Bosma to return Durham donations

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - One Indiana politician’s agreement to return campaign contributions from indicted Indianapolis businessman Tim Durham has led to the cancellation of a lawsuit demanding the repayment.

As 24-Hour News 8 first reported Thursday, five Indiana politicians, all Republicans, have been hit with lawsuits demanding they return contributions accepted from Durham. One of those was filed against Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma's election committee. But late Friday afternoon, the lawsuit against Bosma was dismissed.

Durham is in the midst of hearings over his dealings at Fair Finance, an Ohio investment company. He is accused of misusing millions of dollars of investor money. The bankruptcy trustee trying to recover some of that cash, Brian Bash, filed the lawsuits demanding the return of political donations.

Before the lawsuit against him was dismissed Friday, Bosma told us he was surprised it was filed in the first place.

"I know we had attorneys respond asking for more information,” he said, “and apparently that wasn't satisfactory."

The bankruptcy trustee told 24-Hour News 8 was some confusion in communications with Bosma, and now that the speaker's committee will be returning the $10,000 from Durham, the lawsuit has been dismissed. Bosma’s latest campaign finance report shows the repayment is only a fraction of his campaign cash on hand: $610,000.

Lawsuits still stand for Indiana and Indianapolis Republican organizations and the committee to elect Lawrence Mayor Paul Ricketts. Campaign finance reports show all but one have enough money in their campaign funds to cover the return of Durham donations.

But not all are sure they should or have to.

Ricketts told 24-Hour News 8 the trustee has not shown a direct relationship between his campaign money and Fair Finance money.

"We got no correspondence from the trustee until last week," Ricketts said

Mike Gentry of the House Republican Finance Committee also said the lawsuit was a surprise. He also questions the validity of the demands, but said the committee expects “to work out an amicable arrangement for both parties"

Kyle Walker, chairman of the Marion County Republican Party, also said he is confident that a mutually agreeable solution will be reached in the near future.

Gov. Mitch Daniels and Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi also received about $200,000 in donations from Durham, but the bankruptcy has not file lawsuits against them.

The trustee's attorney would not comment on the governor but did say they are having good faith discussions with Brizzi and making progress.