Thread by @jtlarsen

A quick* thread about @PeteButtigieg and transparency…

*long

@PeteButtigieg I first went to South Bend back in April.

When I asked the county clerk for the 2011 mayoral campaign-finance forms, they told me they had all been destroyed, in accordance with state law.

@PeteButtigieg I asked @PeteButtigieg whether he still had his original campaign filings and would release them.

I’ve asked multiple times since—once with @PublicIntegrity.

Still no answer.

tyt.com/stories/4vZLCH…

@PeteButtigieg @publicintegrity But in 2011, the @SBTribune reported that @PeteButtigieg’s top donor was Bob Urbanski, a SB businessman.

web.archive.org/web/2011050810…

@PeteButtigieg @publicintegrity @SBTribune In September, I got access to secret legal documents the city has had for years, that describe exactly what’s on the secret police tapes @PeteButtigieg won’t release.

His donors, including Urbanski, are mentioned by name.

@PeteButtigieg @publicintegrity @SBTribune The documents allege white police officers had a plan to use @PeteButtigieg donors to get him to oust the city’s black police chief. (Both donors denied this to me.)

tyt.com/stories/4vZLCH…

@PeteButtigieg @publicintegrity @SBTribune Allegedly, @PeteButtigieg said in 2011 that he would remove Boykins and discussed--w/ current SBPD Chief Scott Ruszkowski and Prosecutor Ken Cotter--who should replace Boykins.

Buttigieg, Cotter, and Ruszkowski have yet to comment.

@PeteButtigieg @publicintegrity @SBTribune I asked the @PeteButtigieg campaign about this & they asked to see the documents, because I was “more than willing to report rumors you are unable to prove.”

The city later released redacted versions in response to my records request.

@PeteButtigieg @publicintegrity @SBTribune To demonstrate our docs’ authenticity, we overlaid excerpts on the redacted version the city released to show that they align.

documentcloud.org/documents/6434…

@PeteButtigieg @publicintegrity @SBTribune Buttigieg says he doesn’t know what’s on the tapes or if he can even ask.

But the docs show that his lawyers in 2013 asked the woman who made the tapes at least 15 Qs about what she heard.

@PeteButtigieg @publicintegrity @SBTribune The key attorney involved in demoting Boykins was Rich Hill, brought in by @PeteButtigieg to deal with the wiretap probe.

Hill had no federal/criminal experience, but lots of political connections.

@PeteButtigieg @publicintegrity @SBTribune Hill later had considerable ties to the cop who figured most prominently in the alleged plan to get rid of Boykins, Tim Corbett.

@PeteButtigieg @publicintegrity @SBTribune I eventually found a copy of @PeteButtigieg’s early 2011 mayor campaign-finance forms.

They show that, right when the cops were pushing Buttigieg donors to oust Boykins, Hill gave Buttigieg $1000.

One year later, Hill oversaw Boykins’ ouster.

@PeteButtigieg @publicintegrity @SBTribune The city has had these documents for years but @PeteButtigieg still hasn’t confirmed their authenticity, even after the city released redacted versions confirming their existence.

Instead of denying my reporting they’ve called it “unsubstantiated.” (They could substantiate it!)

@PeteButtigieg @publicintegrity @SBTribune The president of the Common Council said TYT’s reporting “delved deeper with more information and insight than any journalist or media group has done in the past seven years.”

@PeteButtigieg @publicintegrity @SBTribune I first asked for an interview with @PeteButtigieg in April and have since requested to be on his campaign bus, as well.

No response.

And I haven’t even called him a lying MFer!

/Thread

(unless folks want to see more...)