EDITORIAL: Buncich, Snyder, Downs must resign
NWI Times
The Times Editorial Board
Updated - November 28, 2016
Sheriff John Buncich is a chief Lake County lawman now facing federal bribery charges. His deputy and second in command, Timothy Downs, is charged in the same scheme.
Portage Mayor James Snyder is the elected executive leader of a Porter County's largest city and is charged with felony violations of public trust.
All three men, charged in separate cases and indictments, owe it to their constituents to resign now.
Buncich also should immediately relinquish his post as Lake County Democratic Party chairman. Remaining in the post as the federal case unfolds will only continue to undermine his local party's reputation, already hobbled by the past felony convictions of a host of politicians affiliated with local Democrats.
Some lawyers and old-guard political figures may argue that the felony bribery charges all three men face are merely accusations — that they're all entitled to a trial by a federal jury of their peers.
That argument discounts the distraction that mounting a legal defense against federal felony charges will be to performing crucial duties of public service.
It also ignores the untenable reality of public officials trying to serve or govern when federal grand juries have found alleged evidence of violating public trust.
We all must consider the substance of the felony accusations while weighing an undeniable truth about nearly all public corruption indictments we've seen arise from the Hammond-based U.S. attorney's office.
In nearly every case for decades, indictments of Region political officials have led to convictions. That's because the U.S. attorney and federal investigators don't tend to pursue cases unless there's solid evidence of a crime.
Buncich and Downs are accused of wire fraud and receiving $34,500 in illicit bribes from a towing contractor conducting business for the county.
In a separate case, Snyder is charged with soliciting and receiving $12,000 in bribes in exchange for a towing contract with the city of Portage and soliciting $13,000 in bribes to influence public contracts and a Portage construction contract.
Snyder also is accused of obstructing the IRS from collecting unpaid taxes from his private mortgage business.
It's true Buncich, Downs and Snyder all are entitled to their days in court.
But that doesn't mean they should drag voters and taxpayers along with them.
If they opt to challenge these charges, as it appears they will, they'll need to focus on their legal defenses.
If they already intend to plead guilty, they're just unfairly delaying the inevitable by not resigning now.
In either scenario, Region residents will be getting short shrift.
If any of these men truly believes in public service, they must relinquish their offices without delay.
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