Dem leader resigns amid forgery scandal

AP Modified

Updated: Oct 18, 2011 5:19 PM

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WISH/AP) — A northern Indiana county Democratic chairman has resigned, the state Democratic Party said Monday, after a scandal over apparently forged signatures on primary ballot petitions in his county.

Indiana Democratic Chairman Dan Parker on Monday evening confirmed the resignation of Butch Morgan, Democratic chairman for St. Joseph County and the Second Congressional District.

"The Indiana Democratic Party has been notified of Butch's resignation," Parker said in a statement Monday. "We continue to support the ongoing investigation to determine how this isolated incident occurred and hold anyone involved accountable.”

Parker also reiterated that the party wants the apparent forgeries investigated.

Morgan, however, said in a statement that such an investigation would prove he did nothing wrong.

"I regret having to resign and hope no one will misinterpret the reasons for my resignation," Morgan said. "I have done nothing wrong and I look forward to an investigation that will exonerate me of any wrongdoing."

Last week, the South Bend Tribune reported questionable signatures found on petitions for both the Obama and Clinton primary election campaigns. The petitions requre 500 signatures in each Congressional district to get a candidate on the ballot.

Friday, the Indiana Republican Party called for an investigation by the U.S. Justice Department, and Democratic leaders said they supported that request.

Parker has referred to the incident as "isolated," but state Republican Chairman Eric Holcomb challenged Parker's characterization.

"While my counterpart continues to call this an 'isolated' incident, it is becoming clearer by the day there was nothing isolated about the forging and certifying of potentially hundreds of signatures in the 2008 Democratic primary," Holcomb said.

St. Joseph County Prosecutor Michael Dvorak said Monday he is talking with the U.S. attorney for northern Indiana to decide who will lead an investigation.

Indiana law requires candidates for president, senator and governor to submit ballot petitions signed by at least 500 registered voters in each of the state's nine congressional districts to qualify for the statewide primary ballot. Clinton narrowly won Indiana primary, but Obama won many delegates in his successful drive for the nomination. No such petition signatures are required for major parties to put their nominees on the general election ballot.

A director of the Indiana Election Division has said the agency isn't certain what fallout might occur if the investigation shows either Clinton or Obama lacked the required signatures for a primary that happened more than three years ago.

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