Warrick commissioners' attorney questions state police affidavits

BOONVILLE, Ind. — It was a mostly standard affair at Monday’s Warrick County Commission meeting, even though a criminal defense attorney took to the lectern at the meeting’s outset and gave an introduction on behalf of the three commissioners, who all face criminal charges stemming from a state police investigation into Warrick County government.

“The commissioners believe that good governance and leadership are a noble pursuit – politics, unfortunately, is less so,” the commissioners’ attorney, Anthony Long, told a packed audience. “They look forward to being able to tell their story to the court and the Warrick County populace… They will continue to faithfully execute their duties of office without interruption.”

The meeting, which began a few minutes late due to Long's statement, was commissioners Terry Phillippe, Robert Johnson and Dan Saylor’s first official public appearance since they turned themselves in Feb. 8 after a special prosecutor charged the trio with obstruction of justice, false informing and official misconduct. Phillippe faces an additional charge of perjury, court records show.

All three have pleaded not guilty.

Their arrests came amid an ongoing Indiana State Police investigation into alleged criminal wrongdoing at Warrick County Animal Control. In sworn affidavits filed in Warrick County Circuit Court, state police detectives accused the commissioners of lying to the ISP and working to stymie its investigation, among other allegations.

In addition to the commissioners, that investigation led to the arrests of Daniel Barnes, the former animal control director, Susan Broshears, a former animal control assistant, and Jamie Hubiak, the owner of Evansville-based Specialty Pet Grooming.

All face charges of theft for their alleged roles in an unlawful pet adoption scheme. Special Prosecutor Samantha Hurst charged Barnes and Broshears with additional counts of official misconduct, corrupt business influence and ghost employment, court records show.

Monday afternoon, Long questioned the state police's work, saying in his statement on behalf of the commissioners that Phillippe, Johnson and Saylor’s arrest affidavits would fail to hold up to scrutiny. Long also told the assembled media to “do their job” and “report truth, investigate, don’t be lazy and sit back and listen to what some unknown witness said.”

Other than Long’s impassioned statement, most of the Warrick County Commission meeting went on with little mention of any criminal investigation. The commissioners listened to testimony, asked questions and voted as they worked their way through an otherwise routine agenda.

“I heard the prosecutor has plenty of money,” commissioner Johnson at one point quipped to Warrick County Clerk Patty Perry.

But signs of the ongoing dispute between the commissioners and the Warrick County Health Department − a dispute which spilled over into the ISP’s investigation, court records show − made an appearance midway through the meeting when the commissioners tabled discussion surrounding the appointment of Candice Huebner as interim health director.

The commissioners’ firing of the former health director, Aaron Franz, and other actions taken by the commission to wrestle control of the health department are the subject of ongoing civil lawsuits.

April Edwards, the health department attorney, sparred with the commissioners Monday after she requested to speak publicly at the meeting, telling the men their refusal to affirm Huebner’s appointment had led to payroll issues.

“All you guys have to do is affirm that appointment,” Edwards said. “Because that would resolve the problems on her payroll, and it’s not fair that she’s working in that position and she’s not getting paid.”

The commissioners maintain that under a recently changed law, they have the final say on approving Huebner’s appointment and that she should not conduct work on behalf of the county until the commissioners sign off on her employment.

Huebner later testified during the meeting, pleading with the commissioners to speed along the approval of rent payments to cover the department’s office space.

“Since I am not recognized as the interim director, can you provide guidance on the appropriate measure to get that paid?” Huebner asked.

The commissioners said an uncertified claim to cover the rent payments was “in the works.”

Besides the agenda items focused on the health department, most of the meeting was routine.

When the last item on the agenda had been settled, the commissioners could be seen jovially speaking to members of the audience, which included representatives from local law enforcement.

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Warrick commissioners' attorney questions state police affidavits