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Rep. Jim Banks – and his character – will be judged by the company he keeps

Rep. Jim Banks – and his character – will be judged by the company he keeps

by Michael Leppert | Nov 17, 2022 | Politics/Government

For more than a year, I have been patiently waiting for the arrival of the inevitable dilemma that Third District U.S. Rep. Jim Banks was facing. These are important days for the future of individual political careers in Washington, though it is much harder to see how...
One certainty: Doing nothing is not working

One certainty: Doing nothing is not working

by Michael Leppert | Jun 3, 2022 | Politics/Government, Pop/Life

In the last two weeks, I have heard two things regarding the state of our union that disturb me more than anything. The first was a statement made on the morning news early last week, after the massacre in Buffalo, but before the one in Uvalde. A reporter, not a...
This “hoax” could be the last one he sells

This “hoax” could be the last one he sells

by Michael Leppert | Mar 6, 2020 | Politics/Government, Pop/Life

The data is undeniable. Unless you are the President of the United States. The threat is real. Unless the threat has political ramifications. There will always be someone to blame. Except when there isn’t. A friend sent me a meme via text on Thursday with a...
Democrats in the Heartland: Let’s take a walk out to the woodshed

Democrats in the Heartland: Let’s take a walk out to the woodshed

by Michael Leppert | Jan 13, 2018 | Politics/Government

It was Sunday, June 21, 2015. A friend called me the night before and invited me to go to church at the Messiah Missionary Baptist Church the next day. That invite was easy to accept. I had been to Baptist services many times before. Honestly, I always feel better...
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Indiana Radio

Leppert Discusses New Book with Will Murphy
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Indiana Television

Pence and Trump Take Their Oaths
Holcomb Federal Health Care Bill
Indiana Anti-Abortion Law is Halted
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Keeping the Big Ten Network on the Air

One of Mr. Leppert’s successful projects was his media campaign on behalf of the Big Ten Network in its dispute with cable formats for broad distribution of the network during its start-up years. He wrote and distributed press releases, organized supporters to attend press conferences and traveled the state for media events with both Mark Silverman, the original president of the network and Jim Delany, the long-time commissioner of the Big Ten Conference. Silverman has since moved into an executive position at Fox Sports, and Delany has announced his retirement in June of this year. The media output and related responses to it were vital in moving the stalled discussions to a mutually beneficial resolution between the network and cable formats. The Big Ten Network is distributed widely today and is a model for college sports networks. The three of us were only flagged for speeding one time during the campaign, fittingly on State Road 37, while racing between press conferences at IU and downtown Indianapolis.
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Moving Indiana Forward with Bias Crimes Legislation

Mr. Leppert was engaged by the United Way of Central Indiana to design and implement the campaign in 2018-19 for the passage of new hate/bias crime legislation in Indiana. The foundation of this coalition was built by joining two organizations, the Indiana Alliance Against Hate, and Indiana Competes. After several years of resistance in the Indiana General Assembly, specifically since the RFRA session of 2015, this campaign was the catalyst to passage of the new law and removing Indiana from the list of only five states without hate crimes legislation. More than 800 members of the smaller merged entities were mobilized. Press events were held throughout the state. Editorial boards were visited. Letter writing and phone banking strategies were implemented. The management of this large group, and the short timeframe available to make our impact was an experience. While the law enacted by the legislature did not include all of the protected classes our coalition sought for inclusion, the establishment of hate or bias as statutory consideration in sentencing was established for many classes. Our campaign proved successful.
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Adjunct Professor

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Master of Science in Communications (MSC)

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