Redress South Bend - Logan Foster

01/14/2025

Last night, South Bend Common Council parliamentarian Robert Palmer, who receives a monthly tax payer funded salary of $8,240 as the Council Attorney, once again misrepresented and misapplied the law when a concerned taxpayer attempted to speak at the podium. This misuse of authority was promptly addressed by Redress South Bend - Logan Foster, which cited the correct statute on the spot, ensuring that future public speakers can exercise their rights without obstruction.

Given that Redress South Bend has now been forced to take on the unofficial role of "Outside Legal Counsel" for the City of South Bend—effectively fulfilling duties that should fall under Robert Palmer’s purview—should Redress South Bend receive a portion of Palmer's $8,240 per month salary and submit an invoice to the City for professional services?

- What Say You?

01/08/2025

To the fantastic team at WSBT-TV:

WSBT’s coverage of the Sharon McBride story is extremely appreciated. The community relies on WSBT to provide local news, and earlier today, WSBT delivered on its commitment to excellent local reporting! Thank you.

I would like to address some critical points regarding accusations of slander and being an “unreliable source.”

Attorney Peter Agostino's claim that the allegations in my official formal complaint are "slanderous and based on false statements" does not align with the evidence presented. To date, no specific statements in my complaint have been disproven or even identified as false.

Here are the facts to consider:

In a November 2023 Deposition, McBride admitted under oath that she lived at her mother’s residence outside of the 3rd district between September 2020 and November 2023.

Attorney Agostino confirmed to ABC57 that McBride "does not often sleep at the residence" in the 3rd district but regularly visits to check mail and inspect for damage. (If you pushed into this further, I’m unsure a reasonable person would ever inhabit a property willingly that has mold issues that may cause health issues. Thus, water/trash/rent/deposition records confirm she most likely is not sleeping there at all)

The complaint cites extensive supporting evidence, including utility and trash records, which were obtained through a City of South Bend Public Records Request.
Independent reporting from ABC57 reinforces these claims, as seen in their investigation titled “Lawsuit claims city council member is living outside district for the last 4 years.” https://www.abc57.com/news/lawsuit-claims-city-council-member-is-living-outside-district-for-the-last-4-years

Also see WVPE’s coverage (these reliable community sources were not attacked for being slanderous even though they did thorough and independent investigations into the same scandal) https://www.wvpe.org/wvpe-news/2024-12-13/calls-grow-for-south-bend-council-president-to-step-down-over-residency?_amp=true

It’s important to note that professional insurance investigators and attorneys based out of Indianapolis, (not myself), initiated the questions into McBride's residency and her lack of intent to return to her home in the third district.

Here are just a few quotes from the defendants in their 12:02/2024 MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF DEFENDANTS’ MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT:

“She (McBride) even misrepresented her temporary housing intentions to Defendants and has instead been living with family since September 2020.”

“McBride moved in with her mother and has been living there since the incident over four years ago. McBride never informed Defendants about her intentions to remain with her mother indefinitely and has never facilitated repairs to the interior of the home despite having an estimate from the same contractor who performed her roof repairs. Four years is far beyond a reasonable length of time to complete for repairs to the Residence”

“These provisions attempt to discourage what has happened where, where McBride has allowed her Residence to sit fallow and allow the mold to proliferate during this litigation. McBride should not be the beneficiary of her election to delay repairs to the insured residence by seeking additional damages.”

Instead of McBride or her attorney addressing the documented evidence or refuting specific claims, the strategy seems to be discrediting the complaint entirely and discrediting the local journalist who transparently provided all of his research, findings, and all of his work to all of the other local news networks equally.

(Just like McBride attempted to contact to Public Access Counselor about not hearing any community complaints: https://www.redresssouthbend.com/post/south-bend-common-council-under-scrutiny-for-executive-session-practices creating a pattern)

Ask yourselves this as journalist and a newsroom:

- Are public records released by the city of south bend slanderous?

- Is Sharon McBride’s own legal deposition slanderous?

I encourage everyone to review the evidence provided and ensure that it is in fact accurate. Question it, ask me to explain any grey areas. I walked into your office in person with facts to present to your team. I continue to stand behind the facts.

This is in no way, shape, or form intended to be slanderous as every piece of evidence has been sourced to the best of my ability. If you need clarity on specific sourcing or chain of custody on documents, I am more than willing to assist with that as well.

I did not claim she did not live in the 3rd district, she did.

- McBride Admitted it under oath

- McBride wrote 2nd district rent checks

- McBride’s 3rd district trash and water usage has been near minimal in 2024.

It appears McBride either lied under oath when she claimed she was living in the 2nd district in her deposition (perjury), or she’s lying now and she needs to vacate her seat.

There are several examples of code covering this(state and local), but please see the Indiana code below: IC 36-4-6-2

**please see this code specifically covers “common council members” while other codes may cover county offices or town councils.

01/07/2025

There seems to be a misunderstanding. Sharon McBride did not move in with her "elderly" mother. Sharon McBride paid rent and had a landlord/tenant relationship her mother for at least 22 months... See the payments below: (One photo of 4 receipts, we have receipts of all 22 payments)

01/06/2025

The South Bend Common Council’s 2025 officers as follows:

President: Canneth Lee (1st District)
Vice President: Rachel Tomas Morgan (At-Large)
Committee of the Whole: Troy Warner (4th District)
Attorney: Robert Palmer (re elected)
**Sharon McBride and Sheila Niezgodski have not been reelected to their longstanding positions as President and Vice President.

01/04/2025

The email exchanges from September 2024 show frustration and superiority among South Bend's elected officials. South Bend City Clerk Bianca Tirado wrote to Britt, questioning how such complaints should be managed. “This opens the door for complaints to be sent every single day, so my question is, how do we control this? Do we have to address the complaints at all?”

South Bend Common Council President Sharon McBride also weighed in, McBride stated, “When a complaint is filed, do we need these complaints to be addressed at all?”

Author - Logan Foster 01/03/25The South Bend Common Council has again come under fire following allegations of hosting illegal executive sessions. Documents obtained by Redress South Bend, including email exchanges between City Clerk Bianca Tirado, Indiana Public Access Counselor Luke Britt, and Cou...

01/03/2025

The year 2024 has left political landscapes fraught with frustration, especially for communities navigating disillusionment with traditional party structures. Heading into 2025, the concept of political homelessness is resonating with more individuals, particularly in South Bend, Indiana, where dissatisfaction with both leadership and accountability within the Democratic Party is sparking conversations about alternatives. However, amidst this frustration, there is a glimmer of optimism as the local Republican Party positions itself as a potential home for disenfranchised voters seeking meaningful political representation.

By Logan FosterThe year 2024 has left political landscapes fraught with frustration, especially for communities navigating disillusionment with traditional party structures. Heading into 2025, the concept of political homelessness is resonating with more individuals, particularly in South Bend, Indi...

01/02/2025

For taxpayers, here is the question we need answered—did South Bend Mayor James Mueller hire a consultant for legitimate community development, or did he make South Bend residents foot the bill for the St Joseph County Democratic Party?

South Bend taxpayers are unknowingly funding a $60,000-per-year consulting contract for Gladys Muhammad, the Secretary of the Democratic Party. Records confirm that Muhammad, who is 80 years old now, has been earning this sum each year, since at least 2022 through an arrangement that has now raised....

12/27/2024

The complaint alleges that Councilman Lee’s dual roles within the city government and Goodwill Industries violate conflict-of-interest provisions outlined in the contract between the City of South Bend and Goodwill. These guidelines explicitly forbid any member of the city’s governing body from receiving financial benefits tied to contracts funded by city money. Councilman Lee, as an employee of Goodwill’s GVI program, is compensated for work funded through a $250,000 agreement between the city and Goodwill—a connection that critics argue directly breaches these terms.

The contract states (see attached below):
"No member, officer, or employee of the City . . . and no member of the governing body of the City of South Bend or the Organization . . . shall have any financial benefit, direct or indirect, in any contract or subcontract . . ."
The violation of this clause entitles the City to recoup all dispersed funds, per the agreement.

South Bend, IN – A formal complaint has been lodged against Councilman Canneth Lee of South Bend's 1st District, accusing him of a conflict of interest related to his employment with Goodwill Industries’ Group Violence Intervention (GVI) program. This claim, originally filed in September, remain...

12/27/2024

South Bend Councilman Faces Conflict of Interest Allegations Over Employment Ties -

The complaint alleges that Councilman Lee’s dual roles within the city government and Goodwill Industries violate conflict-of-interest provisions outlined in the contract between the City of South Bend and Goodwill. These guidelines explicitly forbid any member of the city’s governing body from ...

12/26/2024

**Repost: My last post was unintentionally asking people to send messages instead of allowing them to view the article. Hopefully this fixes the issue.**

The South Bend City Clerk’s Office is under fire after new details emerged regarding the hiring of Samuel Turck for the role of Executive Assistant and Director of Special Projects. Turck, whose professional background is deeply rooted in political campaign management, has drawn criticism for allegedly lacking the qualifications required for the position. His appointment has raised concerns about political favoritism and the transparency of hiring practices in local government.

The South Bend City Clerk’s Office is under fire after new details emerged regarding the hiring of Samuel Turck for the role of Executive Assistant and Director of Special Projects. Turck, whose professional background is deeply rooted in political campaign management, has drawn criticism for alle...

12/26/2024

The South Bend City Clerk’s Office is under fire after new details emerged regarding the hiring of Samuel Turck for the role of Executive Assistant and Director of Special Projects. Turck, whose professional background is deeply rooted in political campaign management, has drawn criticism for allegedly lacking the qualifications required for the position. His appointment has raised concerns about political favoritism and the transparency of hiring practices in local government.

The South Bend City Clerk’s Office is under fire after new details emerged regarding the hiring of Samuel Turck for the role of Executive Assistant and Director of Special Projects. Turck, whose professional background is deeply rooted in political campaign management, has drawn criticism for alle...

12/23/2024

What say you? Is it appropriate for the Municipal Government to host a prayer event with government resources?

The first amendment requires viewpoint neutrality from the government...

Join Local Leaders for a prayer session on Saturday, December 28, 2024.

12/19/2024

Public Statement and Press Release from Tim Cotton, County Chair, St Joseph Libertarian Party -

It is with a heavy heart and resolute determination that I, Tim Cotton, address the serious allegations against Sharon McBride, the current President of the City of South Bend's Common Council. These allegations are not merely administrative oversights or minor infractions; they strike at the very h...

12/17/2024

UPDATE/Follow Up: Questions Arise over Sharon McBride’s July 2024 Mortgage

Redress South Bend has just received Sharon McBride's July 2024 mortgage refinance documents. These documents bring attention to a potentially controversial mortgage refinance involving Sharon McBride, obtained in July 2024 through Notre Dame Federal Credit Union (NDFCU). This situation raises concerns regarding the terms and conditions of the loan and McBride’s compliance as a borrower.

At the core of the issue is the occupancy clause outlined in the mortgage agreement. According to the document under "Uniform Covenants," borrowers are required to:
"“6. Occupancy. Borrower must occupy, establish, and use the Property as Borrower's principal residence within 60 days after the ex*****on of this Security Instrument and must continue to occupy the Property as Borrower's principal residence for at least one year after the date of occupancy."

McBride’s property in question, reportedly uninhabitable for nearly four years prior to the refinance, has yet to show evidence of compliance with these requirements. Legal disputes involving her insurance companies allege: "McBride has made no efforts to begin repairs to the interior of her home, which have now been festering at this point for over four years." and "McBride has allowed her Residence to sit fallow and allow the mold to proliferate during this litigation."

The next question that one must ask: how did a property that was uninhabitable, pass an inspection and appraisal for the banks refinance without requiring McBride to make necessary repairs to the home before granting the mortgage? According to documents, McBride's house was just valued at $159,625.00 and she took out a mortgage for $127,700.00 (the full 80% of the homes appraised value.)

With these developments, key questions emerge for Notre Dame Federal Credit Union:

Will NDFCU pursue default proceedings based on these alleged discrepancies?

Will the obligations requiring borrowers to maintain and protect properties be enforced evenly and fairly? (Will/did NDFCU give special treatment to McBride's mortgage over another mortgage?)

These unresolved issues cast a spotlight on the broader accountability of borrowers and lenders when it comes to strict adherence to loan agreements. Redress South Bend and community members are closely monitoring the case for updates.

12/17/2024

Thank you ABC57 for covering this!

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Sharon McBride filed an insurance claim back in august of 2020 after a leak in her roof caused water damage and later mold

12/15/2024

BREAKING: For the second time this year, a fire has damaged the store of 1st District South Bend Common Council member Canneth Lee.

12/15/2024

UPDATE: 88.1 WVPE Covers Sharon McBride's Residency Controversy -

Key allegations in the lawsuit focus on Sharon McBride's living arrangements. While seeking funds for temporary housing through her homeowner's insurance policy, Sharon McBride claimed she intended to live in an Airbnb. Instead, according to court documents, since September 2020, she has been living...