In perhaps the final gasp of a failing re-election campaign, Jim Brainard’s campaign organization sent out a negative hit-piece focused upon his opponent, Hamilton County Councilor Fred Glynn. In a new low and a sign of how desperate Brainard’s campaign has become as voters are trending to Glynn by a growing margin, this mailer makes accusations, already proven to be false, citing a single letter to the editor posted at the Hamilton County Reporter.
Th
at letter c
ontained three allegations, including one that Glynn had 41 tax liens filed against him.
Neither Rob Bush (author of the original letter to the Reporter and a Brainard sycophant) nor Friends of Jim Brainard appear to have done any fact-checking to confirm the circumstances or outcomes of the cases cited. Or, if they had, they would know these allegations to be false and misleading and would be guilty of intentionally misleading voters. Even when confronted with the truth, no public retractions or apologies have come forth.
Turning the calendar forward to the past 24 hours, this mailer appears with the same erroneous allegations. Allegations that now take the form of formalized libel.
As the mailer arrived in the mailboxes of Carmel voters, Fred Glynn issued the following statement and offered proof that the tax liens were dismissed without a single payment made:
To the Citizens of Carmel:
On May 2, 2019, a dishonest and misleading mailer began hitting your mailboxes from Mayor Jim Brainard which includes many false accusations including financial misconduct. As is typical with career politicians – this is nothing more than a desperate attempt to cling to power. We are disgusted that a 24-year career politician – our incumbent mayor would lower our community to this level.
The truth is this: we have never been behind on our taxes.
In 2007, Fred closed down his insurance business. Unfortunately, the payroll company we contracted through did not inform the Indiana Department of Revenue that the business was no longer operating and therefore had not accrued any payroll taxes. In early 2010, we received 41 tax bill letters (one for each month we closed the business, all received the same day) stating that we were late paying employees’ state withholding taxes in our then closed-down business. We immediately went to the Department of Revenue, showed them what happened, proved the business had been closed, and we were issued a letter stating that there were no obligations owed. We did not owe – NOR DID WE PAY – any back taxes. I have included a link to the letters here.
The mayor, his cronies, and his political allies, tried to float this bogus story to several media outlets in the last several weeks. Upon doing their research, all credible media outlets refused to run the story. When this tactic failed, the Mayor instead had a supporter of his re-election write a letter to the Hamilton County Reporter (whom employs one of his campaigns strongest allies) peddling these lies. He then sent the campaign mailer from “Friends of Jim Brainard” continuing to misrepresent to the citizens of Carmel Fred’s record, our character, and Fred’s past.
Beth has been a successful CPA for over 30 years. Many of you know that lies such as this pose a threat to her career and have caused significant harm to our family. While we are disappointed, we will finish this campaign the way we started it – talking about ideas, and plans for a bright future that awaits our great City.
Fred and Beth Glynn
There is a reason Indianapolis media are not airing or publicizing this story, as the facts have been presented to them and they understand the allegations have no merit. To be sure, between now and Election Day next Tuesday, additional mailings and online ads will attempt to make these and similar other unfounded claims. Brainard campaign volunteers will be flooding local social media with posts containing false and defamatory statements about Fred Glynn, hoping voters are either too lazy or disengaged to look past those feeble efforts to sway them.
It is your job as a Carmel citizen and voter to reject such naked attempts to deceive you out of sheer desperation. Ask yourself: why does Jim Brainard approve and his campaign resort to such tactics?
Is this a tacit admission by Jim Brainard to the people of Carmel that his time as mayor is nearing an end?
Carmel deserves better. Cast an informed vote on May 7th.
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