Lawsuit claims Indiana treasurer granted illegal contracts

By TOM DAVIES
Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A whistleblower lawsuit alleges that Indiana’s state treasurer violated state law in handing out contracts that paid more than $6 million to firms linked to her political supporters. The lawsuit filed by a former top office staffer claims Republican Treasurer Kelly Mitchell bypassed required approvals from other state agencies when she awarded the contracts without seeking competitive bids. The lawsuit alleges those contracts went to eight banks, a financial services company and the Indianapolis law firm Ice Miller. It says those companies either directly donated to Mitchell’s campaign or had business ties with others who had. Officials for Mitchell’s office and Ice Miller declined to comment on the allegations.