The Rob Kendall Show

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with Rob criticizing Senator Todd Young’s push to block people convicted of COVID-era SBA fraud from receiving future small business assistance. Rob says the idea is fine on its own, but argues Young and other lawmakers helped create the problem by voting to flood the economy with trillions of dollars during COVID with too few safeguards, leading to fraud, inflation, distorted housing markets, and lasting economic damage.

The show also covers Democrats’ unwillingness to confront the growing socialist wing of their party, using Marie Gluesenkamp Perez’s response to a question about the party’s direction as Rob’s latest example. The discussion then turns to Governor Mike Braun joining President Trump’s pledge meant to protect utility customers from data center costs, with Rob arguing Hoosiers should be skeptical because data centers have already received major subsidies, use enormous amounts of power, create relatively few long-term jobs, and have not proven they will truly pay their own way.

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Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with Rob discussing the stock trading ban that has passed the House and now heads to the Senate. Rob looks at what the proposal would mean for public officials and whether lawmakers should be able to trade stocks while holding positions of power and access.

The show also turns to IndyStar columnist James Briggs, who says Mayor Joe Hogsett made a major mistake by vetoing the Indianapolis wheel tax increase. Rob breaks down the disagreement over whether the city needs the additional revenue or whether officials should be forced to find money inside the existing budget.

Another segment focuses on the state of Indiana certifying that Greg Ballard will appear on the ballot in the Secretary of State race as the Lincoln Party candidate. Rob discusses why Ballard’s ballot access matters, what it could mean for voters looking outside the Republican and Democratic parties, and how it changes the race.

The discussion also covers a Gallup survey looking at early Republican presidential polling for 2028. Rob highlights J.D. Vance leading Marco Rubio and considers what that says about where Republican voters may be headed after the current Trump era.

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After raising taxes by a billion dollars last year, Mike Braun wasted no

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Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with Mike Braun’s decision to keep taxpayer overpayments and use the money to subsidize daycare. Rob also covers Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears being called out by the FOP’s Rick Snyder over the treatment of Broad Ripple business owners.

The discussion also turns to $10.9 million in alleged Indiana Medicaid fraud. Rob then looks at the latest developments in Liz Brown’s election recount, including her attorney’s explanation of the victory.

Rob also examines President Trump’s handling of Iran and whether he can find a way out of the growing debacle. Another segment focuses on an IndyStar article about Indianapolis’ new wheel tax and comments from columnist James Briggs.

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Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with Rob discussing

The show also turns to an

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Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with Rob discussing the FBI raid on Andy Card’s Westfield home and business. Rob says Card has played a major role in large Indiana sports developments, including the Pacers Athletic Center in Westfield, and that federal officials confirmed court-authorized law enforcement activity at Card’s home and business on July 16. Rob frames the story as part of a broader warning about government getting involved in sports complexes, fieldhouses, and other projects it is not equipped to manage.

Rob explains that reporting has tied the investigation to a Florida home and a Mishawaka city-financed fieldhouse project. Court documents allege Card fraudulently used money from the $38 million Mishawaka Fieldhouse project to help pay for a $6.6 million waterfront home on Marco Island. Rob says these types of public-private sports deals are nearly impossible for regular taxpayers to track, especially when financing involves tax increment financing, grants, and complex agreements.

The discussion also turns to Rob’s larger argument that local government should focus on basic responsibilities like roads, bridges, sidewalks, water, sewer, public safety, and caring for the most vulnerable. He says stadiums, rec centers, swimming pools, amphitheaters, and similar projects fall outside what government should be doing. Rob argues that when government branches into areas it cannot properly oversee, taxpayers face unnecessary risk and officials end up partnering with private actors they may not be capable of monitoring.

Another segment focuses on school board races and why Democrats keep winning them in heavily Republican communities. Rob says the reason is simple: school board candidates do not have to identify by party the way candidates for most other Indiana offices do. He argues school boards should not get special treatment because they are often the largest taxing entity, receive enormous state funding, and employ large numbers of people in their communities.

Rob says last year’s Republican-backed reform was watered down because candidates can choose whether to declare a party, but are not required to do so. He points to Capital Chronicle numbers showing that of 1,043 school board candidates, 515 declared no affiliation or called themselves nonpartisan, while only 66 identified as Democrats. Rob argues that proves many Democrats are still hiding their affiliation in Republican communities, and that voters will keep getting the same results unless they demand more transparency and accountability.

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Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with Rob arguing that Governor Mike Braun repeatedly identifies major problems, promises to fix them, takes an action that does not solve the problem, and then declares victory. Rob says this pattern has played out with property taxes, utility bills, and now the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. He argues voters are increasingly drawn to independent voices because they are tired of partisan cheerleading and want authenticity from people who are actually on their side.

Rob focuses on a new Indiana Capital Chronicle report showing the IEDC is spending $200,000 on a hospitality suite at an IndyCar race around the National Mall in Washington, D.C. He says the suite includes 30 tickets and all-inclusive food and drinks, with the possibility of spending up to $250,000 if additional tickets are purchased. Rob argues this proves Braun’s promised IEDC reforms have not changed the agency’s culture of using taxpayer money to benefit powerful insiders.

The discussion also revisits past reporting on the IEDC, including concerns about incentives, insider influence, and public money flowing to well-connected businesses. Rob says the agency operates like a shadow government entity that takes money from poor and middle-class taxpayers and redirects it toward wealthy corporations and politically connected people. He argues Braun’s audit and board changes were cosmetic because the same kinds of spending and conflicts continue.

Rob says the spending is especially offensive when state leaders claim there is not enough money for vulnerable Hoosiers, including families caring for severely disabled loved ones. He contrasts that with the IEDC finding hundreds of thousands of dollars for a luxury racing suite and says taxpayers should ask lawmakers why that is considered acceptable. Rob argues the state could represent Indiana’s motorsports industry without spending that kind of money on exclusive hospitality access.

Rob closes by saying the IEDC spending shows Braun has not fixed anything and that Republican lawmakers who fund the agency share responsibility. He points to legislators who criticize local tax hikes while voting for budgets that allow spending like this to continue. Rob says the public is craving authenticity because they do not believe politicians or much of the media are truly fighting for them, and he argues this kind of IEDC story is exactly why voters are looking for alternatives.

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Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with Rob examining new campaign finance reports in the Indiana Secretary of State race. Rob says Greg Ballard’s fundraising is the biggest surprise because Ballard raised more than $671,000 in the quarter despite not yet being on the ballot. He argues that number shows Ballard is not just trying to reach 10% for Lincoln Party ballot access, but is attempting to become a serious statewide contender.

Rob compares Ballard’s fundraising to Beau Bayh and Max Engling, noting that Bayh raised more than $557,000 for the quarter while Engling brought in just over $202,000. He says Bayh still has major institutional advantages and a large overall fundraising total, but Ballard’s organic support is more impressive because it came without a party structure behind him. Rob also warns that Libertarian Lori Shilling’s low fundraising total could put Libertarian ballot access at risk if protest voters shift toward Ballard instead.

The discussion also turns to Diego Morales continuing to receive campaign donations after losing the Republican nomination. Rob questions why donors, including people from outside Indiana, would keep giving money to someone who will not remain Secretary of State after this year. He says the small-dollar donations from out-of-state contributors are especially strange and deserve more scrutiny.

Another segment focuses on a major court ruling involving Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears, the Indiana Department of Revenue, and a tax investigation into Broad Ripple bar owner Robert Sabatini. Rob says Judge Clark Rogers’ filing alleges the prosecutor’s office and state revenue officials conducted an unjustified fishing expedition into Broad Ripple businesses without evidence of criminal activity. He argues that if the allegations are proven, Mears should face serious professional consequences.

Rob says the ruling is frightening for small business owners because it suggests confidential tax records were accessed without a warrant, probable cause, or even a clear suspicion of wrongdoing. He says the case damaged Sabatini’s reputation and shows how dangerous government power becomes when officials can target businesses first and justify the investigation later. Rob argues the story should receive statewide attention because it erodes public trust in prosecutors, revenue officials, and the rule of law.

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Mike Braun introduced former State Representative Chuck Goodrich as Indiana's new Commerce Secretary. Goodrich quickly declared he would not be stepping down as the CEO of Gaylor Electric, despite his new leadership position in state government.

The announcement immediately raised red flags as Gaylor Electric helps build data centers, which have been a major focus of incentives from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, which Goodrich will oversee. Rob Kendall, Jim Merritt, and Abdul-Hakim Shabazz discuss the controversial appointment of and refusal to step down by Goodrich on this week's Statehouse Happenings.

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Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with Rob breaking down Greg Ballard officially turning in 41,299 verified signatures for his independent Secretary of State run. Rob says Ballard cleared the required 36,943-signature threshold by roughly 12%, which is an extraordinary accomplishment given how difficult Indiana makes ballot access for anyone outside the Republican and Democratic parties. He argues Ballard’s campaign cracked a code that has kept regular people and independent candidates locked out for decades.

Rob says the real importance of Ballard’s run is not just whether he wins, but whether he gets the Lincoln Party to 10% and earns primary ballot access. He argues that 2% would give the party general election access, but 10% would be the true breakthrough because it would put Lincoln Party candidates on primary ballots and give them taxpayer-subsidized visibility. Rob says Ballard’s strongest message should be that he is running for voters themselves by creating a new path for people shut out by the two-party system.

The discussion also critiques Ballard’s presentation at the Statehouse. Rob says the signature turn-in was professional and dignified, but missed a chance to become a larger media moment that could have grabbed statewide attention. He argues Ballard now needs sharper messaging focused on two themes: Republican corruption tied to Diego Morales and the idea that voting for Ballard is a vote to open the system for more Hoosiers.

Another segment focuses on Chuck Goodrich being named Indiana Secretary of Commerce and head of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. Rob says the appointment is troubling because Goodrich remains CEO of Gaylor Electric, a company that says data center construction has been a major part of its business growth. Rob argues it is an obvious conflict for someone whose company works on data centers to oversee incentives and economic development decisions that could involve data centers and major construction projects.

Rob says the Goodrich appointment shows the IEDC has not been fixed, despite years of concern over corruption, insider dealing, and taxpayer-funded corporate incentives. He argues Governor Mike Braun spent public money auditing the IEDC and replacing its board, only to put someone with clear business overlap in charge of the same incentive system. Rob says lawmakers and media outlets should be demanding answers, because the situation reinforces the same culture that allowed figures like Diego Morales to operate without real accountability.

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