Political infighting on the St. Joseph County Council

SOUTH BEND, Ind.-- Some Republican members of the St. Joseph County Council threatened legal action Monday if certain rule changes go into effect. They say those changes give the council president veto power and will silence the minority of the council.

The nine-member council has five Republicans, but four of them say they're the minority; they're not part of the so-called "government of common cause" coalition created on the council.

"Partisan veto pen powers don't belong here. They are for Washington D.C., not St. Joseph County," said Amy Drake, council's District B representative.

Those four members, Drake, Joe Thomas, Randy Figg, and Andy Rutten, set up a news conference outside council chambers Monday to not only publicly oppose what they're calling proposed presidential veto power on the council, but also to threaten legal action.

"I think, now realizing, that this is opening us up for a potential lawsuit, should maybe make everyone think a little harder whether they want to vote for something like this. That is something we've more recently considered about the free speech issues," Drake said.

These members argue their voices, and, in turn, the voices of the people living in their districts could and will be silenced. They represented this with a map, crossing out each of their districts.

"The areas that we four members represent, take up the majority of space in St. Joseph County. You'll note looking at this map, that the rural areas stand to suffer the most," Drake said.

They say they represent the council minority after Republican Council President Dan Schaetzle formed a coalition with the council's four democrats. They call the proposed veto pen a power grab.

"It's definitely going to hurt the county, because we're not going to be allowed to bring any laws, potential laws or ordinances, to the forefront," said Joe Thomas, the council's District A representative.

"I think the passage of these rules will make it difficult, more difficult, for the council as a whole to interact cooperatively," said Andy Rutten, the council's District I representative.

The council's Democrats, on the other hand, argue there is no issue. These rule changes clarify the power a council president already has but rarely uses. The Rules Committee even added an extra check to that power, they said, and the non-coalition members had chances to offer their feedback.

"I don't believe the words veto or pen exist anywhere in the proposed rules. And I'm not saying that just to be facetious. Those words aren't in those rules at all because there is no veto power at all," said Bryan Tanner, the council's District H representative. "What does exist, and what I think they're referring to, is the proposed rules as presented identify the authority that the president of the council has always had to prevent certain agenda items from making it to a public meeting."

The rules changes are on the agenda for Tuesday's rules committee meeting and the county council meeting.

To visit the county's agenda center, Visit.