The lawsuit alleged Kelly Mitchell's office awarded contracts to several banks and companies that contributed to her campaign or had ties to those who did.
INDIANAPOLIS — A judge has thrown out a lawsuit claiming that Indiana's state treasurer violated state law in awarding contracts worth more than $6 million to firms linked to her political supporters.
The lawsuit, filed by a former top office staffer who Treasurer Kelly Mitchell had fired, claimed the Republican bypassed required approvals from other state agencies in awarding contracts for lobbying and financial services without seeking competitive bids.
Marion County Judge John Chavis issued an order last week dismissing the lawsuit. He ruled that the state treasurer, as a separately elected statewide official, wasn't required to submit contracts for approval from other state agencies. The treasurer's office oversees several billion dollars in state investment accounts.
"The treasurer must be able to perform her duties without interference by an officer under the governor's control," Chavis wrote.
Soon after Mitchell became treasurer, the lawsuit alleged, her office issued contracts to eight banks, a financial services company and a law firm which either directly contributed or had ties with others who contributed to Mitchell's 2014 or 2018 treasurer campaigns — or did so to her unsuccessful 2020 run for Congress.
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