Soderquist conviction 'sad for the city'
NWI Times
September 12, 2015 - 9:00 PM
LAKE STATION | Lake Station Mayor Keith Soderquist's conviction on multiple felony charges reinforces the region's reputation for political corruption and tarnishes the image of a city that's been making positive strides, residents and officials said.
"This overshadows all the positives the community has going for it," said resident Bill Carroll, who moved to Lake Station two years ago. "It's demolished by the former mayor's wrongdoings. ... He betrayed the public trust. How could anyone not think that after a jury of his peers found him guilty?"
Under Indiana law, Soderquist was removed from office the moment the U.S. District Court jury announced it found him and his wife, Deborah Soderquist, guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, seven counts of wire fraud and three counts of false filing. He did not return a message left Saturday.
"I'm glad to see him go because he became very arrogant and aggressive," Carroll said. "After they announced the charges, he didn't take time to talk and listen to the people. He really hid from the public."
Lake County's reputation for crooked politicians only gets worse every time someone like Soderquist or former Lake County Clerk Thomas Philpot gets convicted, Carroll said. But the damage is especially bad for Lake Station, which has long suffered a stigma as an impoverished city with high unemployment, he said.
"Everyone I've met in Lake Station is hardworking and dedicated to their family and community," he said. "There are positives like a younger, more educated demographic coming in. But a scandal like this just hurts everything."
The conviction is sad for the city, but change is coming and a new administration will take office in January, City Council At-large member Todd Lara said. Democrat Chris Anderson, who defeated Soderquist in the May primary, and Republican Edward Peralta will square off in the November election.
A caucus of Democratic precinct committeemen must choose a new mayor within 30 days, and Anderson would be the common sense choice since he would take office anyway in January if he wins in the heavily Democratic-skewing city, Lara said.
Until a new mayor is appointed, City Council President Pro Tem John McDaniel will oversee the city administration. He may need to take leave from his position as assistant police chief.
"It will not affect city operations," Lara said. "There are good people there doing their jobs."
Soderquist had some accomplishments as mayor, including securing millions in federal funding, cleaning up the lakefront and creating about 20 jobs in municipal water and garbage collection, Lara said. But he thinks all of that will be overshadowed by the ex-mayor's conviction for stealing from a food pantry and his campaign fund after racking up more than $100,000 in gambling debts.
"I wasn't a (Bill) Clinton supporter, but at the time he was a great president," he said. "But he's not remembered for the good he did. In today's society, you're remembered for the last thing he did."
Lara hopes the conviction won't shape how people see Lake Station.
"We've always had an image problem, but we're proving we're not the city to be kicked around," he said. "This is a major setback."
The Soderquists' attorney, Scott King, said he plans to ask for a new trial.
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