Kelty indicted on nine counts: Republican candidate for mayor charged with perjury

[LiberalFighter]

Source: Ft Wayne Journal Gazette

An Allen County grand jury indicted Republican mayoral candidate Matt Kelty on Tuesday, charging him with seven felonies and two misdemeanors.

Kelty, 42, is charged with two counts of perjury, five felony counts of fraudulent election filing and two misdemeanor counts of commingling campaign and personal funds, special prosecutor Dan Sigler said.

Last month, Sigler requested a grand jury be empaneled to explore the issue of whether Kelty broke the law in how he reported $158,000 in loans on his campaign-finance reports.

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Kelty was taken in handcuffs to the Allen County Lockup, where he was released about 1 1/2 hours later on his own recognizance. If convicted, he faces up to three years in prison on each felony charge and up to 180 days in jail on the misdemeanor charges.

Read more: www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070814/LOCAL/70814011

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Some details

It was the Republican power brokers in Allen County that questioned and revealed the violation after their candidate lost in the primary.

The Allen County Election Board then requested documentation from Kelty and a hearing was later convened to determine the outcome. The makeup of the Election Board: Allen County Clerk by virtue of their office (Republican); member appointed by the Republican County Chair; member appointed by the Democratic County Chair. Kelty was represented by James Bopp Jr. He was involved in the 2000 Florida recount. Result of the hearing... 2 - 3 along party lines of course.

Next day I contacted Common Cause of Indiana requesting information on how to file charges. Never did file charges. Common Cause ended up doing it as a result of my inquiry.

Kelty received 2 loans of $150,000 and $10,000 from members of his campaign committee. Kelty transferred at least $158,000 of the money from his personal account shortly after receiving the money to his campaign. Kelty identified the loans personal loans from himself instead of the 2 members of his campaign. Bopp argued that the loans were given to Kelty as an individual and not Kelty the candidate.

Indiana Code specifies that loans are also considered contributions to a campaign when given to the campaign.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. I, for three (my friends are online with me)

am so proud of you! congrats for a job well done.

[Richard Steele]

2. As Dick Steele the person, not "dicksteele" the DUer, I recommended this for the "Greatest" page. nm

[UpInArms]

3. well done!

:thumbsup:

[bluerum]

4. Another repuke crook nailed. Good work team. eom

[LiberalFighter]

5. The local Republican heavyweights did all the work

[Delphinus]

6. Good job!

This is great news for justice!

Glad you took them on - not everyone would have thought to do what you did. :toast:

[Dark]

7. You know, it's gotten to the point where "Another republican has been indicted" isn't news, it's

happening so often.

Still, it's great hearing about it.

[Bozvotros]

8. Great work!!

I am from Fort Wayne and have followed this with interest. Mr. Kelty is a fervid right to lifer, with major connections to the local religious right wingers who largely financed his campaign and who brought out the so called Christian voters in droves to give him his surprise primary victory. I believe the two big loans in question came from wealthy religious backers. Kelty was once the head of the local Young Republicans too. And lest anyone forget, shortly after the Iraq invasion, the devout Mr. Kelty helped organize a big ugly rally, featuring wing nut Glen Beck in support of Bush and the war.



Now if they can just get the goods on Steve Shine, the clown prince of the local Republican party, I would sleep even better.