DOUG ROSS: White proves Dems aren't sole source of disappointment

From a Northwest Indiana perspective, watching the Charlie White political implosion has been entertaining and informative.

Ask downstate politicians what they think of Northwest Indiana politicians, and the terms "Democrat" and "corrupt" too often are used interchangeably.

There have been numerous examples of public corruption convictions involving Democrats in Northwest Indiana, sure, but White proves the Democrats don't have a monopoly on crooked politicians.

White was removed as Indiana secretary of state -- the top Hoosier election official -- when he was convicted early Saturday on vote fraud charges.

Indiana Gov. Mich Daniels appointed White's chief deputy, Jerry Bonnet, as interim secretary of state on Saturday. Interim? Yes, because this circus isn't over yet.

Daniels said he didn't want to name a permanent replacement because the Hamilton County judge who tried White's case could still reduce the charge to a misdemeanor.

In another ring at the same circus, the Indiana Democratic Party is seeking to have Democrat Vop Osili, the 2010 candidate who lost to White by about 300,000 votes, certified as White's permanent successor.

That logic is roughly this: Because White was ineligible to hold that office, for a crime he committed before he held office, White should not have been certified as the winner of that race. Osili, who got more votes than Libertarian Mike Wherry, should be certified instead.

As someone who has been outspoken in favor of good government and ethical behavior by government officials, I believe the Democrats have the moral high ground on this case.

So why didn't Daniels just say White was an embarrassment to the secretary of state's office, to the Republican Party, to all of Indiana, and appoint Osili as his permanent replacement? After all, Daniels and other elected officials holding statewide office urged White to resign long ago.

My guess is that Daniels is looking more at what's best for his party's future -- and his own -- than for trying to right the wrong committed when White committed vote fraud and when White continued to run for office, anyway.

So instead of ending this drama last weekend, we now have to wait for the judge's sentencing to conclude the criminal side of this circus and for the separate civil case involving the Democrats and the Indiana Recount Commission to be concluded. The civil case likely will go all the way to the Supreme Court.

I can't help thinking the Democrats in Lake County are laughing their heads off over White's actions and conviction.

Honestly, though, crooked behavior by anyone hurts all of us, as it further erodes the public's trust in government.

Editorial Page Editor Doug Ross can be reached at (219) 548-4360 or (219) 933-3357 or Doug.Ross@nwi.com. The opinion expressed in this column is the writer's and not necessarily that of The Times.