Thread by @jtlarsen

South Bend city legal documents describe explicitly what was said on secret police phone recordings that have been the biggest mystery around @PeteButtigieg for seven years.

My story for @TYTInvestigates:
tyt.com/stories/4vZLCH…

@PeteButtigieg @tytinvestigates The documents describe a plan by white officers to get @PeteButtigieg’s donors to press for removing the city’s first black police chief, Darryl Boykins.

"It is going to be a fun time when all white people are in charge."

@PeteButtigieg @tytinvestigates After winning the 2011 mayoral primary, Buttigieg is said to have decided in June 2011 that, “Boykins is done.”

@PeteButtigieg @tytinvestigates Both donors deny having such conversations.

Buttigieg spox @ChrisMeagher asked to see the documents but had no further comment after I told him we were not in a position to share them.

@PeteButtigieg @tytinvestigates @chrismeagher Although Buttigieg has said he doesn’t know what’s on the tapes or whether he can ask, the city has actually had these documents for years… and city attorneys secretly did ask.

@PeteButtigieg @tytinvestigates @chrismeagher On Friday, city attorneys confirmed they have had the documents since as early as 2013, sending me a dated, redacted version of an Officer’s Report detailing the tapes’ contents.

documentcloud.org/documents/6411…

@PeteButtigieg @tytinvestigates @chrismeagher According to the documents, white officers used ebonics to discuss Boykins, and, without citing a basis for it, alleged he was helping a black gang.

@PeteButtigieg @tytinvestigates @chrismeagher Together, the documents describe a consistent effort over months to denigrate Boykins to Buttigieg via two donors.

@PeteButtigieg @tytinvestigates @chrismeagher The two donors are Sam Hensley, ex streets commissioner, and Bob Urbanski, city contractor.

Urbanski hung up on me after denying it, Hensley denied it and denied having a fundraiser for Buttigieg.

@PeteButtigieg @tytinvestigates @chrismeagher It wasn't just Boykins, either. Other black officers were named, in what apparently was a discussion about which officers to "whack."

@PeteButtigieg @tytinvestigates @chrismeagher Join me for a live AMA on Buttigieg and the secret South Bend police tapes, 11:30 eastern time, at YouTube.com/TYTInvestigate….

@PeteButtigieg @tytinvestigates @chrismeagher South Bend journalist to me, before today, about this story: "Wow, this is huge."

Former SB journalist: "You absolutely murdered this story."

SB black activist: "HOLY SHIT"

SB local media today:

@PeteButtigieg @tytinvestigates @chrismeagher I broke down the story in today's edition of TYTI Daily--and took on a few critics of the story, too!

SHIT GOT CIVIL!!!!

https://twitter.com/tytinvestigates/status/1173998190187745282?s=20

@PeteButtigieg @tytinvestigates @chrismeagher And we get a MUCH better breakdown of the Buttigieg/secret police tapes story from @KrystalBall and @esaagar on this morning's edition of Rising:

@PeteButtigieg @tytinvestigates @chrismeagher @krystalball @esaagar In case anyone wants more background, threading my previous stories...

I asked Buttigieg in April to release his 2011 mayoral campaign-finance records. Still no response.
tyt.com/stories/4vZLCH…

@PeteButtigieg @tytinvestigates @chrismeagher @krystalball @esaagar Buttigieg allegedly fired a city attorney for failing to prevent a state police investigation of his new police chief ("too far-fetched to merit a response," the campaign said).

I also found use of racist police rhetoric NOT on the tapes.
tyt.com/stories/4vZLCH…

@PeteButtigieg @tytinvestigates @chrismeagher @krystalball @esaagar Freelance reporter @jharrell6468 told for us a story he's been trying to tell for years about a black boy whose death by hanging was called a suicide...

...with no investigation.

Buttigieg never returned her call.
tyt.com/stories/4vZLCH…

@PeteButtigieg @tytinvestigates @chrismeagher @krystalball @esaagar @jharrell6468 Buttigieg's claim that a secret state police report exonerated his chief in an incident w racial undertones...

...were contradicted by a leaked summary of the report I obtained.

tyt.com/stories/4vZLCH…

@PeteButtigieg @tytinvestigates @chrismeagher @krystalball @esaagar @jharrell6468 The new coroner told me he can't find a report that should have been filed on Jiha'd Vasquez, the black 16-year-old whose hanging death was ruled a suicide with no investigation.

tyt.com/stories/4vZLCH…