INDIANAPOLIS — Governor Mike Braun announced today that he will convene lawmakers for an illegitimate session to rig Indiana’s congressional maps. The move has no legal, moral or democratic justification.
Senate Democratic Leader Shelli Yoder (D-Bloomington) issued the following statement on behalf of the Indiana Senate Democratic Caucus:
“This is not democracy. This is desperation.
Governor Braun’s announcement confirms what we have feared all along. Indiana’s government has been hijacked by national operatives willing to shred every democratic norm to serve one man — Donald Trump.
Polling after polling. Event after event. Conversation after conversation. Hoosiers of all parties have made it clear they do not want this. The people said no — loudly, clearly and repeatedly. It has taken months of backroom deals, arm twisting and out of state threats against Hoosiers just to get this far. And even then, they had to fold to national bullies to do it. That is not leadership. That is cowardice.”
Yoder condemned Braun’s decision to spend public money on what she called “a political stunt at the expense of every working Hoosier.”
“At a time when families are struggling with housing costs, child care shortages, rising health care premiums, utility bills and the crushing cost of living, every taxpayer cent wasted on this illegitimate session is an insult. It is infuriating. It is disgusting. And it shows exactly how little they care about the people they were elected to serve and how far they will go to grab even more unchecked power.
They could have chosen to govern. They could have chosen to lead. Instead, they chose to cheat. To weaponize our statehouse for a power grab nobody asked for and everybody sees straight through.”
The Indiana Senate Democratic Caucus has for months warned that the push to redraw maps was part of a broader national effort to erode democracy by manipulating the rules of representation. Yoder said this announcement proves that warning true.
“Let’s call it what it is. An orchestrated attack on democracy itself. There is no new census, no court order and no support from the public. There is only political greed and fear. Fear of voters. Fear of accountability. Fear of losing power the right way — at the ballot box.
This is the behavior of people who know they are losing because of their own policies – because they take health care away from Hoosiers while giving billionaire friends tax breaks on yachts. And when you cannot win on merit, you rig the system.”
Yoder said Senate Democrats will fight the illegitimate session “with every tool, every vote and every ounce of moral clarity we have.”
“We will not legitimize a process born in deceit and carried out for political gain. We will meet this assault in the chamber, in the courts and in the streets if we must. Because Indiana belongs to the people. Not to cheaters. Not to cowards. And not to politicians who cannot stand to lose.
You can redraw the lines. You can twist the rules. You can try to silence the people. But you will never erase the truth. And you will never erase the will of Hoosiers.”
