Former Portage Clerk-Treasurer Stidham charged with official misconduct
NWI Times
February 26, 2020
https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/former-portage-clerk-treasurer-stidham-charged-with-official-misconduct/article_e4af774f-63e0-57c4-bba5-995f7469628b.html
PORTAGE — Former Democratic Portage Clerk-Treasurer Chris Stidham, who kicked off last year's failed bid for mayor by calling to take the city back from "scandal and chaos," was charged Wednesday with a felony count of official misconduct.
The charge accuses 37-year-old Stidham of "creating obligations in excess of appropriations by issuing a bond, certificate or warrant for the payment of money in excess of an appropriation" while performing his official duties.
The offense occurred between Jan. 1, 2015, and Dec. 31, 2016, according to the charge.
The charge was filed by Special Prosecutor Stanley Levco, a former county prosecutor and judge from Evansville, who was brought in to investigate the case.
Levco could not be reached Wednesday afternoon to elaborate on the charge.
Stidham, an attorney, referred all comments to his defense attorney, Paul Stracci, who was not immediately available for comment.
Stidham is alleged to have paid Keeping the Books, ERG Advisors and Paramount Technology Solutions a combined total of $70,000, contracting them without the city Board of Public Works' approval. All three companies were registered to Rachel E. Glass, Stidham's then-girlfriend and now wife.
The allegations against Stidham originated in April, when then-Mayor John Cannon, a Republican, appointed a bipartisan executive investigative committee to look into potential malfeasance in the clerk-treasurer's office.
Stidham has denied any wrongdoing and previously has said the allegations stem from personal political motivations.
Cannon said in a prepared statement issued Wednesday, "My administration successfully rooted out corruption in Portage, in the face of obstruction by my own Democrat-controlled City Council. We are gratified that today’s charges vindicate our work."
Stidham served two terms as clerk-treasurer before losing a primary battle last year for mayor to fellow Democrat Sue Lynch, who went on to unseat Cannon for the city's top job.
Lynch said Wednesday afternoon she is disappointed by the news.
"I'm troubled to know he knowingly abused the public's trust," she said.
"We're trying to rise above all that in this administration," Lynch said. "We're trying to rebuild the public's trust."
Stidham had sparred with former Republican Portage Mayor James Snyder, who was found guilty last year in federal court of a corrupt truck purchase as well as obstructing the Internal Revenue Service’s collection of income taxes by falsifying documents.
He was granted a new trial on the garbage truck bribery charge and that is now set for April 27.
An initial hearing on Stidham's charge is scheduled for 1 p.m. March 17 before Porter Circuit Court Judge Mary DeBoer.
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