Dick Lugar, Back Home Again in Indiana?

Senator Lugar out of touch with Hoosiers, sold Indiana home in 1977, lives in VA

INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Indiana State Treasurer Richard Mourdock, U.S. Senate Candidate for the 2012 Republican Primary on May 8th, called upon Senator Dick Lugar to move back to Indiana and establish a home after a Lugar spokesman admitted that the Senator had not been a resident of the state since 1977.

It is unclear from public statements by Lugar's campaign how the Senator's lack of a physical residence in Indiana complies with the requirement of Article 1, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution, which requires a U.S. Senator to be an "inhabitant" of the state he or she represents when elected.

"We have been making the case since last year that Senator Lugar has become out of touch with Hoosier Republicans on issues like the increase in our massive national debt, wasteful earmark spending, and amnesty for illegal immigrants. Now, we know why. Sadly, Senator Lugar went to Washington, D.C. and left Indiana behind," stated Treasurer Mourdock.

A January 30th article in the Daily Caller reported that public records showed that Lugar and his wife sold their westside Indianapolis home, located at 3200 Highwoods Court, in July of 1977 and purchased a home in the exclusive Washington, D.C. suburb of McLean, Virginia the same month.

The Daily Caller article went on to describe how the current owner of the Highwoods Court property had no idea that Senator Lugar continues to claim it as his legal residence, including listing the address on his recent re-election filing with the Indiana Secretary of State's Office and the Federal Election Commission when he filed to run for President in 1996.

Senator Lugar himself admitted in a recent interview with CNN that he has continued to vote from the Highwoods Court address in Indiana elections since 1978 and has listed it as his residence for "political purposes."

A Lugar spokesman claimed last week in a local TV interview that the Senator relies on an Indiana law meant to protect the voting rights of military service members who are absent from the state due to deployment overseas.

"I find it troubling that Senator Lugar would try to use a law meant for troops serving in combat overseas to justify not maintaining a home in Indiana," stated Treasurer Mourdock.

The Chairman of the Indiana Democratic Party Dan Parker indicated last week that the Democrats intend to make this an issue in November's election if Senator Lugar would win the primary.

"Republicans can't afford to lose this Senate seat because Lugar prefers not to have a home in Indiana," stated Treasurer Mourdock.

SOURCE Hoosiers for Richard Mourdock, Inc.