Southern Indiana mayor arrested | News
AUSTIN, IN (WAVE) - A southern Indiana mayor was hauled to jail Tuesday afternoon on accusations of voter fraud.
The investigation into Austin Mayor Douglas Campbell and 58-year-old resident Terry Danner began a year ago, Indiana State Police tell WAVE 3 News.
The two are accused of going to at least four homes in 2011 to collect absentee voter ballots.
Campbell and Danner were booked into the Scott County Jail on voter fraud charges.
In a 2008 WAVE 3 interview, Campbell talked about crime in his city.
"I think before you can ever fix the problem, the first thing you have to do is admit there is some of this problem," Mayor Campbell said.
But his problems now run beyond running the city of 5,000.
The mayor and Danner are facing three felonies: two counts of voter fraud and one count of conspiracy.
While the two await their court date, the court of public opinion is split right down the middle.
"Doug Campbell is the biggest crook around here. I don't think he should be mayor. I think somebody else should be mayor," Austin resident Ruby Johnson said.
"Mayor Campbell is the best things that's ever happened to this town and as far as I'm concerned Mr. Campbell is completely innocent," Austin resident Bobby Parks said.
So who's running the city while the mayor deals with his legal mess?
"We'll have to wait and see. This is new to all of us today," said James Kallembach. He's one of five Austin City Council members who says it's too soon to tell what the future holds for Campbell as the city's mayor.
"Well, we'll just take it one day at a time and see what happens with the city and the people," Kallembach said.
The issue could come up at the next Austin City Council meeting in two weeks, or before that depending on what happens next in the case Kallembach said.
Meanwhile the mayor and Danner both bounded out of jail.
Copyright 2012 WAVE News. All rights reserved.
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