By CHRIS MORRIS
Chris.Morris@newsandtribune.com
NEW ALBANY —
After recently receiving three mailers at his home, attacking his character and record as a deputy prosecutor, Shane Gibson said it was time to do something about it.
So he had a press conference Friday afternoon on the steps of the New Albany Police Department, surrounded by police officers and former prosecutors and judges who support his campaign, to denounce the attacks.
Gibson, a Democrat, faces Republican incumbent Ed Clere for the State Representative District 72 seat in the November general election.
On all three of the mailings, Gibson, a former Floyd County deputy prosecutor, is criticized for cases he prosecuted in which a plea bargain was used — a tactic he said every prosecutor in the state utilizes.
“Ed Clere and his friends in Indianapolis have sent out three negative mailers attacking my character,” said Gibson, who also said the mailers distort the truth when it comes to the judicial system and law enforcement.
“They accuse me of putting people in this county in harm’s way. I have three small children of my own and there is no way I would make a decision that would jeopardize my children or anyone else’s children,” he said.
On one mailer, it shows two people shaking hands, but one of the hands is that of a skeleton with a caption under it which reads, “Shane Gibson has cut some scary deals with some very bad people.” It then cites four cases in which Gibson, as a deputy prosecutor, plea bargained the cases to a lesser sentence or charge.
Gibson said one of the cases cited, a sexual battery case in which he allegedly agreed to the lesser charge of battery, “was a flat-out lie.”
“They are trying to distort the truth for their own personal gain,” Gibson said.
The mailers were paid for by the House Republican Campaign Committee. Clere said he had no idea the mailers were going to be sent out until he received them at his home.
“I don’t like them or approve of them,” Clere said. “The HRCC does not consult me when it comes to political mailings. I don’t approve of those types of mailings. I have made that clear.”
Gibson said if that is the case, then what kind of influence would Clere have at the statehouse.
“If he has no control over his own party or own campaign, how can we expect him to have any influence for this community in the state legislature,” Gibson said. “I hope he can tell his friends in Indianapolis to take me off of their mailing list” so that his daughter can get the mail without being scared at what might be inside.
Clere said he hopes Gibson tells the state Democrat Party to stop sending out mailers attacking his character. He said he began seeing post cards slamming his character and record in May.
“Does he accept responsibility for the negative post cards directed at me,” Clere said. “All they do is focus on character assassination and name calling. I didn’t feel the need to call a press conference because I try to rise above that. I guess I could hold a press conference and draw attention to the misleading mailers against me.”
Gibson said with five schools being closed in the area, drivers facing possible tolls and a slow economy, the campaign should be about issues, not character assassination.
“Our state and country face some serious problems. We need serious people to discuss them,” Gibson said. “I’ve knocked on over 9,000 doors in the district and people want to know what we are going to do about these issues.”
Clere said he wants to stick to the issues instead of personal attacks. However, since he defeated long-time incumbent Bill Cochran in 2008, he said he expects more personal attacks due to the “revenge factor.”
“There seems to be a desire by my opponent and his handlers to make it about party politics. There are some serious issues and we need to focus on those issues,” he said.
