HAMMOND | Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. is calling on Indiana Gov. Mike Pence to step down as a result of the harm he has caused to the state with his support of the controversial "religious freedom" law.
"I woke up this morning to the nation and world taking our state to task again for a measure signed into law by our governor that should have never seen the light of day," McDermott wrote.
"The Indiana I know is one that is welcoming, open and tolerant. The Indiana that Gov. Pence has allowed to be seared into the mindset of many Americans is one of out of touch intolerance and discrimination," McDermott said.
When asked by a reporter for The Times what he thought of McDermott's call to resign, Pence laughed as though it was the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard, shook his head and said, "No comment."
The mayor said he is concerned about all the major corporations and conferences taking their business and money elsewhere in opposition to the law that is widely perceived as discriminatory.
"When a CEO of a corporation makes a decision that irreparably harms the company that he or she runs, they oftentimes step aside voluntarily or are asked to by the Board of Directors," McDermott said.
McDermott said if Pence could not answer simple questions on national television and defend the state during appearances last weekend, "he needs to look himself in the mirror and ask whether he has the leadership that Indiana needs right now. If Indiana was a corporation, we’d be asking the Governor to step down. It’s too late for clarifications.
"For the good of Indiana, Governor, please step aside and let new leadership fix the harm that you’ve caused all of us that are proud to call ourselves Hoosiers," McDermott wrote.
Republican legislative leaders are seeking to dam the tide of national condemnation of the law by promising unspecified clarifications to assure Hoosiers it does not permit discrimination.
Democrats are insisting that nothing less than a full repeal of Senate Enrolled Act 101 is acceptable.