First, the Indianapolis Star reported that Bayh, while still in office, appeared to curry favor with industries that would make him rich by casting votes that were healthy for their bottom line. In his final months as a Senator, Bayh voted to protect big banks, private equity, and oil companies, then landed positions in both of those industries that would pay him millions of dollars over the next few years.
“During his final months in the U.S. Senate, Evan Bayh broke ranks with most of his fellow Democrats several times to oppose or reduce the impact of legislative proposals that threatened the bottom lines of private equity firms, banks and oil companies…Within weeks of leaving public office, Bayh became a senior adviser to Apollo Global Management, one of the world’s largest private equity firms. Several months later, he landed lucrative corporate board appointments at Fifth Third Bank and Marathon Petroleum…’The real issue is what appears to be the change in position that appears to be tied to financial advantage later on,’ Downs said. ‘I think that as far as voters here are concerned, the damning evidence is the change in his position on the issue. It just looks like it was motivated by personal circumstances, not new data about the issue.’…Three months after that vote, for example, Bayh cast a procedural vote to advance another, narrower measure that would have eliminated subsidies for the nation’s five largest integrated oil companies. It never received an up or down vote because of Republican opposition, but if it had, the interests of smaller oil companies such as Marathon would have been protected. Less than a year later, in July 2011, Bayh joined Marathon Petroleum’s board of directors.” (Tony Cook, “Evan Bayh’s Board Seats Made Him Millions After Senate,” Indianapolis Star, 8/13/16)
The exposure of Bayh’s apparent scheme to trade votes for profit was followed by a CNN report proving that the Washington superlobbyist actually did leave Indiana for good once he started getting rich off of the revolving door. Bayh officially changed his address to his multi-million dollar D.C. home and regularly listed that property as his residence. He even expensed a stay at an Indianapolis hotel 12 miles from the home he claims to live in when he visits Indana.
“A CNN review of public records since Bayh left office in 2011 shows the Democrat repeatedly listed his two multi-million dollar homes in Washington as his main places of residence — not the $53,000 condo he owns in Indianapolis…Even when Bayh returned back to Indianapolis last summer for an Indiana Democratic Party dinner, he stayed at a JW Marriott just 12 miles away from his condo. A source with Indianapolis Power and Light said Bayh’s monthly electric bills averaged less than $20 per month since 2012, suggesting little — if any — use at his Indiana condo. And when he hit the speaking circuit after his post-senatorial life, his firm noted that he travels ‘from D.C.’” (Manu Raju, “Records Contradict Bayh’s Assertion Over Staying In Indiana,” CNN, 8/15/15)
Bayh has been playing defense about his Washington residency since the day he announced his campaign, but he can’t hide the fact any longer that he left Indiana years ago to turn a profit on his political career.
If Bayh can’t be honest with Hoosiers about something as simple as where he lives, why would they believe that the politician who already used his service to turn a profit would be looking out for anyone but himself?