The Political Spotlight - Episodes Tagged with “Controversy”

#669 | You Get the Government You Tolerate! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Brandon Rudd, & Kate Thornburg (The Political Spotlight) — Sun, 24 May 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey welcomes back contributing correspondent Dr. Katherine V. Callahan from Madison County, Indiana. Callahan returns to share the latest developments from Madison County over the past month — and, if anything, the chaos has only intensified.

Bilbrey and Callahan break down several ongoing issues affecting Madison County residents from multiple angles within local government, highlighting the continued dysfunction, controversy, and concerns facing residents across the community.

The conversation then shifts to statewide politics as Bilbrey and Callahan discuss the ongoing political drama surrounding Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales. After years of ridicule directed at the few voices within Indiana politics who dared to question Morales from the beginning, it is remarkable to watch members of the Indiana GOP now scramble to distance themselves from him in favor of a new, fresh-faced political favorite awaiting instructions from party leadership.

The problem, however, is that while many of Indiana's "Republican elite" appear eager to distance themselves from Morales, few seem willing to hold him accountable for the controversies that have followed him since the start of his political rise. With less than a month until the Indiana Republican Convention, Max Engling’s entry into the Indiana Secretary of State race is certain to make the convention far more entertaining.

Throughout the episode, Bilbrey and Callahan challenge listeners to reconsider the old phrase often attributed to Thomas Jefferson: “People get the government they deserve.” Instead, they argue that in today’s political climate, “People ultimately get the government, politicians, and politics they are willing to tolerate.”

The message is clear: citizens must stop tolerating corrupt chaos and demand accountability from the public servants elected to represent them.

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VIDEO version of Ep 669: https://youtube.com/live/vqHZs56kSn4

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'The Political Spotlight'
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Hosted by: Kristopher H. Bilbrey & Brandon Rudd
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— Special Guest: Dr. Katherine Callahan.

#646 | Tim Hollems (R) Candidate for Delaware Co Circuit Ct Judge! & More! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Brandon Rudd, & Kate Thornburg (The Political Spotlight) — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Join Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey as he welcomes Tim Hollems, a Republican candidate for Delaware County Circuit Court 5 Judge, to the show.

Hollems has served as a master commissioner in the Delaware County, Indiana, court system for the past nine years. Before becoming a master commissioner, he served as an attorney for the Indiana Department of Child Services for more than 10 years. He has practiced law for nearly 30 years.

He is a 1997 graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School and graduated from the Indiana Judicial College in 2021.

Hollems and his wife have lived in Muncie since 2003, raising their two children in the community.

Bilbrey and Hollems discuss the campaign, Hollems' views on the current state of Delaware County's judicial system, and his plans for the Court if elected.

Connect with Hollems on social media via the following links:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575686743214 . . .

After the interview, Bilbrey discusses the State Board of Accounts' report on the Special Investigation into the City of Muncie Parks Department in greater detail.

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VIDEO version of Ep 646: https://youtube.com/live/g5uZvApq8yk

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#645 | SBoA Investigation of the City of Muncie's Parks Department! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Brandon Rudd, & Kate Thornburg (The Political Spotlight) — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey steps away from the candidate interviews for this 645th episode of the show to examine the State Board of Accounts' Report on its Special Investigation into the City of Muncie's Parks and Recreation Department.

Bilbrey has covered this investigation over the past few weeks while awaiting the report's public release. The Political Spotlight has been on this story every step of the way since April 13, 2020.

For those interested in reading the report on their own time, click the following link:

https://audit.sboa.in.gov/WebReports/26780I.pdf?fbclid=IwY2xjawRU8M9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFIZnh1YW9pRlN3WWFrU2dBc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHodUQ7CJ2u3AU2TwVDkGszHgPLk4zEvbnypgTjCKFNpK4jQPN0UGTgCw6JdJ_aem_YLMnUxTHBP1F0bNQ80davw . . .

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VIDEO version of Ep 645: https://youtube.com/live/b5kBpSssGRo

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#644 | David Williams (R) Candidate for Delaware County Council! & More! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Brandon Rudd, & Kate Thornburg (The Political Spotlight) — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Join Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey as he welcomes David Williams, a Republican candidate for Delaware County Council, District 1, to the show.

Williams was born and raised in Delaware County and currently serves as an elected precinct committeeman for the Delaware County Republican Party. He also served as a State Delegate at the 2024 Republican State Convention and ran for Delaware County Council At-Large in 2024, but came up short. He has filed to run again in this election, seeking the Delaware County Council District 1 seat.

Bilbrey and Williams discuss the campaign, Williams' views on the state of Delaware County, and his plans for the Council if elected.

Connect with Williams on social media via the following links:

https://www.facebook.com/David.Williams.GOP.pc.51 . . .

After the interview, Bilbrey discusses the second of three 'LIVE Q&A sessions' that Henry County Sheriff John M. Sproles is broadcasting to Henry County residents. He also talks about the BINGO game viewers could play LIVE during Sproles' event.

This session was definitely different from the first, but Bilbrey had a hard time putting his finger on what was truly going on. What do you think was happening? And the end of the session was something out of this world... WOW... just wow! You do not want to miss this episode!

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VIDEO version of Ep 644: https://youtube.com/live/3Nd0hHx9S-Y

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#638 | Landon Dean (D) Candidate for Henry County Sheriff! & More! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Brandon Rudd, & Kate Thornburg (The Political Spotlight) — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Join Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey as he welcomes Landon Dean, Democratic candidate for Henry County Sheriff, to the show.

Dean, who is currently serving in his third year as Chief of the Middletown, Indiana, Police Department, retired from the Henry County Sheriff's Department after a 27-year career, during which he held numerous roles.

Dean has also served as the interim Chief of the Knightstown, Indiana, Police Department for the past year. He helped rebuild and restaff the department and, just today, Monday, April 13, 2026, announced that he will step down from that interim position at the next Knightstown Council meeting. Dean ran for Sheriff twice, once more than twenty years ago and again in 2022, losing to the current Sheriff, John M. Sproles.

Bilbrey and Dean discuss the campaign, Dean's thoughts on Henry County's current state, and Dean's plans for the county if elected.

Connect with Dean on social media at the following links:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587646388488 . . .

After the interview with candidate Landon Dean, Bilbrey then examines serious information he has been hearing from sources about the City of Muncie's Parks Department.

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VIDEO version of Ep 638: https://youtube.com/live/iwp2X0Dsb3g

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#637 | Ryan Webb (R) Candidate for Delaware County Council! & More! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Brandon Rudd, & Kate Thornburg (The Political Spotlight) — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Join Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey as he welcomes Ryan Webb, Republican candidate for Delaware County Council in District 4, to the show.

Webb, a former At-Large Delaware County Councilor who served from January 1, 2021, through December 31, 2024, lost his bid for re-election by 68 votes in November 2024. He is now seeking re-election to the same Council as the Councilor for District 4, a seat currently held by Republican Jim Mochal. Mochal was appointed to the seat after the death of longtime District 4 Councilor Jane Lasater, who died while in office in April 2023.

Bilbrey and Webb discuss the campaign, Webb's thoughts on Delaware County's current state, and his plans for the county if he is re-elected.

Connect with Webb on social media at the following links:

https://www.facebook.com/RyanWebbForCountyCouncil . . .

https://www.facebook.com/ryan.webb.944 . . .

With Webb's interview over, Bilbrey examines the recent 'water issue' in the City of Muncie and the backlash against Muncie's Communications Director, Amber Greene, for her continued approach to engaging with citizens both on and off the clock.

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VIDEO version of Ep 637: https://youtube.com/live/4FpBaKtgWo8

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