State Treasurer Richard Mourdock took early leave of his elected post, a departure he officially attributed to his desire to pursue other professional interests. His stated reason may be partially true, but we have doubts. We suspect the real reason for the timing of his resignation is likely that he is now able to make more money on his state pension than he would have had he stayed the final four months of his term.
How so? Well, a lowering of the rate at which state pensions are calculated annually was set to take effect Sept. 1. Leaving abruptly and without notice just before the change kicked in was in his own financial interest. To hell with the people he was elected to serve until his term expired.
For a guy who often and arrogantly preached about government being an enemy of the people, he sure was willing to take advantage of that government when it benefited him personally.
Mourdock’s political career was over anyway, of course. The tea party darling self-destructed during his race for the U.S. Senate in 2012 after he made radical statements that most Hoosiers saw as way over the edge. But he managed to end the long career of six-term Sen. Richard Lugar in the GOP primary before moderate U.S. Rep. Joe Donnelly derailed his march to Congress.
Mourdock tried to use the Treasurer’s office to climb the political ladder, something he had been unable to do after losing twice in races for a U.S. House district seat. Meanwhile, he did little of consequence to help Hoosiers, and actually cost the state money when he unsuccessfully challenged Chrysler’s bankruptcy in 2009.
Because of constitutional term limits, he could not run again for the office he held. So he was done anyway at the end of the year. Despite the distasteful reason he chose to pull the plug early on his second term, there is only one thing we can truly say to sum up this final episode involving Richard Mourdock.
Good riddance.