Summary
Pence’s 1990 congressional campaign was considered “one of the most negative and unethical” in Indiana history:
Daily Journal: Pence’s 1990 Campaign “Was Considered One Of The Most Negative And Unethical In Recent Indiana History.” According to the Daily Journal, “Pence is running a third time for the 2nd District U.S. House seat he sought in 1988 and 1990. His campaign a decade ago was considered one of the most negative and unethical in recent Indiana history.” [Daily Journal, 4/24/00]
Pence Ran A Campaign Commercial That Featured A Man Dressed In A Black Robe, White Headdress And Sunglasses And Speaking In A Thick Middle Eastern Accent Thanking Pence’s Opponent For Doing Nothing To Wean The United States Off Imported Oil. According to the Chicago Tribune, “An Arab-American group has asked Republican congressional candidate Mike Pence to stop running a campaign commercial that features a man dressed in a black robe, white headdress and sunglasses and speaking in a thick Middle Eastern accent. In the ad, the man in the robe is thanking Pence’s opponent, Rep. Phil Sharp, (D-Ind.) for doing nothing to wean the United States off imported oil during his 10 years as chairman of a House subcommittee on energy and power.” [Chicago Tribune, 10/12/90]
Arab American Insitute Said The Commercial Is Offensive, But Pence Said He Would Not Pull The Ad. According to Chicago Tribune, “The Washington-based Arab American Insitute said the commercial is offensive to its members, said Faris Bouhafa, an institute spokesman. But Pence said Wednesday night the group was ‘missing the point’ and that he would not pull the ad. ‘This ad is not about Arabs. It is about Phil Sharp’s failure to lead,’ he said.” [Chicago Tribune, 10/12/90]
Pence: “We Went Way Out Of Our Way To Avoid Any Racial Stereotypes.” According to the Indianapolis Star, “But Pence said no offense is intended. ‘We went way out of our way to avoid any racial stereotypes,’ Pence said. ‘If I felt the ad was racist or if I felt it was playing to stereotypes, I wasn’t going to run it. So they made sure the dignity of the Arabs was preserved. It does not invite you to laugh at Arabs, but it does invite you to laugh.’” [Indianapolis Star, 10/9/90]
Daily Journal Editorial: “The People He Depicts Are Offended By The Stereotype He Is Spreading About Them. If He Is Not Able To Understand The Importance Of That And Correct The Offense, The Problem Quits Being One Of Insensitivity And Becomes One Of Blatant And Intentional Disregard For The Dignity Of Others.” According to an editorial published by the Daily Journal, “In actuality it is Mike Pence who is ‘missing the point.’ The point is that the people he depicts are offended by the stereotype he is spreading about them. If he is not able to understand the importance of that and correct the offense, the problem quits being one of insensitivity and becomes one of blatant and intentional disregard for the dignity of others.” [Editorial – Daily Journal, 10/13/90]
Indianapolis News Editorial: “He Leaves Himself Opens To Charges Of Using Poor Judgment And Appealing To Racist Sentiments.” According to an editorial published by the Indianapolis News, “The Pence ad does more than simply chide Sharp’s stands on energy questions: It insults an entire ethnic group. The Pence camp, of course, insists that the commercial was done in good humor and that it wasn’t intended to insult anyone. And perhaps that’s so. But Pence and his supporters probably wouldn’t have put together an ad that featurerd a black man saying ‘No, suh’ and ‘I ain’t gwyne do it,’ Or one with a Jewish man saying, ‘Oy yi yi’ while letting coins trickle through his fingers. Or one with a Christian rolling around on the floor, speaking in tongues. The reason the Pence people wouldn’t have used those images is that they are stereotypes – and derogatory ones that. Apparently, Pence and his camp didn’t realize that their ad was just as insulting and derogatory. In fact, they still haven’t. Despite the protests against it, Pence continues to run the ad on Indianapolis television stations. By doing do, he leaves himself opens to charges of using poor judgment and appealing to racist sentiments.” [Editorial – Indianapolis News, 10/19/90]
July 1990: Pence Was Accused Of Violating Federal Campaign Laws By Sending A Flyer Mailed In Paychecks To Employees Of Harcourt Outline. According to the Columbus Republic, “Republican congressional candidate Mike Pence has been accused by the Rush County prosecutor of violating federal campaign laws by soliciting donations from employees of Harcourt Outline in Rushville. Prosecutor Ronald L. Wilson said in a prepared statement that Pence ‘appears to be resorting to political intimidation to illegally raise campaign money’ through a flyer mailed in paychecks to employees of the company. Wilson said the solicitation violates several areas of federal campaign laws barring corporate activity in federal elections and called for a public apology and a vow from Pence to not repeat the tactics. He also urged him to refund any proceeds. An apology from Harcourt Outline executive was posted on bulletin boards Thursday.” [Columbus Republic, 7/6/90]
Rush County Prosecutor Claimed That Jean Ann Harcourt Sent A Flyer To Employees Along With Their Paychecks Soliciting Donations For Pence And Inviting Them To A Pence Fundraiser. According to the Shelbyville News, “According to the press release from Wilson, Jean Ann Harcourt, an executive with Harcourt Outlines, Milroy, violated Federal Election Commission rules when she sent a flyer to Harcourt employees seeking campaign donations and inviting them to the fund-raiser. Wilson charged that the invitations were sent at company expense, thus violating FEC rules that prohibit corporations or their employers to make and oral or written effort to solicit campaign funds. The invitations were sent to company employees with their payroll checks recently, according to Harcourt.” [Shelbyville News, 7/5/90]
Jean Ann Harcourt Was Second District GOP Vice Chairwoman. According to the Associated Press, “Harcourt’s family business, Harcourt Outline, manufactures and distributes school supplies. She also is 2nd District GOP vice chairwoman.” [Associated Press, 7/6/90]
The Harcourt Outline Flyer Read “The Event Will Include Swimming, Tennis And Fishing And I Am Only Asking You To Contribute $10 To The People For Pence Campaign—this $10 Covers Your Entire Family And You May Pay At The Event.” According to the Muncie Evening Press, “Prosecutor Ronald Wilson, a Democrat, said he had learned that Jean Ann Harcourt, GOP vice chairman for the Second District, had sent a flyer to Harcourt Outline employees in their pay envelopes. The flyer is an invitation to a ‘Mike Pence For Congress Fund Raiser & Rally.’ ‘The event will include swimming, tennis and fishing and I am only asking you to contribute $10 to the People for Pence campaign—this $10 covers your entire family and you may pay at the event,’ according to the flyer, which is signed by Jean Ann Harcourt.” [Muncie Evening Press, 7/5/90]
Flyer Stated “Hope You And Your Family Can Enjoy July 7 With Mike And His Wife, Karen, While They Are In Milroy! P.S. You Are Not Limited To A $10 Contribution. If You Would Like, You Could Give More Money To Mike.” According to the Columbus Republic, “The controversy stems from a flyer sent by Harcourt seeking donations to Pence’s campaign and attendance at a fundraising rally Saturday. ‘…If you have any interest in participating in this political event please advise Sandy Gwinnup next week’ the flyer states. ‘Hope you and your family can enjoy July 7 with Mike and his wife, Karen, while they are in Milroy!’ ‘The letter continues, ‘P.S. You are not limited to a $10 contribution. If you would like, you could give more money to Mike.’” [Columbus Republic, 7/6/90]
Harcourt Said She Personally Paid To Send The Invitations And That The Company Did “Not Have Any Dollars In The Event.” According to the Shelbyville News, “Harcourt did say that the invitations were prepared at her expense. She paid for the $4.13 worth of stock the invitations were printed on and the labor to prepare them. ‘The corporation does not have any dollars in the event,’ she said.” [Shelbyville News, 7/5/90]
The Rush County Prosecutor Argued That The Use Of A Harcourt Outline Secretary As A Clearinghouse For Contributions And RSVP And That A Harcourt Outline Employee Would Work At The Fundraiser Was An Illegal In-Kind Contribution. According to the Associated Press, “The invitation also said a part-time company employee will be lifeguard. Noting this and the fact he invitation asked an RSVP to a Harcourt Outlines secretary, Wilson said use of the secretary and company facilities as a clearinghouse for the contributions and Stamm as a lifeguard would appear to be illegal in-kind contributions by Harcourt Outline.” [Associated Press, 7/6/90]
The Rush County Prosecutor Argued That Pence “Irresponsibly Subjected Harcourt Outline Employees To Coercion By Their Supervisor.” According to the Shelbyville News, Wilson also charges that by allowing such a tactic, Pence has ‘blatantly broken the rules…and he has irresponsibly subjected Harcourt Outline employees to coercion by their supervisor.’” [Shelbyville News, 7/5/90]
Pence’s Campaign Manager Argued That The Rush County Prosecutor Was “Simply Looking For Something To Do” With The Complaint. According to the Shelbyville News, “Johnson defended the Harcourt corporation and charged Wilson with ‘simply looking for something to do.’” [Shelbyville News, 7/5/90]
Pence Argued That The FEC Complaint Regarding Harcourt Outline was “An Attempt To Smear My Reputation.” According to the Muncie Star, “In an interview, Pence said the complaint was ‘an attempt to smear my reputation’ and those of ‘one of the most beloved businesses leaders and businesses in Rush County. The intimidation allegations are damnable slander,’ Pence said. He said Harcourt ‘was just named woman of the year in Rush County last week. She is almost sainted in that area. The guy who issued this has been in such disrespect that he has decided not to seek re-election,’ Pence said about Wilson.” [Muncie Star, 7/6/90]
Pence Campaign Denied Prior Knowledge Of The Flyers. According to the Columbus Republic, “Johnson also disputed the prosecutor’s claim that the flyer was prepared at company expense, saying Harcourt bore the full cost. He also said the Pence campaign had no prior knowledge of the invitations to Harcourt employees.” [Columbus Republic, 7/6/90]
Pence Admitted This Morning Some Minor Mistakes Were Made But Said His Campaign Staff Didn’t Set Up The Event And Wasn’t Involved In Putting The Notes In With Paychecks. According to the Daily Journal, “Pence admitted this morning some minor mistakes were made but said his campaign staff didn’t set up the event and wasn’t involved in putting the notes in with paychecks. ‘When you’re dealing with an organization that includes thousands of Hoosiers, you’re going to have to have some people who’ll violate bureaucratic regulations,’ Pence said.” [Daily journal, 7/9/90]
Harcourt Returned The Money Raised For Pence And Apologized To Employees. According to the Indianapolis Star, “Harcourt returned the money and issued an apology to the employees, but Lawson filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission and teamed with Sharp campaign staffers to organize a fax campaign that forwarded the information throughout the district.” [Indianapolis Star, 7/16/90]
The Planned Pence Rush County Fundraiser Happened As Planned, And Harcourt Employees Attended For Free. According to the Shelbyville News, “The fund-raiser will go on as planned, Harcourt said, though company employees will attend the fund-raiser for free, she said.” [Shelbyville News, 7/5/90]
Pence’s Campaign Committee Filed As A For-Profit Corporation. According to the Daily Journal, “Mike Pence’s campaign committee broke new ground in Indiana when it filed as a for-profit corporation, according to state officials. The People for Mike Pence was incorporated under the Indiana Business Corporation Law, according to the articles of incorporation filed with the secretary of state’s office.” [Daily Journal, 7/26/90]
No Other Candidate Filed As A For-Profit. According to the Daily Journal, “Many campaign committees incorporate for liability purposes but usually under a not-for-profit status, said Dennis P. Lee, director of the secretary of state’s Corporations Division. ‘As far as we know, no other candidate has filed as a for-profit,’ Lee said.” [Daily Journal, 7/26/90]
Pence Campaign Said Filing As A For-Profit Corporation Was Legal And Simply Done To Protect The Candidate And His Wife From Personal Financial Liability. According to the Daily Journal, “Sherman Johnson, Pence’s campaign manager, said filing as a for-profit corporation also is legal and was simply done to protect the candidate and his wife from personal financial liability. But state officials say what Pence has done is unusual and government watchdog groups say it may send the wrong message to the public.” [Daily Journal, 7/26/90]
Pence Campaign Said It Was Easier For The Campaign To Become A For-Profit Corporation, But Did Not Specify How. According to the Daily Journal, “No stock report for The People for Mike Pence is on file with the state and Johnson said no stock has been sold. The corporation has the authority to issue 1,000 shares of stock, according to the document. The corporation also may ‘make contracts and guarantees,’ ‘borrow funds’ and ‘enter into partnerships and joint ventures,’ according to the document. Johnson said it was easier for the campaign to become a for-profit corporation, but he did not specify how. ‘It was the most straightforward way to set up the committee,’ Johnson said.” [Daily Journal, 7/26/90]
Pence Used Campaign Funds To Pay Personal Living Expense; Pence Said He Needed Money Because He Took A 30% Pay Cut To Run. According to USA Today, “State 2nd Dist. House GOP contender Mike Pence is using campaign funds to pay personal living expenses, federal report said. He took 30% pay cut to run; needs money, Pence said. Practice is legal; but unusual, officials said. ...” [USA Today, 7/19/90]
Pence Used Campaign Contributions To Pay For His Own Living Expenses, Including A $992 Mortgage Payment. According to the Daily Journal, “Fore more than 2 ½ years, congressional candidate Mike Pence has stressed campaign reform as his top political issues. But Federal Election Commission reports show Pence is using campaign contributions to pay for his own living expenses, including a mortgage payment for his Perry Township home. While Pence defends the practice, two Washington watchdog groups call the practice ‘unusual.’ […] Election commission reports through April 18 show the Pence campaign has been using contributions to pay a $992 monthly mortgage payment to Fleet Mortgage company for Pence’s home on Buffalo Drive near German Park. The Pence campaign is being operated out of an office on Main Street in Greenwood with a monthly rent of $78-, according to the FEC reports.” [Daily Journal, 7/18/90]
Pence Used Campaign Contributions To Make A Series Of $222.18 Payments For His Wife’s Car. According to the Daily Journal, “Other records also show Pence’s use of contributions for personal expenses. A series of $222.18 payments to the Indiana National Bank is used to pay for his wife’s car, Pence confirmed.” [Daily Journal, 7/18/90]
Pence Used Campaign Contributions To Buy Groceries And To Pay Off Credit Card Bills; Pence Made Payments To Visa In The Amounts Of $791.38 And $688. According to the Daily Journal, “And Pence said he’s been buying groceries and using contributions to pay off credit card bills. FEC reports show Visa payments of $791.38 in February and $688 in March listed under ‘personal living expenses.’” [Daily Journal, 7/18/90]
Pence Used Campaign Contributions To Pay Off Two Traffic Tickets. According to the Daily Journal, “The FEC reports also show that Pence used contributions to pay for two traffic tickets in Indianapolis. A $12.50 payment is listed on Jan. 2 for a parking ticket. And there’s a $25 payment on March 1 for a ticket resulting from an expired meter.” [Daily Journal, 7/18/90]
Pence Previously Used Campaign Contributions To Cover The Entry Fee For Golf Tournaments. According to the Daily Journal, “In the past, Pence has used contributions as entry fees for golf outings. FEC reports list a $100 payment on Aug. 5, 1988, to cover the entry fee for the Steve Alford Gold Tournament and a $15 payment on Aug. 23, 1988, for a Johnson County golf outing.” [Daily Journal, 7/18/90]
1989 – 1990: Over $13,000 Of Pence’s Campaign Funds Were Spent To Pay Off Pence’s Mortgage And Other Personal Expenses. From 1989 through 1990, Pence’s campaign spent $13,042.43 on Pence’s mortgage, car payments, cell and car phone bills, and credit card payments for personal living expenses.
A breakdown of Pence’s campaign disbursements that were spent on personal expenses is detailed below:
| Beneficiary of Disbursement | Address | Purpose of Disbursement | Date | Amount |
| Fleet Mortgage | 5222 South East Street, Indianapolis, IN | Mortgage | 4/2/1990 | $992.00 |
| INB | 1605 E. 86th Street, Indianapolis, IN | Car Payment | 4/2/1990 | $222.18 |
| GTE Mobilnet | P.O. Box 298010, Houston, TX | Cellular Phone Bill | 4/2/1990 | $380.16 |
| Hanover College | Hanover, IN | Golf Outing | 7/6/1990 | $30.00 |
| Fleet Mortgage | 5222 South East Street, Indianapolis, IN | Mortgage | 7/3/1990 | $986.00 |
| I.N.B | 1605 E. 86th Street, Indianapolis, IN | Car Payment | 7/3/1990 | $222.18 |
| Visa | One Indiana Square, Indianapolis | Personal living expenses | 7/3/1990 | $694.00 |
| Sherman Johnson | 7602 Woodside Drive, Indianapolis, IN | Car Payment | 7/31/1990 | $250.00 |
| Cellular One | P.O. Box 7700, Indianapolis, IN | Car Phone | 7/10/1990 | $121.77 |
| GTE Mobilnet | P.O. Box 298010, Houston, TX | Car Phone | 8/15/1990 | $506.22 |
| Cellular One | P.O. Box 7700, Indianapolis, IN | Car Phone | 8/31/1990 | $256.16 |
| GTE Mobilnet | P.O. Box 298010, Houston, TX | Car Phone | 8/31/1990 | $675.29 |
| Cellular One of Indianapolis | P.O. Box 7700, Indianapolis, IN | Mobile phone bill | 5/16/1990 | $146.19 |
| Fleet Mortgage | 5222 South East Street, Indianapolis, IN | Mortgage | 6/1/1990 | $992.00 |
| I.N.B | One Indiana Square, Indianapolis, IN | Auto payment | 6/1/1990 | $222.18 |
| Fleet Mortgage | 5222 South East Street, Indianapolis, IN | Mortgage | 5/1/1990 | $992.00 |
| Visa | 1605 E. 86th Street, Indianapolis, IN | 5/1/1990 | $688.00 | |
| I.N.B | 1605 E. 86th Street, Indianapolis, IN | Auto | 5/1/1990 | $222.18 |
| GTE Mobilnet | P.O. Box 298010, Houston, TX | Car phone bill | 6/19/1990 | $1,274.42 |
| GTE Mobilnet | P.O. Box 298010, Houston, TX | Car Phone | 11/5/1990 | $838.40 |
| Cellular One | P.O. Box 7700, Indianapolis, IN | Car Phone | 11/5/1990 | $417.16 |
| ITT Financial Services | 6129 Crafordsville Road, Indianapolis, IN | Computer purchase | 7/1/1989 | $1,439.45 |
| Bailey & Pence | P.O. Box 159, Greenwood, IN | Candidate’s phone bill | 7/14/1989 | $143.67 |
| Bailey & Pence | P.O. Box 159, Greenwood, IN | Candidate’s phone bill | 8/16/1989 | $86.23 |
| Bailey & Pence | P.O. Box 159, Greenwood, IN | Candidate’s phone bill | 9/15/1989 | $42.36 |
| Bailey & Pence | P.O. Box 159, Greenwood, IN | Candidate’s phone bill | 10/2/1989 | $37.67 |
| Indiana Bell | P.O. Box 7094, Indianapolis, IN | Candidate’s phone bill | 11/2/1989 | $70.09 |
| Bailey & Pence | P.O. Box 159, Greenwood, IN | Candidate’s phone bill | 11/17/1989 | $94.47 |
| Total: | $13,042.43 |
[Schedule B – Itemized Disbursements, Report of Receipts & Disbursements, “The People for Mike Pence,” FEC, Filed 7/28/89, 2/5/90, 4/15/90, 7/16/90, 10/15/90, 10/24/90, 2/25/91;
Pence Said He Expected To Draw About $25,000 In Living Expenses From Contributions. According to the Daily Journal, “Although he spent about 25 percent of his time campaigning in 1989, Pence said he drew no contributions for personal expenses. But this year he’s campaigning full-time and expects to draw about $25,000 in living expenses from contributions. In an April financial disclosure statement, Pence lists $11,250 in personal income from his campaign committee.” [Daily Journal, 7/18/90]
Pence Defended His Use Of Contributions For Personal Expenses, Saying That He Took A 30 Percent Pay Cut To Run For Office And Needed The Money To Live On. According to the Daily Journal, “But Pence said that linking his statements on campaign reform and his spending habits is wrong. ‘That’s an absolutely ridiculous analogy…and frankly a bit insulting,’ Pence said. He defended his use of contributions for personal expenses, saying that he took a 30 percent pay cut to run for office and needs the money to live on. ‘I’m not embarrassed that I need to make a living,’ Pence said.” [Daily Journal, 7/18/90]
Pence Said What He Did Was Legal And He Did Nothing To Hide It. According to the Daily Journal, “‘We’ve always let supporters know I can’t do this out of my own pocket,’ he said. Pence said what he’s doing is legal and he’s done nothing to hide it. He added he turned down job offers that would have in effect paid him to campaign – and thus hide the income from the public.” [Daily Journal, 7/18/90]
Pence: “It’s Morally The Right Thing To Do For Me Because I Believe A Man Ought To Provide For His Family.” According to the Daily Journal, “‘It’s morally the right thing to do for me because I believe a man ought to provide for his family,’ Pence said. Without the money, Pence said, he wouldn’t be running for office. The funds allow him to meet his financial obligations while campaigning full time. And working at it full time is the only realistic way to go about defeating an entrenched incumbent, he said.” [Daily Journal, 7/21/90]
Pence: “Running For And Winning A Congressional Seat In The Latter Part Of This Century Is About Two Full-Time Jobs.” According to Chicago Tribune, “Pence, a lawyer, said he earned just under $30,000 last year. His wife, a schoolteacher, earned about $35,000. They also received about $10,000 in dividends from a family business. To run for the House, Pence said, he had to take a leave from his practice. ‘Running for and winning a congressional seat in the latter part of this century is about two full-time jobs,’ Pence said.” [Chicago Tribune, 8/23/90]
Pence On Using Campaign Funds For Personal Use: “And There Is A Larger Principle That, Unless We Can Do This, Then Only The Wealthy And The Incumbent Can Run.” According to the Chicago Tribune, “Using campaign funds to supplement his family income, he said, was ‘completely legally right, and it is morally right for a man to provide for his family. And there is a larger principle that, unless we can do this, then only the wealthy and the incumbent can run.’” [Chicago Tribune, 8/23/90]
According to the Daily Journal, “‘He doesn’t come from a wealthy family,’ Johnson said. ‘He’s not from the gentry.’ Financial forms filed with the U.S. House of Representatives show the Pence family income for 1989 was more than $75,000. The report lists Pence’s salary with the legal form of Bailey and Pence, in Greenwood, at $27,500. His wife, Karen, earned $35,753 as a school teacher with the Franklin Township School Corp. Under additional sources of income the Pences listed more than $12,500 in dividends, interest, rent and capital gains.” [Daily Journal, 7/18/90]
Federal Election Commission Said That While Was Is Legal For Pence To Use Campaign Contributions To Pay Personal Living Expenses, The Practice Was Unusual. According to the Kokomo Tribune, “The Federal Election Commission says that while it is legal for congressional candidate Mike Pence to use campaign contributions to pay personal living expenses, the practice is unusual. The Greenwood Republican is challenging Rep. Phil Sharp, D-Ind., for Indiana’s 2nd District House seat. Sharp has reported no use of campaign funds for personal expenses.” [Kokomo Tribune, 7/19/90]
October 1990: The FEC Unanimously Ruled That Pence Had Not Violated Campaign Finance Law. According to the FEC< Based upon the foregoing, the Office of General Counsel concludes that the Respondents in this matter have not violated 2 U.S.C. S 439a. Therefore, it is this Office's recommendation that the Commission find no reason to believe that the Respondents have violated 2 U.S.C. S 439a in this matter. [… ]Find no reason to believe that Mike Pence, The People for Mike Pence and Michael W. Redford, as treasurer; Rick Hawks, Rick Hawks for Congress Committee, Inc. and Larry Stoppenhagen, as treasurer; Kenneth Bell, Ken Bell for Congress Committee and Mark Poovey, as treasurer; Ted Blanton, Blanton for Congress and Pete Teague, as treasurer, violated 2 U.S.C. S 439a. […] I, Marjorie W. Emmons, Secretary of the Federal Election Commission, do hereby certify that on October 23, 1990, the Commission decided by a vote of 6-0 to approve the letter, as recommended in the General Counsel's Memorandum dated October 19, 1990.” [Case Number. 3107, Federal Election Commission, Filed 8/8/90]
Financial Backers Of Mike Pence Said They Were Unaware That He Was Using Campaign Contributions To Pay Personal Bills. According to the Daily Journal, “Financial backers of Republican congressional candidate Mike Pence say they were unaware until this week that he is using campaign contributions to pay personal bills. And although the practice is legal, some contributors say they are disappointed and concerned about how it will affect Pence’s bid to unseat Rep. Phil Sharp, a Democrat from Muncie, in the contest for Indiana’s 2nd District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.” [Daily Journal, 7/21/90]
Pence Vowed To End The Practice Of Using Campaign Funds For Personal Expenses, Citing Sensitivity On The Part Of Some Voters. According to the Columbus Republic, “Citing sensitivity on the part of some voters to the use of campaign funds for personal expenses, Republican congressional candidate Mike Pence today vowed to end the practice, which has drawn fire from Democrats. Pence said that a poll conducted by his campaign showed some voter concern about revelations that his car and house payments were being paid out of campaign coffers, a practice that election officials have approved as legal.” [Columbus Republic, 8/14/90]
Pence Called On His Opponent To Give Up His Government Salary For The Time Periods He Spends Campaigning. According to the Columbus Republic, “Pence said that he will live off savings for the remainder of the campaign for the 2nd Congressional District seat held by Sharp since 1974. He called on Sharp to give up his government salary for the time periods he spends campaigning.” [Columbus Republic, 8/14/90]
Pence Announced That, Despite The Financial Sacrifice, He Would No Longer Pay His Bills With Campaign Money. According to the Chicago Tribune, “When the Franklin (Ind.) Daily Journal disclosed recently that Pence had been using contributions to pay living expenses since January, it provoked a sharp outcry, angering a significant number of Pence’s supporters in his central Indiana district. So, like a long line of politicians before him, Pence went full throttle into damage-control mode. He announced that, despite the financial sacrifice, he would no longer pay his bills with campaign money. While he was at it, he challenged his opponent, eight-term Democratic incumbent Phil Sharp, to give back a portion of his congressional salary for each day Sharp spent campaigning.” [Chicago Tribune, 8/23/90]
Pence: “We’re Going To Live Off Our Life Savings.” According to the Chicago Tribune, “This time the race was expected to be close again, and Pence thought he had to blunt the money issue before it overshadowed others. ‘People had just never heard of the law’ allowing personal use of campaign funds, Pence said. ‘I don’t have time to take people to school in this district. I’ve only got time to win an election.’ The price? ‘We’re going to live off our life savings,’ Pence said.” [Chicago Tribune, 8/23/90]
Pence Took “Full Responsibility” For An Election-Eve Telephone Campaign Where Aides To Senator Dan Coats Arranged For A Utah Telemarketing Firm To Pretend To Be Environmental Groups And Call Thousands Of Indiana Voters To Endorse Pence. According to the Daily Journal, “After days of denying involvement, Mike Pence on Friday night said he took ‘full responsibility’ for an election-eve telephone campaign to attack U.S. Rep. Phil Sharp. But as Pence sought to end it, the controversy continued to mushroom. The campaign manager for Republican Sen. Dan Coats resigned after being linked to the telemarketing campaign. That followed Coats’ firing of another campaign aide Thursday. The Coats staffers reportedly helped arrange and submit the scripts, in which a Utah telemarketing firm – posing as environmental and social groups – called thousands of central Indiana voters Sunday and Monday to attack Sharp and endorse Pence, a Greenwood attorney and Republican.” [Daily Journal, 11/10/90]
While Saying He Was Responsible, Pence Added That He Did Not See The Scripts Before They Were Sent Out. According to the Daily Journal, “While saying he was responsible, Pence added that he did not see the scripts before they were sent out. He said he mailed a letter to Sharp on Friday apologizing. ‘I like to say in the loop, but on this one I just wasn’t,’ Pence said.” [Daily Journal, 11/10/90]
Pence Admitted His Staff Was Involved In The Last-Ditch Scheme. According to the Columbus Republic, “Although he had no knowledge of it, Republican Mike Pence says his staff was involved in a last-ditch scheme attacking Rep. Phil Sharp, D-Ind. Pence said Monday members of his campaign crew helped conduct an election-eve telemarketing campaign that used phony groups to attack Sharp. He thought it was a get-out-the-vote campaign in the days before the Nov. 6 election, said Pence.” [Columbus Republic, 11/13/90]
Pence’s Campaign Paid $20,000 For The Telemarketing Calls. According to the Columbus Republic, “Former Republican congressional candidate Mike Pence said Sunday he has received bills totaling more than $20,000 for a controversial tele-marketing campaign in the final days of his race against U.S. Rep. Phil Sharp, D-Ind. Pence said the bills – submitted by New York and Cincinnati telemarketing – will be paid out of campaign funds.” [Columbus Republic, 12/3/90]
1993: Pence Called His 1990 Late-Campaign Phone Bank That Called Voters With False Information About Sharp “A Manifestly Dumb Idea.” According to the Daily Journal, “But the tactic that generated the most controversy was Pence’s tele-marketing campaign in the final days of the election. Callers posing as members of environmental organizations called voters and told them Sharp was selling his family’s farm in Martinsville, Ill., to the government to be used as a nuclear waste dump. Voters were told that the organizations—which later proved phony—had withdrawn support for Sharp and supported Pence instead. […] ‘It was a manifestly dumb idea,’ Pence said. ‘It don’t like it when Sears calls me up to tell me they’re having a carpet sale.’” [Daily Journal, 4/5/93]
After Losing His Congressional Race In 1990, Mike Pence Wrote An Article Titled “Confessions Of A Negative Campaigner,” In Which He Apologized For Attacking His Opponents. According to an article in The Washington Post, “After losing congressional races in 1988 and 1990, Pence penned an essay titled ‘Confessions of a Negative Campaigner,’ in which he apologized for attacking his opponent in ads rather than explaining his own agenda better.” [Washington Post, 3/22/05]
1993: Pence Said He Regretted His Tactics In The 1990 Campaign. According to the Daily Journal, “After running one of the most controversial and negative political campaigns in Indiana history in 1990, Mike Pence says he’s a changed man. Pence says he’s been ‘on the wagon as a recovering politician’ since running unsuccessfully for Congress twice against U.S. Rep. Phil Sharp. Now Pence regrets the tactics he used as a challenger, he says.” [Daily Journal, 4/5/93]
Daily Journal: In 1993, Pence Said “Firmly That His Name Will Not Appear On Any Ballot.” According to the Daily Journal, “But Pence now swears off negative campaigning—and running for public office. Since 1991, he’s been president of the Indiana Policy Review Foundation, a non-profit, non-partisan ‘think tank’ that does public policy research. And he’s about to bring his conservative voice to a new radio show on WNDE-AM. While some might view that as political rehabilitation for Pence—a chance for him to get back in the good graces of voters—he says firmly that his name will not appear on any ballot.” [Daily Journal, 4/5/93]
August 1991: Pence Apologized For His Negative Campaign In 1990: “‘It Just Is Not Right And I Was Not Right To Do It. It Was Not The Right Thing To Do To My Neighbor.” According to The Indianapolis Star, “A candidate widely believed to have waged the most negative campaign of 1990 in Indiana apologized Tuesday, admitting that by attacking his opponent, he failed as a neighbor and a candidate. Republican Mike Pence, who lost to U.S. Rep. Philip R. Sharp, D-Ind., had attacked Sharp constantly in television commercials and campaign materials. ‘It just is not right and I was not right to do it. It was not the right thing to do to my neighbor,’ Pence said. ‘And I should have spent that $500,000 (for advertising) on how I would govern differently.’ […] Pence said now he feels he misled contributors because ‘when I would sit down with people to raise money, I would not spend 90 minutes with them saying, ‘Wait till I tell you what a rat my opponent is. I sat there and said this is who I am. This is what I believe. This is what we believe and this is how you can help. The opponent was irrelevant.’” [Indianapolis Star, 8/14/91]
Pence, 1991: “Negative Campaigning, I Now Know, Is Wrong.” According to an op-ed by Mike Pence, “‘It is a trustworthy statement, deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all’-1Timothy1:15 In the aftermath of the 1990 election cycle, witness to one of the most divisive and negative campaigns in Indiana's modern congressional history, the words of Saint Paul seem to provide an appropriate starting point for the confessions of a negative campaigner. Negative campaigning, I now know, is wrong. That is not to say that a negative campaign is an ineffective alternative in a tough political race. Pollsters will attest- with great conviction- that it is the negatives that move voters. And the mantra of the modern political campaign is ‘drive up the negatives’.” [Mike Pence Op-Ed via Wayback Machine, 1991]
Pence: “Personal Attacks Are Not A Legitimate Part Of A Campaign.” According to the Daily Journal, “Pence feels remorseful about the phone tactic now. ‘Personal attacks are not a legitimate part of a campaign,’ he said. ‘I don’t put the blame on anyone else’s but my shoulders.’” [Daily Journal, 4/5/93]
Pence Renounced Negative Campaigning After His 1990 Race, Saying “It Doesn’t Serve The Common Good.” According to the Daily Journal, “After losing the race Pence took stock of himself and his political philosophy, and renounced negative campaigning. ‘It doesn’t serve the common good,’ he said. ‘It end up clouding the real discussion of huge economic and cultural issues the state is facing.’” [Daily Journal, 4/5/93]
Pence: “There Is A Kind Of Individual Who Makes For A Good And Effective Politician, And That’s Certainly Not Me.” According to the Daily Journal, “‘I’ve had all the political ambition knocked out of me,’ Pence said. ‘There is a kind of individual who makes for a good and effective politician, and that’s certainly not me.’” [Daily Journal, 4/5/93]