Friday, May 08, 2015

Pence's Office Releases List Traveling On 8-Day China Junket

Gov. Mike Pence is preparing to head over to China on an 8-day junket billed as a trade mission where multi-national corporations like to set up operations using the large available pool of local slave labor to manufacture their products. The list of pay-to-play folks accompanying Gov. Pence and his wife, Karen, on the trip include the following:

Victor Smith, Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) and Kathleen Smith (spouse)
Steve Akard, IEDC and Kay Akard (spouse)
Edward Bonach, CEO, CNO Financial Group and Margaret Bonach (spouse)
Lobbyist Douglas Brown, Bose, McKinney, Evans LLP
Donald Brown, CEO, Interactive Intelligence and Angelique Brown (spouse)
Constance Brown, COO, Indiana University Health Plans
Ting Gootee, CFO, Elevate Ventures
Rebecca Helmke, IEDC
Rent-A-Civic Leader Jim Morris, Pacers Sports & Entertainment and Jacqueline Morris (spouse)
Kelly Nicholl, IEDC
Lobbyist Michael O’Connor, Elanco/Eli Lilly Company
Kathleen O’Leary, President, Northern Indiana Public Service Company
Bart Peterson, Senior V.P. (i.e. Lobbyist), Eli Lilly and Company
Katelyn Prentice, IEDC
Melissa Proffit, Ice Miller LLP
Rick Schach, Senior V.P., Vectren Corporation and Susan Schach (spouse)
Ian Steff, IEDC

I wonder if Bart Peterson and Michael O'Connor will discuss ways to avoid being caught bribing Chinese officials to conduct business in the country. 

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

The so-called trade missions are little more than crony connections ops for those listed... and look at that list. Pence is such a poor leader and, BTW not at all the POTUS material he believes himself to be... that I am just about to jump on board the mission of the Watson Road gay couple who sell the "Pence Must Go" signs (I hear from reputable sources they've raised over $10,000 selling those signs)... you know, maybe that gay couple has a point... This Republican is beginning to shout... Pence Must Go... and all the sycophants on that list... including that darned crony establishment RINO "R" Melissa Proffit...

Flogger said...

Per Bernie Sanders - “If Nike can sell a pair of LeBron XII Elite iD shoes online for $320 in this country, it should be making these shoes and other products here, not in Vietnam or China,” he wrote. “It is no secret why Nike is supporting [the Trans-Pacific Partnership]. [It would] … increase the profits of Nike … but do nothing to encourage Nike to create one manufacturing job in this country.”

Per Forbes - James signed a seven-year, $90 million pact with Nike before even being drafted by the Cavaliers with the No. 1 overall pick in 2003. James along with other Professional Athletes cash in big time with a Union to protect their backs. Nike workers have no Union. I suppose in the world of Professional Sports greed it is perfectly fine to sell an over priced product to young Americans made by sweat shop labor overseas. No Nike Factories in Indianapolis.

It is sickening how we went through the 1950s and 1960's in such a rabid lather about Red China. Now, even though China is still one party dictatorship manufacturing most of what we consumers buy it is OK.

Anonymous said...

How clueless can Pence be? His fellow travel companions are plotting and executing his political downfall.

Anonymous said...

Wow! Pence really is sleeping with his enemy.

Anonymous said...

Sleeping with the enemy!!!!

Geezzzz, really, inviting TAX AND SPEND Bart "Lies" Peterson, and Michael O'Connor????

"Corruption is as Corruption Does," as one poster has previously stated. This just stinks to high heaven.

And just what purpose does going to a Communist country serve Indiana????

Anonymous said...

Why is Constance Brown from IU Health Plans going on this trade mission? IU Health Plans strictly operates in Central Indiana and certainly has no interest in any business in China. I wonder who is paying for her to go? Perhaps someone should let JK Wall at the IBJ know about this so he can look into it. IU Health is mostly taxpayer supported these days with all the Medicaid and Medicare dollars going through there and being tax exempt. With all the labor issues they are havng, sending someone on an expensive trip like this does not look good.

Anonymous said...

Anon 10:21 -
If I'm not mistaken, Connie Brown is married to Doug Brown.

Gary R. Welsh said...

She might be his spouse, but she was listed as a separate member of the delegation, not among the list of spouses going on the trip.

LamLawIndy said...

Look, I'm no Bart Peterson fan, but please remember the maxim -- often attributed to Bastiat -- that "when goods don't cross borders, soldiers will." Trade benefits everyone. Yes, it does financially injure some (the garment worker whose job relocates to Vietnam, the autoworker whose job is now in Mexico), but it overall raises the living standards of all of us.