Blue 812 News Issue 65 - April 19

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The past week, Trump has been acting even more unhinged, and decided to start a random beef with the Pope. Last Sunday, following a "60 Minutes" segment that highlighted the pontiff's criticisms of the Trump administration's mass deportations and war with Iran, the president angrily ranted on Truth Social, calling Pope Leo XIV “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy.” He ended the post by telling the Pope to focus on “being a Great Pope and not a politician.” Later in the day, Trump posted an AI-generated image to social media that appeared to depict him as Jesus, though he insisted it was as a "doctor," (did he mean the photo was doctored?) though he deleted the post hours later.

Devoted Catholic JD Vance then went off on the Holy Father Wednesday. In JD’s words: “In the same way that it’s important for the vice president of the United States to be careful when I talk about matters of public policy, I think it’s very, very important for the pope to be careful when he talks about matters of theology.” MATTERS OF THEOLOGY??? He’s the Pope!

Also on Wednesday, GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson, like Vance, also disputed Leo's remarks, in particular that Jesus does not hear the prayers of those who engage in war. Johnson, an evangelical Christian, told reporters he “was taken a little bit aback” by that remark and argued, “It is a very well-settled matter of Christian theology: There’s something called the Just War doctrine.” The Archdiocese for the Military Services explains that a just war is one that is defensive and launched as a last resort: “The damage inflicted by the aggressor…must be lasting, grave, and certain.” It must have “a serious prospect of success,” and “the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated.”

Meanwhile, the pope continued his tour through Africa, leading a mass Friday for a huge audience in Cameroon, where he urged the crowd to take a stand against corruption. In response to Trump's broadsides, Leo said, "The things that I say are certainly not meant as attacks on anyone, and the message of the Gospel is very clear: 'Blessed are the peacemakers.'"

Including its territories, France has 12 time zones, more than any other country. Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Ships remain unable to transit the Strait of Hormuz amid threats from Iran and a U.S. blockade on ships heading to and from Iranian ports. Hundreds of vessels wait at each end for clearance, causing one of the worst global energy crises in decades to deepen. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil trade normally passes through the strait, along with critical supplies of fertilizer for the world’s farmers, natural gas and humanitarian supplies for places in dire need like Afghanistan and Sudan. So, nothing really important.

Iranian officials earlier on Sunday held firm that ships wouldn’t pass while the U.S. blockade remained in effect. “It is impossible for others to pass through the Strait of Hormuz while we cannot,” Iran’s chief negotiator, parliament speaker Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf said.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the US has seized an Iranian ship, the nearly 900-foot cargo vessel TOUSKA. TOUSKA was intercepted by the Navy destroyer USS Spruance in the Gulf of Oman after ignoring warnings to stop. Trump said the ship was disabled and boarded, and that U.S. Marines now have custody of the vessel. Iran has not publicly commented on the reported seizure.

This incident underscores how fragile the ceasefire remains, with both sides accusing the other of violations and at odds on when to resume peace talks. The two-week ceasefire is set to expire Wednesday.

Trump earlier accused Iran of firing on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a “total violation” of the ceasefire. “We’re offering a very fair and reasonable DEAL, and I hope they take it because, if they don’t, the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran,” he continued. “NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!” These comments came as Iran reimposed an effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, citing a continued U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports, just one day after Trump declared the waterway “completely open” under the current ceasefire.

While two senior administration officials told NBC News on Sunday that Vice President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to travel to Islamabad, Pakistan, to continue negotiations with Iran, Iranian officials have pushed back on Trump's announcement of new talks. Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency denied reports of a second round of negotiations in Islamabad, saying there is “no clear prospect” for talks under current conditions. It cited what it described as excessive U.S. demands, shifting positions and the continued naval blockade, which Iran views as a violation of the ceasefire.

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IDEC) announced a $60 million partnership deal Monday to bring Israeli tech start-ups to the state. The initiative aims to integrate Israeli start-ups with Indiana universities, health care systems, and other companies. Indiana will commit $15 million to the initiative, with the Iron Nation partnership expected to invest another $30-million.

In news that I am sure is in no way connected, a planned 15-acre expansion of White River State Park in Indianapolis has been canceled. According to the deputy director of the White River State Park Development Commission, “the decision was made to end the current project due to finances. The State will continue to explore future options to envision the best use of the site.” The 2025 state budget initially included $15 million to fund the park expansion, but that money was later stripped out after a gloomy economic forecast predicted a $2 billion shortfall in revenue due in part to the tariffs. So, $15 mil is a yes for Israel, but a no for Hoosiers. Priorities!

A top Republican state election official and former Secretary of State Connie Lawson are raising alarms about Secretary of State Diego Morales‘ “pattern of negligence” while administering the state’s elections. Two state resignations and a new letter circulating, authorized by Morales’ opponent Dave Shelton‘s campaign, are the latest developments fueling the competitive 2026 race for secretary of state.

The letter, first reported by Indiana Capital Chronicle and obtained by IndyStar, outlined a “series of avoidable administrative failures” — including a recent miscommunication with software vendors that caused electronic pollbooks to glitch — and what the two women describe overall as a “culture of nepotism” and “office of self-promotion.”

Lawson and Valerie Warycha, GOP co-counsel in the office, called out Morales for everything from his $90,000 SUV purchase, international travel, to hiring and giving bonuses to relatives, but it appears the last straw was a series of recent issues with administering this year’s elections where office staff didn’t properly notarize “declarations of candidacy,” sending candidates to “rush back to Indianapolis to refile... under the threat of frivolous legal challenges.”

“The irony is as sharp as it is disappointing: the secretary of state is the very official responsible for issuing notary licenses, yet he could not secure them for his own office,” according to the letter. The letter comes as Warycha and Brad King, the Indiana Election Division's Republican co-director, are leaving the office immediately after the primary, Indiana Capital Chronicle reported April 15. Gov. Mike Braun's office confirmed King was retiring. Warycha shared with IndyStar her email notifying King of her resignation effective May 6, as well as King's handwritten letter of resignation, in which he expressed gratitude for his decades in the role.

Terre Haute Mayor Brandon Sakbun was stymied again this week in his efforts to get money from the Vigo County Council to help fund the warming center at Lotus Center. That came after the County Ccouncil’s new attorney, Samantha DeWester (fresh off of defending Alexandra Wilson’s ballot challenge), said the measure could not be brought before the county body again this year. On Dec. 29, 2025, the County Council approved giving $15,000 to help provide the service, but the money was not spent in the two days before year’s end, so it reverted back to the county’s general fund.

In March of this year, after the city returned and asked for the previously OK’d $15,000 to help defray warming center costs, the council voted 4-3 against allocating the money. Council members Randy Gentry, David Thompson, Brenda Wilson and Brad Anderson voted against releasing the money, though later that week, Thompson, Wilson and Anderson issued a joint statement essentially saying they had misunderstood the mayor’s second request and actually were interested in helping the warming center.

In Tuesday’s meeting, Sakbun was asking for $15,001, so that the appropriation would read differently from the one in March, but DeWester said that according to the Indiana State Board of Accounts, adjusting the total by $1 did not change the request significantly enough. He withdrew the request and said he would approach the Vigo County Commissioners to find a way to get funding that would involve circumventing the council.

On Saturday, three Democratic candidates for Indiana’s 8th Congressional District, Mary Allen, Chris Recotr, and Tabitha Zeigler, debated across ten policy categories — foreign policy, accountability, immigration, affordability, healthcare, education, human rights, taxation, social security, and labor — followed by a rapid-fire speed round and closing statements. Mario Foradori was invited and RSVP’d, but has since stopped participating in campaign events; he has made no official withdrawal announcement.

You can watch the debate on YouTube or here on the Progressive Indiana Network Substack, where you can also read a transcript.

A judge has ordered that Alexandra Wilson’s name remain on the primary ballot despite attempts by a top political ally of Gov. Mike Braun to have her kicked off. The judge’s order issued Thursday sides with Wilson in her bid challenging current Sen. Greg Goode of Terre Haute, writing in his three-sentence order that “the intent of the parties” to the plea agreement was for a misdemeanor conviction and that Alexandra Wilson’s name is to remain on the May 5 primary ballot. Bopp said he disagreed with the judge’s order and that an appeal was being considered.

That’s just the beginning of the legal woes for B. Wilson; troubles with her family are escalating as Election Day nears. An IndyStar opinion piece from Saturday lays out, new documents and interviews have revealed accusations of fraud, a disputed will and a theft allegation that ended with a state police search warrant. Family members who believed in Wilson, worked alongside her and watched her up close are now her most vocal opponents. Read all the hot piping tea here.

For 20 years, Indiana had allowed college students to utilize their college IDs at the polls, provided that they met certain legal requirements. But in 2025, lawmakers banned this, impacting tens of thousands of students in Indiana. Now, a federal judge has just ruled that this ban is unconstitutional, calling the Republican-backed legislation "a solution in search of a problem" that would disproportionately impact young voters. and reinstating the right for college students to use their college IDs at the polls. In his 34-page decision, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Young agreed that the plaintiffs have shown SB 10's "potential for irreparable harm," estimating that about 40,000 young voters could be impacted by the law. He wrote that there's no evidence student IDs have ever caused any confusion in the electoral process, or that they've been used to engage in voter fraud and other voting-related misconduct.

From Chop Wood, Carry Water:
DoorDash inserted themselves into politics last week by participating in a PR stunt involving Trump and a DoorDash driver (who may or may not have been a paid plant) in a photo op. They had a choice about participating in anything having to do with this administration. If you feel like contacting them to tell them how you feel about it it seems like Threads or Instagram is the best place (they’re not on Bluesky and on FB they have no messaging enabled). You can also do it through the app before you delete it.

Say something simple like:

The City of Terre Haute is working with students from Indiana State University to learn how residents experience local services—and needs your input!

This quick survey (~5 minutes) asks about how you access city services, what’s working well, and where improvements could be made. Your feedback will help guide future decisions and strengthen services across our community, provided by the City of Terre Haute. Responses are anonymous, and every answer helps build a clearer picture of what our city needs.

The HoosiersRise Election Guide is available at HoosiersRise.org

This text-based guide has a handy chart of where the candidates stand on the issues. See all contested federal, state senate, and state rep candidates’ support for issues at a glance. The guide is based on a questionnaire offered directly to candidates to fill out and express their stances. Those without responses were filled in according to public information.

visit the Blue812News Local Events calendar to see all upcoming events

Tuesday, April 21st at 5:30pm: Vigo Dems ‘event’ featuring Beau Bayh, one of the Indiana Secretary of State candidates.

Wednesday, April 22nd at 6pm: Utility Rates Town Hall at TH City Hall. Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission Commissioner Andy Zay is on a listening tour of cities to hear people share their frustrations with rate increases. This event is free and open to the public.

Thursday, April 23rd at 11:59pm: deadline to have your request for an absentee ballot received (not postmarked) to the local Election Board

Saturday, April 25th at 12pm: Canvassing & Phone Banking for Mary Allen, US House dist 8. Let's talk to our neighbors about Mary Allen! We will meet at the VigoDems office (2629 S 3rd St suite B) and then go out to canvass in Vigo County. Phone banking opportunities will be available this day as well. register here.

Sunday, April 26th at 4pm: ICE OUT with Indivisible Wabash Valley Clay County Detention Center 611 E. Jackson St, Brazil, IN Every Sunday 4–5PM

Tuesday, April 28th at 6pm: Nasty Women of Vigo County. 6 pm in meeting room A, VCPL Main Branch.

Saturday, May 2nd at 12pm: DSA picnic pitch-in and cornhole. Location TBD.

Montana's Supreme Court issued a 5-2 ruling this week declaring that "transgender discrimination is, by its very nature, sex discrimination" and that trans people constitute a suspect class under the state constitution, meaning any law targeting them now faces the highest possible legal standard to survive.

A new study found that fluoride in drinking water doesn’t affect IQ or brain function. This was also found in a bunch of old studies.

A federal judge set limits on the White House ballroom construction, ruling that only an underground portion of the project — deemed necessary by the military — can move forward right now. “National security is not a blank check to proceed with otherwise unlawful activity,” District Judge Richard Leon wrote.

The National Zoo in Washington, D.C. unveiled its baby Asian elephant, named Linh Mai, to the press. “A lot of people ask if we burp her, and no, we don’t,” the zoo’s elephant manager told reporters. “But she has such a grip on drinking her bottles now that she actually collapses the bottle to get as much milk as she can. We have to constantly break the seal.” Her public debut is scheduled for April 22.

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