Jim Banks and Indiana GOP Leaders Face Backlash Over Sudden Shift Away From Diego Morales

We are staying on this because the Republicans are not out over the last two days going, yeah, here’s the truth about Diego here. We found out who paid for India. Not that they already don’t know and it’s bad. We found out the truth about what’s going on with this woman,Elina Kupce, who, according to Abdul, and Abdul will be with us next segment, appears to have been a noncitizen of this country who somehow elevated to the title of deputy chief of staff and now seemingly disappeared. It’s not about exposing the truth for the taxpayers. Now again, if there is some explanation on this Elina Kupce woman and Abdul has something wrong, Diego needs to come out with that. That’s important that we know, or she can come out with it and clarify. But the Republicans are not trying to get you the truth or be transparent. They’re trying to make you forget. That’s what they’re doing here. And one of the things they want you to forget is how all of them have been all in on Diego until yesterday.

Indiana Republicans Suddenly Distance Themselves From Diego Morales After Years of Support

And this is the architect. The architect of this is Jim Banks. Indiana Senator Banks sees himself as being president of the United States someday. And his goal right now, he’s actively in the process of trying to take over the Republican Party. Look at where a lot, maybe even the majority of the money that funded these redistricting people came from. It came from a dark money group that has close ties to Jim Banks. That’s where the money came from. These groups, these nonprofit groups. This is another power play by Banks to insert his guy into the Secretary of State’s office. The problem is Banks endorsed Diego. Let me read you the endorsement from Jim Banks. Not all that long ago, quote. Diego Morales has been focused for four years on making our elections in Indiana safe and secure with maybe a woman who wasn’t a citizen of this country. That wasn’t in the endorsement. I just added that to clarify. He understands that protecting our elections by stopping illegal immigrants from voting is fundamental to our country. He is a conservative, supports President Trump, and is a tireless advocate for Hoosier values. He has my full support and endorsement. So somehow, in a very short period of time, Jim Banks went from he has my full support and endorsement to getting this employee of his, Max Engling. What is Engling’s title, by the way? He is the Central Indiana regional director and a senior advisor. That’s what he’s listed as, according to the Capital Chronicle, to run. And Banks was, according to numerous media figures, sharing tweets about Engling. Now Banks, as far as I know now the show’s been going on for 40 minutes, has not yet pulled his endorsement of Diego.

Jim Banks Faces Questions Over Reversing Course on Morales Endorsement

How do you go from he is a conservative, supports President Trump and is a tireless advocate for Hoosier values. He has my full support and endorsement to being for this other guy. Yet this is the thing about Banks. He don’t even got the balls to say it publicly. That’s what a chicken Banks is. Say it, say it, Jim. At least if you’re going to do it, say it. I am rescinding my endorsement. Say it. I thought he was this big, tough military guy. Is that how you do it in the military? Is this the sort of behind the scenes backstabbing stuff you’re taught in the military? I don’t think so. Yeah. That’s right. We should ask Diego. By the way, has anybody ever seen a picture of Diego in any sort of military engagement other than that one headshot? Has anybody ever come out and said I served with Diego Morales in the military? Ever? Anyone? I’ve asked that question for years, and I got called all the names for asking it. Anybody ever seen a single photo of Diego Morales engaged in any sort of military duty other than his headshot that he posts all the time? Has anyone ever come out and said, yeah, you know, I served with Diego for six months or a year. This was our tour. This was where we were stationed. This is what we did. Anybody ever, ever? What’s changed, Jim Banks, you big chicken? Anytime we say the name Jim Banks now, we should probably have to follow it up with bok bok bok bok bok bok bok. Because if you’re going to pull the endorsement, pull the endorsement and tell us why. What did you learn, Jim? How did we go from he’s a conservative, supports President Trump and is a tireless advocate for Hoosier values. He has my full support and endorsement to you propping up and tweeting out and supporting this Engling. What changed? Is it? I mean, the only thing that’s changed in the past day or two is the Elina Kupce story. Is that it? I mean, you knew about the trip to India when you made the endorsement. You knew about the brother-in-law. You knew about the $90,000 car. You knew about the no bid contracts to donors of his campaign. You knew about the campaign commercial using state resources. Or at least you should have. Oh. Don’t forget. That’s right. See, Diego gets a free pass on this one, and he shouldn’t. When Micah Beckwith went to the NBA finals with a high profile known felon who went to federal prison for bribery. Nothing weird about that, right? Lieutenant governor accepts a lavish gift from a guy who went to federal prison for bribery. And, you know, his actual record. This guy reads like a CVS receipt. That was just the most high profile one. Because Diego’s pulled so much shit. I’ve given Diego a free pass that Diego was there too. Diego was there with Micah. I mean, that’s small potatoes compared to the other stuff Diego’s pulled. Micah’s never been able to tell a consistent, coherent story how he got there. Diego hasn’t either. Think about this, guys. The number two and three elected officials in our state were at the NBA finals. The most prized ticket maybe in the history of our state. Very expensive tickets with a high profile known felon who went down for bribery. And other than me, nobody said a word. Certainly not Jim Banks. Knew about that, didn’t you, Jim? What was the final straw, Jim? What is it? After four years of all of this, it was all fine until, I guess, yesterday or the day before. What’s changed? I mean, if Diego is indeed a tireless advocate for Hoosier values, is that Hoosier values to accept lavish gifts and hang out and pal around with a high profile known felon who went down for bribery? Are those Hoosier values? Is that Hoosier values, Jim? What changed?

Critics Say GOP Leaders Still Refuse to Fully Address Morales Controversies and Allegations

Let me tell you what one of Jim’s stooges said. Carlin Yoder. Carlin’s a former state senator. He lists himself as Trump’s Indiana state director. And it’s no secret Carlin has looked at running for U.S. Senate against Todd Young. You know, I put this out yesterday. This is how bad all of you people are. Both the Morales apologists, which we’ve known about them for years. But now the Banks orbit people, the Banks minions. You guys are so bad and you’re so ridiculous and you’re so pathetic. You are making Todd Young look good. Like, I was thinking this yesterday. I think like, obviously all the stuff Todd Young has pulled with the spending and everything else is ridiculous, but at least he just doesn’t openly, and there’s no hint of scandal or BS. Todd Young is just like, other than he didn’t get those signatures to get on the ballot. Other than that, Todd, which, you know, you didn’t get those signatures in 2016, you’re like, just goes about his business. Sure, he’s screwing the American taxpayer over and over and over again, but at least he’s just kind of like, well, here’s who I am. Thank you. I’ll look forward to my another re-election. And I thought, these guys are so bad. They’re making Todd Young look good. That’s how shameful the behavior is from everyone. Here’s what Carlin had to say. And again, Carlin don’t wipe his backside without Banks’ permission because he’s a Banks guy. Quote. I like Diego and think he’s a good guy. That being said, it’s clear it’s time for him to do the right thing and step aside for the good of the party. Max Engling is the clear choice to decisively beat By in the fall. And of course, I had a little spirited back and forth with Carlin. And what’s interesting is Carlin wants to run against Todd Young on being sort of the no BS kind of candidate conservative. He’s going to tell you how it is. This statement is nothing but BS. So I asked Carlin on Twitter and couldn’t get a response. I’ll ask him here too. Maybe you guys can ask him. I like Diego and think he’s a good guy. Really, Carlin? You think disappearing to a foreign country for ten days and refusing to tell anyone who paid for it is a good guy? You think palling around with high profile known felons is a good guy? You think using taxpayer resources for your campaign commercials is a good guy? I mean, again, you guys don’t need to repeat all these things. It’s ridiculous. What’s a good guy about Diego, Carlin? And if you think he’s a good guy. Why is it the right thing? Why is it time for him to do the right thing and step aside? Why would that be for the good of the party if Diego is a good guy, Carlin? Look, Carl, you might as well just light the Carlin Yoder U.S. Senate campaign on fire. This guy’s a wussy. I want to say something else, but since I always had already had one profanity in here, I’m not going to do two. Jason says it’s not allowed. You’re supposed to be the real tough guy, and this is your, well, he’s a nice guy, but for the good of the party, it’s time for him to go. Why? What if he’s a good guy? How can someone be a good guy and for the good of the party, it’s time for him to go? This is exactly what the Democrats did with Biden. Exactly. It’s the same thing. The hypocrisy of these people, the hypocrisy of these Republicans. I would look, I would probably maybe even be all in on Engling if those guys had come out yesterday and said, because they know who paid for India, here’s who paid for India. We’re done with this. We’re done defending this guy. We ain’t going to lose this office. Here’s who paid for India. Here’s the truth on this deputy chief of staff. We are encouraging the inspector general to investigate Diego Morales using state resources for campaign commercials. We are demanding an investigation. We are demanding that Diego explain how these businesses that gave huge money to his campaign ended up with these no bid contracts. We’re demanding that Diego turn in the car, fire the brother-in-law. We’re demanding to know how Diego and Micah Beckwith ended up at the NBA finals with a guy who went to federal prison for bribery. I want to know.

Republican Power Struggle Intensifies as Leaders Try to Avoid General Election Fallout

That’s not what they did. At no point did they say, we’re just sick of Diego Morales. We’re sick of covering for this guy. We’ve kept the charade up long enough, and we’re not doing it anymore. They didn’t do any of that. That’s the honorable way to handle this. You guys pulled this BS for four years, and you finally ran out of real estate. And, you know, just like I said in the Indy Star article that I got just brutalized for, Diego’s going down in the fall and you don’t want to lose the office.