Earlier this week, Congressman Todd Rokita released a letter sent last week to Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay regarding the NFL’s refusal to display AMVETS ads in the Super Bowl program:

“I appreciate your recognition of the NFL as an embodiment of our national values and civic culture. As part of that recognition, I encourage you to urge Commissioner Roger Goodell to allow the airing of American Veterans’ (AMVETS) Super Bowl advertisement honoring the flag and the sacrifices of our troops,” writes Congressman Todd Rokita in the letter. “The NFL should demonstrate our commitment to this fundamental liberty.”

Congressman Rokita has repeatedly urged Americans to stand and respect the American flag.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy confirmed Tuesday that American Veterans, or AMVETS, submitted an advertisement last week to the third-party publisher of the game program with the message, “Please Stand.”

McCarthy said the league, which has editorial control over the content, asked AMVETS to consider other options for the message, such as “Please Honor our Veterans” or “Please Stand for our Veterans.” The two organizations were unable to agree on language in time to meet production deadlines.

McCarthy noted a separate ad from the Veterans of Foreign Wars group with the words “We Stand for Veterans” was approved.

Some NFL players have taken to kneeling during the national anthem over the last two seasons to raise awareness of social and racial injustice, issues that created division within the league. The NFL announced Tuesday that an owner-player committee was being created to try to address them.

Commissioner Roger Goodell was sent a letter dated Monday from AMVETS national commander Marion Polk to express the Lanham, Maryland-based organization’s dismay with the league’s decision.

“Freedom of speech works both ways. We respect the rights of those who choose to protest, as these rights are precisely what our members have fought — and in many cases died — for,” Polk said in his letter to Goodell. “But imposing corporate censorship to deny that same right to those veterans who have secured it for us all is reprehensible and totally beyond the pale.”

AMVETS said the same ad was accepted by the NHL and NBA for use in official programs for their All-Star Games.

McCarthy said the NFL game program has “never been a place for advertising that could be considered by some as a political statement. The NFL has long supported the military and veterans and will again salute our service members in the Super Bowl with memorable on-field moments that will be televised as part of the game.”

The full January 25 letter is show below.

NFL Letter

Dustin Houchin has filed for re-election as Washington County Prosecutor. First elected in 2006, Houchin has aggressively and successfully prosecuted repeat offenders, increased prosecution for drug crimes, worked with the Sheriff’s Office to track and prosecute sex offenders, increased services to victims, and eliminated waste from the annual budget.

“Serving as Washington County Prosecutor is an honor, and I am blessed with the opportunity to give back to my home community in this capacity,” said Houchin. “Keeping our streets safe for our families, friends and neighbors is a duty I take seriously, and I look forward to continuing our work.”

In 2017, Houchin was re-elected by his peers as Chairman of the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council Board of Directors, where he works with prosecutors and legislators from around the state on the public’s behalf. He is President of the Washington County Substance Abuse Council and the Community Corrections Advisory Board, and has served on the boards of Youth First of Washington County and the local YMCA.

“Prosecuting violent and repeat offenders, and those pushing drugs on our streets is critical to our safety, and I am proud of the work the Prosecutor’s Office has done on these fronts,” said Houchin. “Our increasing drug epidemic, and other crimes, must be fought aggressively. We are doing just that, and will continue to do so.”

Prior to serving as Prosecutor, Houchin owned and operated a successful law practice in Salem, which included work as a Washington County Public Defender. He also served as a Legislative Assistant in the Indiana House of Representatives. Houchin graduated law school from the Indiana University McKinney School of Law in Indianapolis, and holds a Bachelors Degree in Political Science from Indiana University.

A lifelong resident of Washington County, Prosecutor Houchin was raised in Campbellsburg. Dustin and his wife, State Senator Erin Houchin, live in Salem with their three children.

U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly released the following statement after attending President Trump’s State of the Union address this evening. Donnelly’s guest at the address was Taylor Nielsen, a member of the Lebanon Police Department, whose openness about mental health challenges as a police officer helped advance Donnelly’s Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act, which was signed into law earlier this month.

Donnelly said, “I’m pleased that President Trump spoke about continuing the economic growth that our country has enjoyed for the last several years, but we have more work to do to ensure every Hoosier who wants a job has one, to prevent the outsourcing of American jobs, and to realign our trade policies to benefit hardworking men and women across our country. There are a lot of pressing challenges facing our country, and I look forward to working in a bipartisan manner to: address the opioid epidemic, which is in desperate need of a more robust federal response; repair and upgrade our nation’s infrastructure; and implement a comprehensive strategy to effectively counter the dangerous threat posed by North Korea.”

Congressman Todd Rokita released the following statement after President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address. Audio of statement can be found here.

“President Donald Trump put forth an American First agenda to build a safer, stronger, and prouder country,” said Congressman Todd Rokita. “Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, the forgotten men and women of this country have a voice in the White House and I’m proud to be an ally to drain the swamp and make our nation great again.”

Senator Todd Young