Can the lieutenant governor defund the Indiana Daily Student? What to know.

Indiana Lt. Gov.-elect Micah Beckwith called the Indiana Daily Student’s 2024 election edition “woke propaganda” and appeared to threaten both the IDS and Indiana University in an X post (formerly known as Twitter) on Nov. 12.

Here's what you need to know.

What did Micah Beckwith say about the IDS?

Beckwith’s tweet shows the front page of the Nov. 7 print edition of the IDS, which features quotes from Donald Trump’s former allies and cabinet members calling him “a threat to democracy,” “a danger for the United States,” a “moron,” and a “fascist.”

“This is WOKE propaganda at its finest and why most of America looks at higher education indoctrination centers like IU as a complete joke and waste of money,” Beckwith said in his tweet. “This type of elitist leftist propaganda needs to stop or we will be happy to stop it for them.”

Why did Micah Beckwith criticize an IDS front page?

Beckwith’s tweet calling the IDS and IU “leftist propaganda” and “indoctrination centers” came in response to the paper’s election issue. The issue contains news and opinion stories about statewide and national election results, but the front cover features several unflattering and negative quotes from Trump’s former allies.

Beckwith's tweet incorrectly stated the IDS had called Trump, “a ‘moron,’ a ‘fascist,’ and a ‘threat to democracy.’” The quotes came from, and were attributed on the cover to, Trump’s former allies. Trump’s former secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, reportedly called Trump a “moron,” while former Defense Secretary Mark Esper called him “a threat to democracy.”

John Kelly, Trump’s former chief of staff, said Trump “falls into the general definition of fascist” in October – a claim that the Kamala Harris campaign latched onto and repeated in the weeks leading up to the election.

How has the IDS responded to Beckwith's tweet?

Marissa Meador, the IDS’ co-editor-in-chief for the fall semester, said in a written statement she and the IDS newsroom were concerned by Beckwith’s tweet, both because it misinterpreted the source of the quotes and because it appeared to threaten the IDS.

“We wanted a cover that would illustrate the historic nature of this win, including its sort-of ‘underdog’ narrative,” said Meador. “Our intent was to create a front page that could be read as inspiring to his supporters as well as mirroring the shock felt by his opponents.

“The most concerning aspect is that Beckwith indicated he would use his office to control what the IDS prints, which would be a flagrant violation of the First Amendment,” Meador said.

Could Micah Beckwith withdraw funding for the IDS?

Not directly. In Indiana (and throughout the U.S.), the state budget – including funding to state schools and programs – is set each year by the state House of Representatives and Senate.

However, Beckwith could potentially influence the state budget in two ways. First, as governor-elect Mike Braun’s running mate and close advisor, Beckwith could encourage Braun to veto a state budget proposal if either of them take issue with items in it – including funding allocations to IU.

Second, as the tie-breaking vote in the state Senate, Beckwith could tip a vote on budget adoption one way or the other, although that's unlikely given Indiana's current 40-to-10 Republican majority in the Senate.

As of Nov. 12, Braun and Beckwith’s teams had not commented further on the tweet, despite requests from the IDS.

Does the state budget fund the Indiana Daily Student?

Not really. The IDS is largely sustained through independent ad revenue, and as of earlier this year, IU is working to make the IDS (and student media as a whole) “revenue neutral” and more financially independent.

However, IU’s Media School pays the salaries of about five professional IDS staff members and is continuing to help pay down the newspaper’s budget deficit.

In 2023, Indiana Rep. Lorissa Sweet (R) led a successful effort to bar state dollars from funding the Kinsey Institute at IU – a move that nearly led to the institute being severed from IU entirely.

Decision: Kinsey Institute to remain at Indiana University after Board of Trustees vote

Changes for IDS already in the works

Beckwith’s comments come just over a month after the Media School announced, without input from students or staff, that the IDS would eliminate its weekly print edition starting in spring 2025, a change aimed at promoting financial solvency for the paper.

'A lot of fear': Indiana University cuts student newspaper's weekly print product

At the time, IDS co-editor-in-chief Jacob Spudich called the mandate from the university to reduce print production a form of censorship.

Meador said while the IDS stands by its election issue, she worries the cover is being misinterpreted in a way that puts the paper and its staff members in danger.

“We absolutely stand by the decision because we think this is a historic presidency that deserves a historic and visually meaningful cover,” Meador said in an email. “We do, however, wish the point of our cover was universally understood and don’t like our paper being in controversy, particularly because of the potential risk it puts our staff members in.”

Reach Brian Rosenzweig at brian@heraldt.com. Follow him on Twitter/X at @brianwritesnews.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Lieutenant Governor elect Beckwith calls out Indiana Daily Student