Indiana secretary of state charged with six felonies

Indiana Secretary of State Charlie White, 42, was convicted of six felony charges Feb. 4, including perjury, theft and voter fraud.

Shortly after the Hamilton County Superior Court Grand Jury’s verdict, Gov. Mitch Daniels announced White’s replacement.

But with plans to appeal his Class D felony charges in hope of reducing them to misdemeanors, White could regain his job, according to an article by the Associated Press. However, it is still unclear if this sentencing reduction will be enough to get White his job back.

“I have chosen not to make a permanent appointment today out of respect for the judge’s authority to lessen the verdict to a misdemeanor and reinstate the elected officeholder,” Daniels said in a press release. “If the felony convictions are not altered, I anticipate making a permanent appointment quickly.”

Daniels chose Chief Deputy Jerry Bonnet on an interim basis. Bonnet has been a secretary of state employee since 2005.

Bonnet, who was unavailable for comment, is currently becoming situated in his new position during a busy time for the secretary of state’s office, as signatures for president, U.S. Senate and governor are being certified this month.

White began his term as secretary of state Jan. 22, 2011. But his legal problems stem back from before his election to when he occupied another elected position.

White, a resident of Fishers, Ind., was elected to the Fishers Town Council in 2000, occupying that position until 2010. Registered to serve the council for a specific Fishers district, White claimed to live with his ex-wife. But the jury determined White had actually moved into a different district.

However, the jury found he continued to represent his previous district in the town council and continued to accept his salary from the town.

The jury also ruled that White committed a felony when he voted in the May 2010 primary election using his ex-wife’s address.

The jury found White guilty of three counts of voter fraud, two counts of perjury and one count of theft.

His seventh charge, fraud on a financial institution, was acquitted.

White could face between six months and three years in prison for each charge.

White’s defense attorney, former Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi, was not available for comment.

Special Prosecutor John Dowd said he presented the jury with more than 60 exhibits, including White’s voting records, a lease on his condominium, employee records, telephone records and evidence concerning cell tower connectivity, which reflected the general locations where White made calls on his cell phone.

“It is more by far than his claims that he was busy and forgot to do it,” Dowd said. “I think it was a corruption of the system by an individual who knew the system. I think it was a violation of the law by an individual who knew and understood the rules better than most and violated those rules.”

While White could reoccupy his desk in the secretary of state’s office if his felony charges are reduced to misdemeanors, Dowd said he does not believe the charges will be reduced.

“One of the responsibilities of the secretary of state is to oversee state elections and state election laws and this individual is, based on his conviction, clearly not fit to serve in that role and under law is now out of that office, at least until sentencing,” Dowd said.

While Bonnet is currently working as White’s former title, Indiana Democrats bring another dilemma into the equation, according to the AP.

On Tuesday, the Indiana Supreme Court agreed to hear the Democrats’ request to replace White with their 2010 candidate for secretary of state.

At the hearing, which is scheduled for Feb. 29, the court will decide whether Daniels should be allowed to appoint White’s replacement or if the position should be filled by Democratic candidate Vop Osili.

Democrats contend that White was not eligible to run in the 2010 election, and Osili was the eligible candidate who received the most votes.

But until the Supreme Court makes a verdict or White’s charges are reduced to misdemeanors, Bonnet is carrying on with his duties.

“Jerry Bonnet is a longtime employee who absolutely knows what should be done to provide the effective supervision and oversight the office requires,” Daniels said.