State Rep. Pat Bauer of South Bend demonstrated Tuesday he puts politics above principle.
Bauer, seemingly telling everyone but Rep. Chet Dobis, ousted Dobis from a leadership role in the Indiana General Assembly.
Citing Dobis' vote with Republicans that blocked approval of a House committee report designed to handcuff legislation approving an Illiana Expressway, Bauer stripped the Merrillville Democrat of the speaker pro tem title. The post is second in line after Bauer's, that of the powerful Speaker of the House.
"It's a tradition that leadership support the committee chair on a vote," Bauer said. "He knew that when he made that vote, so I know it's not a surprise."
Dobis was the lone Democrat to vote against the House Roads and Transportation Committee report that would have required every community along the route of the proposed Illiana to give its approval. Other Northwest Indiana Democrats, including East Chicago's Earl Harris, who assumes Dobis' former role, voted the party line.
As a result of Dobis joining Republicans, the report championed by committee chairwoman Rep. Terri Austin of Anderson failed to gain approval when the House vote deadlocked.
And so Bauer responded with petty politics. It shows his true color and how he misuses his party and legislative roles.
It is not the first time Bauer has run roughshod over members of his own party, but it is among reasons why voters in his South Bend-based district should oust him.
He is not a leader. He is a political hack who cares more about partisan politics than doing the right thing.
At a time when Northwest Indiana needs prompt legislative approval for the privately funded Illiana to help relieve traffic congestion, Bauer has played a disrespectful partisan hand. There should be no doubt he will kill the Illiana legislation to prove he has the power to do so.
Dobis, on the other hand, can hold his head high. After more than 30 years in the state General Assembly, Dobis once again showed he cares more about doing the right thing for his community than political position. It's unfortunate he paid such a high price.
It's also unfortunate that other Democrats from Northwest Indiana lacked the backbone to stand with Dobis. They say they support the Illiana, but they buckled when it came time for the test.
Bauer's petty political move will long be remembered as an example of the misuse of legislative power at its worst. If only voters in Northwest Indiana could cast ballots when he next seeks election. They'd vote the bum out.
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