Attorney general: Smith should step down now

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| Saturday, October 27, 2007 | (12 comment(s))

Times Staff Report

INDIANAPOLIS| Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter on Friday said Lake County Councilman Will Smith should step down immediately.

"I think sometimes public officials should look at the honorable thing to do, and what clearly would be the honorable thing (would be) for him to step out of the picture at this point," Steve Carter said. "I hope he does that. And if he doesn't, I'm sure there will be more efforts in the Legislature to make sure that convicted criminals don't continue to draw public sector salaries while they're awaiting sentencing."

Carter's comments follow Smith's conviction last month in Hammond federal court on a charge of filing a false tax return. Smith was acquitted of fraud charges in the same case in which he and two other defendants were accused of illegally profiting from the sale of a building to the now defunct Gary Urban Enterprise Association.

Gary attorney Willie Harris and Roosevelt Powell, a former tax collector for the county, were found guilty in the same trial of a conspiracy charge they illegally profited from a fraudulent legal settlement that cheated local government out of taxes that should have been paid.

Following the jury's guilty verdict, Smith, who was Lake County Council president when he was indicted in the case, should have stepped down immediately, Carter said.

"I'm surprised he didn't do it the day after he was convicted," Carter said. "It clearly looks like he's putting self interest above that of representing his constituents.

"I wouldn't think he would have much credibility with his other council members now when he attends a meeting as a convicted felon."

But Smith and his attorneys have argued that the embattled official need not step down until after he is sentenced in the matter.

"I'm acting on opinion from county attorneys," Smith said Friday, reacting to Carter's statement. "I didn’t have to step down from my office until my sentence: That was the opinion of my county attorney."

Though a federal jury convicted him of the crime, Smith also said he believes he is not technically convicted until sentencing.

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And you wonder....... wrote on Oct 27, 2007 11:36 PM:

" ......why Gary is a stinky armpit of America. If I was one of his constituents, I'd be demanding he step down immediately. "

G Davis wrote on Oct 27, 2007 9:19 PM:

" Whats next, He doesn't have to step down till his sentence? If thats the case He will be in a long time. since nobody who steals in this area goes to jail, with the worthless court system around here He will be scamming for a long time! but if He got caught with a joint, "Katie by the door" I like the way the Government makes it impossable to get them out of office when they are convicted! "

sorry wrote on Oct 27, 2007 7:01 PM:

" To bad he didn't step down before he made E. Franklin President. When a person does his/her time we are supposed to give them another chance. Why, not allow Mr. Smith the same opportunity some one who has served his time. "

Does this really surprise you? wrote on Oct 27, 2007 6:47 PM:

" is that a surprise? i mean look at our SENATOR Craig image, c'mon now, all the corruption and bad images in our entire country need to be reflected upon. not limited to local either, this goes all the way up to the top! "

Counting the minutes wrote on Oct 27, 2007 6:21 PM:

" If only the Feds would finish up their investigation of McDermott and indite him too! What is it with these corrupt individuals preying on the public trust? ALL public officials should take a lie detector test and vacate their offices the MOMENT they are found guilty, for the sake of the good of the public! "

why would this surprise anyone wrote on Oct 27, 2007 5:51 PM:

" The only thing different from him and most politicians in LAKE county is that he got caught....This is the culture that is accepted in Lake County. "

sinnsage wrote on Oct 27, 2007 1:07 PM:

" Forget about what salary Smith is still drawing, the real concern is the vulnerability to legal challenge on the validity of anything Smith votes on. "

beulah wrote on Oct 27, 2007 12:23 PM:

" He's not technically convicted until the sentencing? I thought that the minute the jury says "guilty" a person is convicted. Once he's in a cell, will he then feel convicted? I hope so. "

Joker wrote on Oct 27, 2007 11:58 AM:

" Oh shut up....you're fooling noone "

oldest spears wrote on Oct 27, 2007 8:57 AM:

" He's playing the same old game as the East Chicago sidewalk clowns did. "I stand on the jo till i'm sentence!" "

What? wrote on Oct 27, 2007 8:46 AM:

" I guess if you commit murder you are not guilty until you are sentenced. Same thing! He is just procrastinating because Mr. Smith is another DIRTY Lake county politician who is trying to figure a way out of his problem and which one of cronies is going to replace him. "

Riddle me this . . . wrote on Oct 27, 2007 2:39 AM:

" Why hasn't Sam Smith stepped down from his position as a STATE legislator?? "

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