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John Cardwell

Last edited by hoosierliberals about 37 weeks ago.
Table of Contents [hide]
    1. Roles
    2. Connections
    3. Controversies
      1. Collective Web of Fake Organizations
      2. Political Contributions
      3. Frequent Misrepresentations

City: Indianapolis, IN
Occupation(s): Various

Roles

John Cardwell is a vocal opponent of privatizing the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA). He is associated with a variety of organizations and individuals affiliated with unions that stand to lose membership from privatization efforts.

Connections

Cardwell has his fingers in a number of liberal interest groups in Indiana. 

Currently, Cardwell leads the Generation Project, a small organization dedicated to long term health care policy issues.1 The Generation Project has partnered with unions such as the UAW to increase awareness of their views on health care issues2. In additions, The president of the Generation Project’s governing board, Elmer Blankenship,3 is also the president of the Indiana Alliance for Retired Americans (IARA),4 a group whose national parent organization is affiliated with numerous unions.5 Blankenship is himself a former Assistant Director of the UAW.6 Cardwell is also on the executive board of the IARA7.

On the board with Cardwell is Jim Wallihan.8 Wallihan is the chairman of United Senior Action,9 a group that shares staff with the Generation Project.10

Many of the organizations with which Cardwell is affiliated joined together in 1986 to form the Indiana Home Care Task Force, an organization that advocates expansion of home health care services.11 Cardwell is the chairman and key spokesman for the task force,12 which has taken an increasingly active role in opposing Indiana plans to privatize the FSSA, including statewide distribution of form letters used to lodge complaints against the privatization.13

Controversies

Collective Web of Fake Organizations

Cardwell has formed an impressive resume as head of and as board member for many of these organizations, stating membership as large as 70 different groups.  He has represented himself as advocating for the interests of tens of thousands of Hoosiers, but has yet to disclose membership numbers.  14

In addition, Cardwell regularly travels with Nancy Griffin (formerly of AARP) and Glenn Cardwell to represent the Indiana Home Care Task Force.  Griffin is Cardwell's wife and Glenn Cardwell is his brother yet they are often referenced as leaders of additional organizations. 15 16

Political Contributions

Cardwell, who likes to represent himself as non-partisan 17, has contributed $700 to the opponents of Governor Mitch Daniels (who he criticizes frequently).18

In addition, Cardwell has contributed financially to Rep. Bill Crawford who heads the oversight committee that Cardwell lobbies.19

Frequent Misrepresentations

Cardwell claims that welfare recipients are unable to go into the local welfare office to speak directly to a case worker. This is entirely false.  He has made this assertion many times. 20 21

  1. 1. http://www.generationsproject.org/staff/
  2. 2. http://www.generationsproject.org/press/release01072003.pdf
  3. 3. http://www.generationsproject.org/events/
  4. 4. http://web.mac.com/soar3/IARA/IARA.html
  5. 5. http://www.retiredamericans.org/ht/d/sp/i/334/pid/334
  6. 6. http://www.uaw.org/solidarity/07/1207/uf06.php
  7. 7. http://web.mac.com/soar3/IARA/Executive_Board.html
  8. 8. Ibid.
  9. 9. http://www.usaindiana.org/index.cfm
  10. 10. http://www.usaindiana.org/documents/Advocate%204-08.pdf ; http://www.generationsproject.org/staff/
  11. 11. http://www.citact.org/hcwhpaper.html
  12. 12. http://chestertontribune.com/Indiana%20News/3173%20southern_and_western_indiana_cou.htm
  13. 13. http://hoosieraccess.com/files/2008/10/home-care-front.jpg ; http://hoosieraccess.com/files/2008/10/home-care-back.jpg
  14. 14. Hoosier Access- the One Man Interest Group
  15. 15. JCOnline.com
  16. 16. Terre Haute Tribune Star
  17. 17. Evansville Courier and Press
  18. 18. Indiana Campaign Finance Reports
  19. 19. Indiana
    Campaign Finance Reports
  20. 20. JCOnline.com
  21. 21. Evansville Courier and Press