTURING SUPPLY CHAIN IN TERMS OF SOMETHING THAT'S ARGUABLY EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO OUR NATION'S FUTURE IN TERMS OF TECHNOLOGY AND THE AVAILABILITY OF AMERICAN-MADE CHIPS.

SO TO ME, IT'S A -- SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM AND CERTAINLY A BIGGER WINNER LONG TERM.

>> ASSUMING HE HAD HAD A PRIMARY OPPONENT, WHICH HE DID NOT, BUT APPEARING AT AN EVENT WITH HIGH-RANKING BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS, OFFICIALS OF ANOTHER PARTY'S ADMINISTRATION, IS THAT SOMETHING YOU DO BEFORE A GENERAL ELECTION AND MAYBE NOT BEFORE A PRIMARY ELECTION?

>> OH, ABSOLUTELY.

BECAUSE I THINK, OBVIOUSLY, WE ALL KNOW IN PRIMARY SEASON, YOU TRY TO BE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE AS REPUBLICAN OR AS DEMOCRAT AS YOU CAN.

AND MAYBE NOT THE IMAGE OF YOU STANDING NEXT TO -- WAS IT TWO BIDEN OFFICIALS, I THINK -- >> INCLUDING THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

BUT THIS IS NOT SOMEBODY THAT -- >> SECRETARY OF COMMERCE.

>> RIGHT.

AND SO MAYBE THAT WOULDN'T BE THE BEST IMBUILDING A, BUT FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION, I THINK IT'S AN ABSOLUTE WIN JUST BECAUSE I THINK TOM McDERMOTT HAS BEEN TRYING HIS BEST TO PAINT TODD YOUNG AS A FAR-RIGHT GUY WHO'S BIG ON THE SOCIAL ISSUES AND CULTURE WAR AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT WHENEVER PEOPLE SEE THAT IT'S NOT A SOCIAL ISSUE AND HE'S ACTUALLY DOING THINGS TO SUPPORT THE INDIANA AND WORK WITH THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE, I THINK IT'S A BIG WIN.

>> YEAH.

IS THIS A BIG BOOST FOR TODD YOUNG?

>> OH, I THINK IT IS.

>> BUT ONE HE EARNED.

HE VOTED FOR THE BILL.

>> HE VOTED FOR THE BILL, AND HE WAS A CO-SPONSOR OF THE BILL, IF I RECALL CORRECTLY.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> SO HE DID WHAT HE SHOULD DO FOR THE BENEFIT OF INDIANA, I AGREE.

I JUST THINK IT'S IRONIC THAT HE AND GOVERNOR HOLCOMB ARE SPENDING ALL THEIR TIME SAYING THAT JOE BIDEN'S ADMINISTRATION'S DOING A TERRIBLE JOB ON THE ECONOMY, BUT YOU GET A PHOTO OP, THERE HE IS.

>> LASTLY ON THE SHOW, I WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUTOUT TO A GUY THAT YOU DON'T KNOW, MAYBE, BUT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WAY THE SHOW LOOKS AND SOUNDS EVERY WEEK, WHICH IS MY LONGTIME PRODUCER, MIKE PERRY.

MIKE AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER TO PUT THIS SHOW ON THE AIR JUST ABOUT EVERY WEEK SINCE I TOOK OVER NEARLY SIX YEARS AGO.

AND UNFORTUNATELY MIKE HAS GOT HIMSELF A NICE NEW JOB, WHICH MEANS HE'S NO LONGER GOING TO BE WORKING HERE WITH US AT "INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW."

MIKE, WE'RE GOING TO MISS YOU AND WE WISH YOU THE BEST AND SAD TO SEE YOU GO.

AND THAT IS "INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW" FOR THIS WEEK.

OUR PANEL IS DEMOCRAT ANN DELANEY.

REPUBLICAN CHRIS MITCHUM.

JOHN SHWANIS OF INDIANA LAWMAKERS AND WHITNEY DOWNING.

IF YOU'D LIKE A PODCAST, FIND IT ONLINE, 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 CAN HAPPEN IN AN INDIANA WEEK.

>> THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE SOLELY THOSE OF THE PANELISTS.

"INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW" IS A WFYI PRODUCTION IN ASSOCIATION WITH INDIANA'S PUBLIC