To the editor:
Seymour area state Republican District 69 Rep. Jim Lucas recently pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident and operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. His plea deal included a 180-day suspended sentence for leaving the scene and a 60-day suspended sentence on the OWI charge.
It was later reported that Lucas had THC — the active ingredient in marijuana — in his blood the day he was arrested. Lucas is an advocate for legalizing marijuana, and given his “in your face” style of politics, I guess we shouldn’t be surprised that he’s a user even if it’s against the law.
Lucas’ judgment is so poor the speaker of the Indiana House has not appointed Lucas to any summer study committees, and it’s possible that Lucas won’t be assigned to any committees during the upcoming 2024 legislative session. It’s not the first time Lucas’ behavior has warranted a rebuke.
In 2021, Speaker Todd Huston removed Lucas from two study committees, one regarding elections and the broader, powerful Interim Study Committee on Public Policy. This after Lucas made inflammatory social media posts that were racially insensitive.
Inflammatory social media posts, drunk driving, leaving the scene and testing positive an illegal substance — is this kind of representative that can best represent our community? And how can he effectively speak for us when the leaders of his own party don’t trust him to sit on committees, the working phase of the Indiana General Assembly?
Mr. Lucas has said that he won’t resign, so for now, it looks like taxpayers will continue to pay him for subpar representation. The primary election of 2024 is 10 months away. It’s unfortunate that we are stuck with Jim Lucas until the November election in November of 2024, but on the upside, there is plenty of time for Republicans to begin the serious effort of looking for a primary election candidate who will provide us with the representation we deserve.
Unfortunately, in the meantime, we, the citizens of District 69, are left with essentially no representation. We deserve better.
Dr. David Stout, Seymour