HELP SUPPORT INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM BY BECOMING A SUBSCRIBING MEMBER. YOU CAN ALSO MAKE A ONE TIME DONATION HERE.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — REAL News Michiana has obtained an email showing the Republican President of the St. Joseph County Council kicked a staunch conservative off of a key committee. It appears the move was made because the conservative member voted against a radical Democrat being put into a leadership position.
Council President Mark Root (R) sent Council Member Dan Schaetzle (R) an email on Thursday notifying him that he was being removed from the Capital Plan Committee because Schaetzel didn’t “support the leadership team.”
“Going forward I am making a change effective immediately.” Root wrote in the email to Schaetzle. “The leadership team feels that it needs members on committees who support the leadership team.”
“Capital Plan had just finished a meeting where I was recognized by other members for my contribution.” Schaetzle told RNM in regard to his removal from the committee. “Three minutes later, Root sent the email. This removal is Councilman Root’s way of getting back at me for a couple of votes. He said as much in his email.”
Earlier this month, the County Council voted to make a Democrat the Vice President of the council, despite having a 5-4 GOP majority of the governing body. Schaetzle was the only person to vote against the move. Republicans Amy Drake, Joe Thomas, Randy Figg and Mark Root joined the four Democrats on the County Council to elect Democrat Rafael Morton to the VP leadership position in an 8-1 vote.
Republican Randy Figg was voted in as President Pro-Tempore. Republican Mark Root was voted in as President. Schaetzle voted against Root and Figg being put into their positions as well, telling RNM he voted against GOP leadership because of their move at putting a Democrat into the VP position.
RNM reached out to President Mark Root for comment. In a text message reply, Root claimed Schaetzle was removed from the position because his work schedule as a teacher prevented him from attending all of the meetings. RNM then asked why that reason wasn’t included in the email.
“I was trying to protect Dan knowing the email would go public.” Root stated. “I protect my members even if I take the hit. So, not every reason got published.”
“It’s your stance that this would have been a controversial story against Dan if a teacher’s schedule conflicted with meeting times?” RNM responded, calling out the apparent contradictory statement. “And, that it’s considered protecting a member by claiming he doesn’t support leadership?”
RNM has not yet received a response to our latest questions.
Want to keep seeing the news the legacy media just won’t report? REAL News Michiana relies on member subscribers to keep going. As a subscriber, you’ll get an RNM mug and invites to special events. Help us continue to expose corruption and report on the news conservatives care about by subscribing here.
No wonder the GOP was out of power so long. When they finally got some they continue to shoot themselves in the foot metaphorically. I wish they would do it for real. It looks like the next time we get to vote we need to root out one of the problems.