Pelath pleased Pence pulled plug on “Prairie Pravda”

INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana House Democratic Leader Scott Pelath from Michigan City today issued the following statement after Gov. Mike Pence ended plans to create a taxpayer-funded news service called Just IN:

“Truth be told, this idea should have been put to rest when it was still in the planning stages. Those who thought it was a good idea should have spent more time thinking about the implications here and cast it aside.

“What resulted was several days’ worth of ridicule for our state from all sectors. I know that my Indiana House Democratic colleagues would not have stopped trying to defund this proposal in the days to come, and I’m sure the derision would have continued until the inevitable occurred.

“The worst part of all this is that it took attention away from more serious matters, such as the federal approval of the HIP 2.0 health care plan and the ongoing efforts by legislative Republicans to take power away from state Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz.

“Now we can turn our attention to issues that affect Hoosiers.”