Published: February 13, 2008 03:42 pm            

Tribune-Star Editorial: And another thing...

TERRE HAUTE — 8th District battle shapes up

Partisan politics aside, the official announcement by Terre Haute’s Greg Goode that he will seek the Republican nomination for the 8th District’s congressional seat should be greeted here with pride and anticipation.

The 34-year-old Goode enters the race with strong Republican Party support in the district and will count on that to catapult him past the May primary and into an autumn showdown with Democrat Rep. Brad Ellsworth, who is serving his first term in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Goode’s declaration of candidacy marks a coming out for a political insider who has toiled behind the scenes of government for more than a decade. He worked for former 7th District reps Ed Pease and Brian Kerns, then served as chief public and government affairs officer for Indiana State university.

Ellsworth may prove difficult to defeat in his first re-election bid, but Goode will give the competitive district’s conservative base a candidate around which to rally who has a strong Republican pedigree along with his government experience.

Full responsibility means resignation

Sullivan City Council member Clint Lamb, who faces charges of drunken driving and unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle, has taken some first steps in being accountable for his actions. He has relinquished his position as council president, publicly apologized, and expressed a willingness to accept full responsibility for his actions.

But it’s not enough.

Lamb was arrested last week after the vehicle he was driving became stuck in a soft lawn in Shelburn, five miles north of Sullivan. The kicker: the vehicle was a Sullivan police car. He was not authorized to be in possession of the car. What’s more, police say his blood-alcohol content was .12. (The legal limit is .08.)

As we stated earlier this week, Lamb’s actions represent a serious violation of the public trust. He should immediately resign his elected position. Nothing less should be acceptable to the people of Sullivan.

Strong choice for fire chief

We offer hearty congratulations and best wishes to Jeff Fisher, who last week was appointed fire chief for the city of Terre Haute by Mayor Duke Bennett. Fisher is an excellent choice by the city’s new mayor, and we applaud him for it. Fisher has been a member of the department for more than 18 years and most recently served as its public relations office.

        

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