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SUMMARY:

Six days out from Indiana’s May 5 primary, Rev. Tony Alexander and Pastor David W. Greene Sr. open the program by responding to the day’s Supreme Court ruling allowing Louisiana to redraw its congressional maps and undoing major parts of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 — a decision both hosts frame not as a legal matter but as a moral one, arguing it effectively dismantles the practical enforcement mechanisms of the civil rights law. They connect the ruling to a broader pattern of voter suppression targeting minorities, women, and immigrants, and make the case that the primary is the most urgent available response. The hosts then shift to Indianapolis’s ongoing data center controversy, criticizing the city’s first Department of Metropolitan Development community listening session as a performative “check the box” exercise that left residents more frustrated than before. In the final segment, Pastor Greene — a candidate for Indiana Senate District 29 — makes his closing pitch to voters in Pike and Wayne Township and the district’s suburban reaches into Boone and Hamilton counties, framing his affordability-first platform as a moral response to Indiana’s $22 billion budget and the federal cuts bearing down on seniors and people with disabilities. The program closes with details on a Souls to the Polls bus effort departing from five Indianapolis churches this Sunday, May 3.

WHAT’S INSIDE

00:00:00 Open / Disclaimer / Station ID

00:00:43 Welcome & Introduction

- Rev. Alexander opens six days out from the Indiana primary; introduces Pastor Greene

- Pastor Greene offers opening prayer

00:02:11 Supreme Court Voting Rights Ruling — Overview

- Rev. Alexander summarizes the day’s Supreme Court decision on Louisiana redistricting

- Court ruled maps drawn along racial lines are impermissible but maps drawn along party lines are not

- Pastor Greene frames the ruling as a moral issue, not merely a legal one

- Indiana cited as already ranking near last in voter participation

00:05:24 What the Ruling Means — Urgency for the Primary

- Rev. Alexander argues this is the most critical moment for voters who feel their voice doesn’t count

- Two states had already announced plans to redraw maps within hours of the ruling

- Pastor Greene invokes “the urgency of now”; connects low turnout to political emboldening

00:08:12 Dismantling the Voting Rights Act — The “Third Leg” Argument

- Rev. Alexander describes the ruling as kicking out the third leg of a stool — the Act itself survives but its enforcement mechanisms are gone

- Pastor Greene warns of a return to pre-Voting Rights Act conditions

- Discussion of new documentation requirements targeting women who have changed their names

00:09:54 Who Stands to Lose Voting Rights

- Rev. Alexander tallies affected groups: Black voters, women, immigrants with prior voting rights

- Pastor Greene argues the endgame is a electorate reduced to predominantly white male voters

- Discussion of how manufactured difficulty — lines, documentation, eliminated early voting — functions as suppression

00:12:38 Caller — Guy

- Guy calls in with a historical perspective, noting the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence

- References King Charles’s address to Congress the previous day on checks and balances and the Magna Carta

- Expresses optimism that overreach will backfire, citing Lincoln’s “you can’t fool all of the people all of the time”

- Predicts Congress flips back in the midterms

00:14:58 Response to Caller / Indiana Redistricting Risk

- Rev. Alexander thanks Guy, appreciates his optimism

- Raises prospect of Indiana revisiting its own maps now that Supreme Court has given cover

- Pastor Greene warns Trump will move urgently before November — redistricting, mail-in ballots, early voting all on the table

00:17:20 From “Possible” to “Probable” — Federal Election Infrastructure

- Rev. Alexander upgrades the threat from possible to probable

- Describes White House as effectively drafting model legislation for Republican states to follow

- Predicts a rapid cascade of state-level map challenges heading to the Supreme Court before November

- Pastor Greene argues Trump’s goal is controlling who votes, not just who wins; raises J.D. Ford vs. Victoria Spartz in IN-5 as example of a race that becomes unwinnable without voting access

00:20:00 Executive Order on Mail-in Ballots / Break Tease

- Rev. Alexander describes Trump’s executive order directing the post office to control mail ballot distribution while simultaneously cutting the postal budget

- Teases data center segment after the break

--- [COMMERCIAL BREAK] ---

00:21:19 Indianapolis Data Centers — DMD Listening Session

- Rev. Alexander reports on DMD’s first community listening session on data center guardrails, held the previous day

- Reaction was uniformly negative — attendees said nothing new was presented and no real input was taken

- Pastor Greene calls it a “check the box” meeting — the community was invited but not heard

00:24:24 City Council’s Missed Opportunity

- Rev. Alexander recounts how Councilor Jesse Brown’s earlier resolution to establish data center guardrails was voted down by council

- City then returned to the community asking for input after having already rejected a formal process

- Pastor Greene calls out the Black councilors who opposed Brown’s resolution and have not yet presented the “better plan” they promised

00:26:44 Political Stakes — Data Centers and the 2027 Mayor’s Race

- Pastor Greene argues data center frustration is compounding with gas prices and other economic pain

- Warns councilpersons that silence on this issue is being noted and will matter in 2027 municipal elections

- Rev. Alexander agrees: this is one of the most-watched issues in the city right now

00:28:16 Caller — Reverend Phillips

- Reverend Phillips calls in briefly on the Supreme Court ruling and voting rights

- Frames the moment in spiritual terms — calls on believers to pray and seek God

- Rev. Alexander closes the call warmly and takes the break

--- [COMMERCIAL BREAK] ---

00:30:34 SD-29 Candidate Segment — Pastor Greene’s Closing Pitch

- Rev. Alexander introduces Pastor Greene as a candidate for Indiana Senate District 29

- Pastor Greene frames his candidacy as a moral response to what he calls egregious conduct at the statehouse

- Describes Indiana’s $22 billion budget as a moral document; cites seniors choosing between medicine and meals, CCDF childcare voucher gaps, and underfunded public schools

00:33:27 SD-29 Candidate Segment — Federal Cuts Coming to the State

- Rev. Alexander raises proposed changes to Supplemental Security Income — benefit reductions for disabled people living with family members

- Pastor Greene confirms SSI cuts are coming and shares what he’s heard across his district: retired people who did everything right now facing impossible financial pressure

- Argues seniors and people with disabilities deserve to age with dignity and stay in their homes

00:35:40 SD-29 Candidate Segment — Cross-Aisle Optimism

- Rev. Alexander asks whether Indiana Democrats can find Republican partners

- Pastor Greene points to Governor Braun’s $200 million one-time childcare fund as evidence — driven by Republican business community pressure, not Democratic lobbying, after 311+ childcare closures statewide

- Argues a broad urban-suburban-rural coalition — chambers of commerce, United Way, women-led organizations, faith community — can move the needle on affordability in the 2027 budget

00:37:55 SD-29 Candidate Segment — Shared Economic Pain Across Party Lines

- Rev. Alexander argues school funding, disability care, and food prices affect everyone regardless of race or party

- Pastor Greene: “They don’t charge me any more when I walk in the grocery store because I’m Black”

- Raises rural voters whose hospitals have closed and who now travel 100 miles for care at $4+ gas

00:40:52 SD-29 Candidate Segment — Farmers and Tariffs

- Rev. Alexander reports Wisconsin and Michigan farmers are choosing not to plant this spring due to tariff uncertainty and product markets collapsing

- Pastor Greene argues those farmers didn’t vote expecting this outcome — and their pain may shift their politics

- Notes Trump is pushing federal fallout down to the state level, increasing pressure on the governor heading into his reelection

00:42:40 SD-29 Candidate Segment — Closing Argument

- Rev. Alexander asks Greene for his closing message to SD-29 voters

- Greene: affordability first, fighting to protect Eagle Creek, bringing a track record of coalition work from business to faith-based community

- Campaign slogan: “Don’t be mean, vote for Green”

- Distinguishes himself from opponents on experience — points voters to his public record on education, health care, and redistricting

00:45:51 SD-29 District Geography

- Rev. Alexander asks Greene to define the district for voters unsure if they’re in it

- Greene: formerly J.D. Ford’s seat — Pike and Wayne Township, east to I-465, south to Raceway Road, plus Zionsville (Boone County) and West Carmel (Hamilton County) up to 146th Street

- Describes it as a gerrymandered district the GOP never expected a Democrat to win

00:47:19 Souls to the Polls — Sunday, May 3

- Rev. Alexander asks about the Souls to the Polls effort

- Pastor Greene: five churches participating this Sunday; buses donated by Cameron Riddle’s bus company; departing from Purpose of Life at noon

- Participating churches: Purpose of Life, Antioch, Fountain of Grace, Eastside Baptist, St. John’s Missionary Baptist, Olivet Baptist

- Churches traveling to the City-County Building to vote early; no church membership required

- To join or add a church: contact Kara Johnson at 317-869-7367

- Greene commits to repeating the effort in November

00:50:11 Closing / Sign-Off

- Rev. Alexander urges listeners to bring elderly family members to a participating church for the bus

- Thanks Pastor Greene for his campaign labor; thanks listening and viewing audience

- Sign-off: Concerned Clergy Radio Show, Praise AM 1310 / 95.1 FM, Indy’s Inspiration Station

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SUMMARY:

Rev. Tony Alexander opens the program with a wide-ranging discussion of data center proliferation across Marion County townships, pressing lawmakers for the guardrails they declined to put in place months earlier. Pike Township Trustee Annette Johnson joins to explain the trustee office’s emergency assistance role and her reelection campaign. In the second half, Concerned Clergy President Pastor David W. Greene Sr. returns to discuss the grassroots momentum pushing politicians on data centers, Governor Braun’s signing of a public camping ban, and Greene’s own affordability-first state legislative campaign. The program closes with voting reminders ahead of the May 5th primary.

WHAT’S INSIDE

00:00:27 Introduction and how to tune in

- Listeners can tune in live Wednesday nights at 7pm on Praise AM 1310 / 95.1 FM, Facebook, or YouTube (Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis page).

- Call-in number: 317-480-1310.

00:01:58 Data centers: Carson announces legislation, council proposes guardrails

- Congressman André Carson announced today that he will introduce legislation related to data centers, with details expected tomorrow.

- The city-county council is also now proposing guardrails — something Alexander notes they had the opportunity to do when they voted on the Metrobloks data center in Martindale Brightwood and declined.

- Alexander points out that Councilor Jesse Brown proposed transparency measures in the Democratic caucus and was voted down, only for colleagues to now embrace the same idea months later.

- Community asks include: transparency on facility size, energy usage and demand, infrastructure impacts, and binding community benefit agreements.

00:05:25 Townships fighting alone — and what comes next

- Communities in Decatur, Franklin Township, Pike Township, and Martindale Brightwood are all battling data center proposals with no coordinated legislative cover.

- Alexander argues the burden fell unfairly on individual councilors like Jesse Brown while the broader caucus stayed silent.

- A DC Blox data center meeting is scheduled for next Monday at Downey Avenue Christian Church, 111 South Downey Street (Council District 14), hosted by City-County Councilor Andy Nielsen; livestreamed as well — search “DC Blox” (B-L-O-X) to register.

00:09:04 Voting reminders: Marion County primary

- Mail-in ballot application deadline: Thursday, April 23 at 11:59 PM.

- Satellite early voting locations open this Saturday at township government centers in Decatur, Franklin, Perry, and Warren townships.

- Pike Township early voting: Pike Township Public Library, Fort Ben branch library, Krannert Park, and St. Luke’s United Methodist Church (86th Street).

- City-County Building early voting already open; closes May 4 at noon.

- Election Day: May 5th.

00:12:04 Guest: Annette Johnson, Pike Township Trustee — role and funding

- Johnson is in her eighth year as trustee (second four-year term), having previously served 14 years on the township board.

- The trustee’s office provides emergency assistance — utilities, mortgage, rent, clothing, school uniforms, food vouchers, diapers, and supplies for expectant mothers — funded entirely by the local township tax base.

- Pike Township is one of only three Marion County townships with a standalone fire department, which makes up the largest share of its budget.

- To qualify: must live in the township (verified by zip code), present ID, and document an emergency that occurred within the past 30 days — layoff, hours cut, medical leave, or fire damage.

00:17:13 Federal and state funding cuts: pressure on the trustee’s office

- Alexander raises the concern that federal and state funding sources are disappearing — will trustees have to absorb the slack?

- Johnson says the office hasn’t hit that wall yet but predicts it within two to three years.

- She is building relationships with churches and community organizations now to help fill any future void.

- Johnson notes the township’s budget is fixed to the local tax base across three areas: emergency assistance, small claims court, and the fire department.

00:22:19 Top issue: utility bills / How the 30-day rule works

- The number one presenting issue right now is utility bills, which Johnson calls out of control.

- Johnson works with the Winter Assistance Fund (WAF) — she matches WAF’s $800 contribution from township funds, reducing a $2,000 bill to $1,600, for example.

- Johnson’s goal is to pay the full balance so clients leave with a zero balance; she pays senior citizens’ bills in full without exception.

- The 30-day rule refers to a qualifying emergency within the last 30 days — typically a pending disconnection notice, not the age of the debt itself.

- Johnson does not cover reconnection deposits — only pre-disconnection balances; she called on state legislators to update the restrictive guidelines governing trustee assistance levels.

00:26:29 Re-election pitch and campaign contact info

- Johnson’s three-part platform: protect the Pike Township Fire Department, expand innovative assistance programs, and be a powerful community voice.

- Community priorities she’ll advocate for beyond the trustee role: opposing data centers, Save Eagle Creek, and keeping charter schools out of Pike Township in favor of public schools.

- She recently held an essential goods giveaway with Walmart donations and plans to continue community-facing events.

- Contact: AnnetteJohnson2026.com | 317-418-7801

00:30:38 Pastor David W. Greene Sr. joins: Data centers and grassroots pressure

- Greene attributes the recent pivot by Carson and the city-county council to sustained grassroots pressure, not top-down leadership — politicians are recalculating mid-election.

- Save Eagle Creek yard signs are now ubiquitous across Pike Township; Greene notes the coalition organized entirely from the bottom up.

- Decatur Township residents have filed a lawsuit over the rezoning of a data center there; a new data center was also announced on another side of Indianapolis.

- Greene called out the Council’s treatment of Brightwood residents who came to speak at a recent hearing involving Councilor Ron Gibson.

- Greene praised Trustee Johnson for going beyond her job description to fight on data centers, Eagle Creek, and public education.

00:35:24 Community benefit agreements and the DC Blox meeting

- Alexander lays out what communities are asking for: transparency on size, energy demand, and infrastructure impacts, plus binding community benefit agreements before any approval.

- Greene agrees: “It’s time out for trying to do something to the community and not with the community.”

- Greene draws a distinction — not all politicians are on the wrong side; Johnson is an example of an elected official going above and beyond her role to fight for the community.

- A DC Blox data center meeting is scheduled for next Monday at Downey Avenue Christian Church, 111 South Downey Street (Council District 14), hosted by City-County Councilor Andy Nielsen; the meeting will also be livestreamed — search “DC Blox” (B-L-O-X) to register.

00:39:18 Governor Braun’s public camping ban: homelessness is a condition, not a crime

- Governor Mike Braun signed legislation banning public camping across Indiana — targeted, both hosts note, primarily at Indianapolis.

- Greene: homelessness is not a crime, it’s a condition — and conditions require solutions, not punishment.

- A $500 fine and Class C misdemeanor won’t solve homelessness; Greene argues it will deepen it by damaging credit and creating warrant exposure for people who can’t pay or appear in court.

- Greene serves on the Mayor’s Leadership Council on Homelessness and calls for expanding affordable housing, mental health care, addiction treatment, and employment pathways instead.

00:44:06 The moral argument: money isn’t the problem, will is

- Greene challenges the “we don’t have the money” framing — the state is simultaneously pursuing the Chicago Bears stadium and handing out decades-long tax breaks to data centers.

- Alexander adds: federal spending on war and other priorities dwarfs what it would cost to fund early childhood care, Medicaid, and homeless services.

- The fastest-growing homeless population, Greene notes, is women with children — meaning the law risks family separation on top of everything else.

- Greene: “Becoming homeless is not a crime. It’s a condition. It’s not a crime. It never has been.”

00:47:29 Pastor Greene’s state legislative campaign

- Green is running on an affordability-first platform in a district covering Wayne Township, Pike, Zionsville, and West Carmel.

- Key pressures he hears across the district: unaffordable childcare, inaccessible healthcare, seniors rationing medication, renters and homeowners unable to keep up with rising costs.

- Additional priorities: fully funding public education, saving Eagle Creek (Green lives near the reservoir and warns an environmental accident from data center water usage is a matter of when, not if).

00:50:42 Closing and voting reminder

- Alexander repeats all early voting locations and deadlines.

- Mail-in ballot application closes Thursday April 23 at 11:59 PM; Election Day is May 5th.

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SUMMARY:

Rev. Tony Alexander opens the hour with two threads running in parallel: the ongoing fallout from DOGE’s dismantling of USAID, anchored by newly public deposition testimony and a whistleblower memoir, and a preview of Indiana-focused topics — education funding under attack at both the state and local levels, Governor Braun’s about-face on child care vouchers, and the newly formed Indianapolis Public Education Corporation (IPEC) board. President Pastor David W. Green Sr. joins at the half-hour to expand on the child care and education crises, pushing back hard on any framing of Braun’s $200 million announcement as a rescue rather than a partial correction of damage he helped cause. Two callers weigh in — one connecting DOGE’s data access to a personal identity theft incident in his household, the other asking whether Indianapolis’s Black community has a pathway into the tech jobs being promised around incoming data centers.

WHAT’S INSIDE

00:00:26 Introduction and opening prayer

- Rev. Alexander welcomes listeners, directs them to the PIN Substack for replays, and opens with prayer.

00:01:38 Topic preview: DOGE, the USAID whistleblower, and Indiana education

- Rev. Alexander previews the night’s agenda: Trump posting images of himself as the Messiah; Nicholas Enrich’s new book “Into the Wood Chipper,” a whistleblower account of DOGE’s takeover of USAID; education under attack at the state and local levels; and Governor Braun’s $200 million child care announcement.

00:03:51 DOGE and the destruction of USAID

- Rev. Alexander walks through DOGE’s origin — Elon Musk arriving within 45 days of Trump’s inauguration, promising to cut waste, fraud, and abuse with a chainsaw — and notes that Musk was effectively gone by May 2025 after a public feud with Trump, leaving extensive damage behind at USAID, Social Security, and elsewhere.

- Rev. Alexander describes Enrich’s account of DOGE staffers arriving at USAID in their early 20s, with no relevant experience, and using ChatGPT to run keyword searches for “diversity,” “equity,” and “inclusion” as the sole method for identifying grants to cut — eliminating programs on the basis of word matches alone, including a Holocaust documentary and plant biodiversity research.

- Rev. Alexander emphasizes USAID’s role in containing disease outbreaks globally before they become pandemics, and cites estimates that nearly a million children have already died as a result of the aid cutoff, with that number potentially rising into the millions.

00:07:02 [NBC News clip — DOGE deposition testimony]

- NBC News correspondent Julie Tsirkin reports on deposition videos from a civil lawsuit filed by humanities organizations, alleging DOGE violated the First Amendment by canceling more than 1,400 arts, history, and education grants.

- Former DOJ staffer Justin Fox testifies that he flagged a Holocaust documentary as DEI-related; he acknowledged using ChatGPT to identify programs to eliminate.

- Former DOGE staffer Nathan Kavanaugh states the goal was to eliminate the federal deficit, then acknowledges under questioning that DOGE did not reduce the deficit. DOGE claimed $150–$180 billion in savings before it ceased to exist.

00:09:08 Rev. Alexander reacts to the clip

- Rev. Alexander highlights that the deposition footage shows DOGE staffers unable to define DEI in their own words — one citing only the executive order — and connects this to the broader pattern of unqualified young operatives being handed authority over agencies they knew nothing about.

- Rev. Alexander notes that the deposition videos were originally posted to YouTube, taken down following a judge’s order after Fox reported harassment and death threats, but remain accessible through backup sources. He addresses caller LME’s implied question by noting that the DEI rationale was applied mechanically, with no actual evaluation of program merit.

00:21:35 Break / Pastor David W. Green Sr. joins

- Rev. Alexander welcomes President Pastor David W. Green Sr. to the program.

00:23:08 Caller #1 — DOGE data access and identity theft

- Caller #1 argues that the most underreported story from the DOGE depositions is not the DEI keyword searches but the fact that DOGE operatives accessed the personal data of every American — Social Security numbers, addresses, birthdates, medical records — and raises the question of what Elon Musk, who recently crossed $800 billion in net worth, would want with that data.

- Caller #1 shares that his wife received a fraud alert the previous week: someone had applied for a credit card in his name using her Social Security number — an incident he directly connects to DOGE’s data access. He urges listeners to stay engaged and vote, noting that Republicans have won only one special election since Trump took office.

00:26:11 Caller #2 (LME) — Data centers, community inclusion, and tech jobs

- LME references the recent shooting at a city councilman’s home tied to the data center controversy and asks whether Indianapolis’s Black community has a real pathway into IT and programming jobs connected to incoming data centers, noting that most corporate databases are already managed offshore.

- Pastor Greene responds that opponents of the data centers were never against technology or economic development — they were against being cut out of the conversation entirely. He draws on his own background in data centers in the 1990s to push back on the job-creation narrative, noting that a data center at night runs on one or two people; real community opportunity lies in construction and trades, not operations.

- Pastor Greene also connects the pattern to other top-down Indianapolis development decisions — the LEAP district, Eagle Creek water extraction — where community engagement came too late and created unnecessary friction, including the violence he explicitly condemns.

00:32:08 Governor Braun and the child care crisis

- Pastor Greene takes on Governor Braun’s $200 million child care announcement directly, arguing Braun should receive no credit for partially restoring what he helped destroy: CCDF vouchers have not been issued for going on 18 months, more than 311 daycares have closed since September, the YMCA’s child care operation shut down when the rates were cut, and thousands of families remain without access even under the new announcement.

- Pastor Greene identifies the three priority groups for the new funding — foster care parents, child care workers, and a third group he could not recall — and notes that this is a short-term fix with no guarantee of continuation; the real test is the 2027 budget session.

- Rev. Alexander adds that Braun moved only because the closures started hitting his own constituent base, with over 300 daycares shuttered and the damage spreading beyond the communities the legislation originally targeted.

- Pastor Greene argues the deeper cost is the workforce and developmental pipeline: parents forced to stay home rather than work, children entering kindergarten without structured early learning, and a cohort that will struggle to pass IREAD-3 by third grade as a result.

00:42:39 Indianapolis education funding and the IPEC referendum

- Rev. Alexander and Pastor Greene discuss the newly formed Indianapolis Public Education Corporation (IPEC) board, which held its first meeting and is already moving toward a referendum to replace the expiring IPS referendum — which ends in November and covers IPS and charter schools alike.

- Pastor Greene says the board is targeting August 1 to get a referendum question on the ballot, but notes the board has met only once, has no executive director yet, and is already talking about how much money it needs before it has a clear picture of what it needs the money for — a dynamic Rev. Alexander compares directly to DOGE walking into USAID.

- Pastor Greene argues the deal has already been cut behind closed doors and the community rollout is just being managed, but notes that economic conditions — inflation, gas prices, the possibility of ongoing military conflict — could tank voter support regardless of how the ask is framed. He extends the warning beyond Indianapolis: Zionsville, Carmel, and townships throughout the region are all facing referendums of their own.

00:49:48 Closing / next week preview

- Rev. Alexander thanks listeners and callers and announces that Pike Township Trustee Annette Johnson will join the program next week.

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SUMMARY:

On this edition of the Concerned Clergy Radio Show, Revs. Alexander and Greene welcomed George Hornedo, a Democratic primary candidate challenging incumbent Congressman Andre Carson in Indiana’s 7th Congressional District, with the May 5, 2026 primary now underway. Hornedo outlined his background — from a WIC-assisted childhood in Texas to senior roles in the Obama Justice Department and on multiple presidential campaigns — and framed his run around the conviction that a congressional seat is more than an up-or-down vote in Washington; it is a platform and a megaphone for the entire community. The conversation ranged from the affordability crisis hitting Hoosier families, to Hornedo’s case for restructuring the federal funding formula so Democratic cities in Republican-led states stop getting shortchanged, to a played audio clip of President Trump arguing the federal government should abandon social programs in favor of military spending alone, to Hornedo’s alarm about the erosion of democratic norms. Greene Sr. wove in his own state Senate District 29 campaign, emphasizing coalition-building across levels of government and the moral imperative of putting people first. Both men agreed that disillusionment is not an option — the choice, as Hornedo put it, is to step away or step up. He closed by directing listeners to georgehornedo.com and inviting direct contact by giving out his cell number.

WHAT’S INSIDE

00:00:01 Introduction and Opening Prayer

- Alexander opens by promoting the PIN Substack replay and encouraging listeners to exercise their right to vote, noting that early voting is now underway

- The show’s guest is introduced as George Hornedo, Democratic primary candidate for Indiana’s 7th Congressional District, challenging incumbent Congressman Andre Carson

- Alexander offers an opening prayer and invites listener participation at 317-480-1310

- Greene Sr. is welcomed as co-host for the evening

00:02:59 Guest Introduction: George Hornedo

- Hornedo describes his background: 35 years old, raised in Texas, parents were young high school sweethearts who struggled financially — he was on WIC as an infant, which he cites as formative in his belief that government can work for people

- His career has spanned the Obama DOJ (civil rights work under Attorneys General Holder and Lynch), senior staff roles on presidential campaigns from Obama to Clinton to Buttigieg, voter protection work for Biden 2020, and policy work at the national voting rights organization Let America Vote

- He also cites private-sector work representing communities such as Birmingham, Jackson, Little Rock, Miami-Dade County, and the African American Mayors Association in securing federal funds

- He frames his candidacy not as personal opposition to Carson, whom he says he likes and respects, but as a response to necessity — particularly on issues like data center development and ICE enforcement where he sees the incumbent as too passive

00:06:24 Federal Funding, Affordability, and the Federal Formula

- Greene stresses the urgency of getting federal dollars into Indiana and into the right hands, noting that families are being crushed by rising grocery costs, utility instability, gas prices, and property taxes — including seniors cutting prescription pills in half to afford them

- Hornedo explains that Indianapolis lags behind peer cities in competitive federal grant attainment and argues for a more aggressive, proactive approach to bringing that money home

- He identifies a structural problem in federal formula funding: money flows to states based on population rather than need, which allows Republican-led states to shortchange Democratic cities — a pattern he says he saw repeatedly representing cities like Birmingham, Jackson, and Little Rock

- He calls for a coalition of members of Congress from similar cities to push for formula reform, arguing the change would be transformative for Indianapolis across housing, roads, homelessness, and public safety

00:10:15 Coalition Building Across Government: Greene Sr. on Senate District 29

- Alexander invites Greene to put on his state Senate candidate hat and model what collaboration between a state senator and a congressperson could look like

- Greene argues that Indiana’s tendency to operate in government silos — federal, state, and local officials staying in their own lanes — is a losing strategy; breaking down those walls so information flows freely would benefit everyone from the congressperson down to local trustees

- He points to Indianapolis’s road conditions as the most visible symptom of governments failing to work together and stresses that coalition-building is not optional — it is the only path forward against Republican supermajorities

00:13:58 Campaign Model: Bottom-Up Politics and the Trust Deficit

- Hornedo argues the biggest problem in Democratic politics, before you even get to policy, is an erosion of trust that cannot be rebuilt through TV ads

- He describes building what he says is the largest Democratic field operation the state has seen in years: over 38,000 doors knocked, on track for 60,000; over a million calls made; direct one-on-one conversations with more than 16,000 district residents

- He contends that voters do not care whether a solution comes from federal, state, or local government — they just want problems solved — and that a congressperson should be willing to use their platform on any issue affecting the community, regardless of jurisdictional lines

- He specifically cites his presence at the Martindale-Brightwood community hearing on data centers as an example of using the congressional platform on a nominally local issue

00:18:40 Leadership Vacuum and the 2027 Mayoral Race

- Hornedo says he got into the race because he got tired of looking around for leadership and not finding it — the state blames the city, the city blames the state, and federal representation sits on the sidelines

- He notes that the 7th District is Indiana’s only safe Democratic congressional seat, making it uniquely important, and links it to the need for new mayoral leadership in 2027

- He flags that when Julia Carson held the seat, the district led the state in voter turnout; it now ranks worst in a state that itself ranks dead last nationally — a condition he calls both embarrassing and reversible

- He frames his campaign as an ecosystem-building effort: getting to Congress is the beginning, not the destination, and the goal is to build a Democratic infrastructure that can win across the board

00:21:41 Commercial Break

00:22:16 Post-Break Recap and Listener Call: Marilyn

- Alexander recaps the guest and reminds listeners that early voting is open at the City-County Building downtown

- Caller Marilyn asks Hornedo how many opponents he faces; he clarifies that four candidates are in the Democratic primary — not the general — and that the seat is safe enough that whoever emerges will almost certainly win in November

- Marilyn asks whether Hornedo would collaborate with the winner if he does not prevail; he says yes without hesitation, affirming he will continue working for the community from whatever position he occupies

- Marilyn raises property taxes on Indianapolis’s east side, where new development is driving up assessments on existing homeowners; Hornedo sympathizes and says property tax reform is primarily a state and local matter, but pledges to use his platform to force the conversation

00:27:17 Affordability Deep Dive: Wages, Costs, and Medicaid

- Greene ties affordability to federal decisions cascading down — wars driving gas prices, utility instability, property tax referenda for schools — and describes meeting voters on fixed incomes forced to choose between medication and groceries

- Hornedo frames the budget as a moral document and takes direct aim at Trump’s proposed spending on military conflict while cutting domestic programs

- He describes voters he has met on the trail: a 25-year IPS educator using a food bank, a mother of two boys with autism facing special education cuts, a woman with multiple sclerosis denied food stamps because she earns $100 over the threshold

- He recounts visiting a woman in her forties with deep vein thrombosis, diabetic neuropathy, and severe arthritis who has been denied Medicaid appeal after appeal since returning to Indiana from Pennsylvania — a story he calls the most formative of his campaign

00:34:05 Audio Clip: President Trump on Federal Spending

- Alexander frames the clip for listeners as the current federal direction and turns to Hornedo for response

00:35:18 Response to Trump Clip: Federal Devolution and Democratic Strategy

- Hornedo argues Democratic candidates in competitive general elections should run that clip as a campaign ad — Trump called these programs “scams” and told his own cabinet secretary to ignore congressional authority

- He distinguishes between block granting (still federal money, states determine distribution) and what Trump is describing: removing federal funding from the equation entirely, something without modern precedent that would effectively end these programs

- He warns that Trump should be taken seriously and literally, including on election integrity — an outside group is reportedly working with the White House on executive orders targeting election administration, and the question is not whether elections will happen but whether they will be free and fair

00:39:23 Voter Engagement and the Urgency of the Primary

- Alexander asks Greene what he is hearing on the campaign trail about voter enthusiasm

- Greene says frustration will drive turnout, and stresses that a Democratic Congress capable of providing real oversight is essential given that Trump is acting without congressional check

- He describes the current dynamic as Trump pushing responsibility to states, Indiana Governor Mike Braun pushing it further to local governments, and local governments lacking the revenue to absorb it

- Hornedo urges listeners not to let disillusionment become inaction: the choice is to step away or step up, and stepping up can mean voting, talking to neighbors, or using whatever platform is available

00:43:22 Infrastructure and the Federal Funding Formula

- Alexander raises Indiana’s road conditions; Hornedo says Indiana ranks worst in the country in infrastructure

- He argues a more aggressive congressperson can bring competitive grant money home, freeing up city budgets for infrastructure, and that the federal funding formula itself must be reformed so Democratic cities in Republican-led states stop getting the short end

- He notes that federal road funding currently flows to the state, which as a Republican-led body consistently shortchanges Indianapolis

00:47:45 Closing Conversation: Accountability and People-First Politics

- Greene argues a blue wave alone is not enough — it must be a blue wave that puts people first, with fresh voices willing to do an honest accountability check on how the party got where it is

- He notes Democrats cannot ask the same people who got them here to fix the problem, and that owning the failures is not finger-pointing — it is the prerequisite for doing something different

- Hornedo affirms he is proud to be a Democrat but says he is a person first, and that putting people before party is the only path to real results

00:50:19 Closing: Contact Information and Voting Reminder

- Hornedo directs listeners to georgehornedo.com and gives his personal cell (317-354-7073) and email (george@georgehornedo.com)

- Alexander thanks Hornedo, reminds listeners that early voting is available now at the City-County Building and by mail-in ballot, and that the primary is May 5

- Alexander closes: “Be blessed.”

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On this week’s Concerned Clergy Radio Show, Rev. Tony Alexander and Concerned Clergy President Rev. Dr. David W. Greene Sr. welcomed Denise Abdul-Rahman and Jordan Geiger of Black Sunlight Sustainability to discuss the environmental and economic stakes of AI data center development in Indianapolis’s Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood — including the City-County Council’s recent approval of the Metrobloks project at 25th and Sherman — as well as rising utility costs, the IURC’s statewide listening tour, and the upcoming free EV charger education event hosted by Concerned Clergy and Black Sunlight on April 7. The conversation drew a direct line between environmental racism, the erosion of democratic accountability at every level of government, and the urgent need for community education and civic engagement.

WHAT’S INSIDE

00:00:00 — Opening / Announcements / Prayer

- Rev. Alexander leads the opening prayer and introduces tonight’s guests from Black Sunlight Sustainability: Denise Abdul-Rahman and Jordan Geiger.

- Tonight’s topics: AI data centers in Martindale-Brightwood, rising utility bills, solar and EV alternatives.

00:02:08 — Introducing Black Sunlight Sustainability

- Denise Abdul-Rahman describes Black Sunlight as a statewide organization focused on connecting communities to resources for self-determination, clean energy, and resistance to environmental harm.

- Abdul-Rahman cites Dr. Robert Bullard’s foundational work on environmental justice: race — not income level — determines where environmental injustice is located in America.

- She describes how greenhouse gas emissions connect to intensifying weather events in Indiana — stronger tornadoes, extreme heat, damaging cold — as well as the emerging threat posed by AI data centers, which use excessive water, generate noise, and often rely on diesel generators.

- Martindale-Brightwood, already overburdened by industrial pollution, is described as a textbook case of environmental racism.

00:07:05 — Rev. Greene Joins: Brightwood, Democracy, and the Price of Engagement

- Rev. Greene expresses solidarity with Brightwood residents and frustration that they engaged the democratic process exactly as instructed — and were still overruled.

- He draws a parallel to the construction of I-65 and I-70 through Black Indianapolis neighborhoods, raising the question of whether the Metrobloks placement was intentional.

- Rev. Alexander notes that a “Rethink I-65/I-70” initiative is now exploring reconnecting those communities — at enormous cost.

- Rev. Greene connects the Metrobloks vote to a pattern of democratic erosion: from the appointed IPS board (with David Harris, a charter school advocate, named president) to federal voter suppression efforts — calling it an attack on democracy at every level.

00:09:15 — What Happens Now? Community Options After the Council Vote

- Denise Abdul-Rahman says the fight is not over: the public comment period was limited to 15 minutes with restricted speakers, and the community can still press the full City-County Council.

- She notes there are unresolved questions about the integrity of the process itself.

- Rev. Greene encourages residents to also engage Metrobloks directly to negotiate community benefits — but insists any real community agreement must be built with the community, not handed down to it.

- Rev. Alexander reads a statement from Councilor Gibson (posted during the live broadcast) claiming a $2.5 million commitment to Martindale-Brightwood, with an estimated $20 million in additional investment — noting it was the first he had heard of any such commitment throughout the entire process.

- Rev. Greene responds that the $20 million figure appears to reference a tax abatement — which does not benefit the community — and that a park in front of Metrobloks that nobody uses is not a community investment.

00:13:02 — Jordan Geiger on Data Center Research and Black Sunlight’s Work

- Jordan Geiger identifies himself as Assistant Director of Special Projects and Outreach at Black Sunlight Sustainability.

- His recent focus has been researching data center development projects across Indiana and their community impacts.

- Geiger’s audio deteriorated during this segment; Rev. Alexander noted they were losing him and tabled the conversation to return to later.

00:14:07 — IURC Listening Tour: Real Relief or Check-the-Box?

- Rev. Alexander outlines the IURC’s statewide listening tour schedule: Goshen/Elkhart, Columbus, Fort Wayne, Evansville; Noblesville City Hall on April 9; Indianapolis Ivy Tech Conference Center on April 20; plus Gary and Terre Haute. Residents are encouraged to search “IURC listening tour” for details.

- Abdul-Rahman says she wants to be optimistic: House Bill 1002 was already passed to address affordability, and the IURC is receiving input from the state’s five investor-owned utilities alongside a federal energy growth task force; attendees are reportedly being asked to bring actual utility bills.

- She notes that a coalition secured $117 million in federal funding to deploy solar across Indiana — but that contract was terminated by the federal government before it could produce results.

- She says Governor Pence eliminated energy efficiency programs and mandatory industrial investment standards created under Governor Daniels; she calls on Governor Braun to restore those programs and fund statewide solar deployment.

- In the near term, she expects the most likely outcomes from the listening tour to be modest: weatherization assistance for very low-income households and small residential green programs.

00:19:01 — Caller: Rev. Phillips

- Rev. Phillips argues that community members need to be educated and focused — using his own background in security work as an example of what trained attention looks like — and says people distracted by their cell phones aren’t paying attention to what’s happening around them.

- Rev. Alexander responds that utility meter reading is largely automated now, so cell phone distraction isn’t the reason utility bills are high.

00:21:46 — Caller: Guy

- Guy praises the citizens who showed up to fight data center approvals across the country, calling it democracy in action even when outcomes are discouraging.

- He argues solar should be the central focus going forward on energy policy — and warns that utility industry lobbyists will fight hard to prevent anything that threatens their revenue.

- He recounts a personal experience being inadvertently disconnected by the power company and finding it nearly impossible to get the error corrected — no local office, no one at the Monument Circle headquarters to take a complaint.

- He says the automation of customer service will only make that worse, and urges people to demand a human being on the other end of utility disputes.

00:26:10 — EV Charger Education Event — April 7

- Rev. Greene and Abdul-Rahman announce a free community education event co-hosted by Concerned Clergy and Black Sunlight Sustainability.

— Tuesday, April 7 | Doors: 5:30 p.m. | Program: 6:00 p.m.

— Julia Carson Center, 300 East Fall Creek Parkway, Indianapolis

— AES Indiana will be present; food provided

- Abdul-Rahman describes the coalition behind the event — the Indiana Alliance for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Electric Vehicle Infrastructure — which includes: Concerned Clergy, Black Lives Matter South Bend, NAACP Evansville, NAACP Terre Haute, Purpose of Life Ministry, Scott United Methodist Church, First Baptist Church North of Indianapolis, and the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance.

- The coalition’s core demands: INDOT siting of EV chargers in underserved communities, public listening sessions on Indiana’s EV infrastructure funding, and equitable contracting and apprenticeship opportunities for Black-owned businesses.

- Abdul-Rahman notes Indiana was allocated up to $100 million for EV infrastructure; the Trump administration has reduced that to approximately $75 million, of which only $3.8 million has been received, with contractor selections still pending.

00:35:43 — Second Half: Democracy Under Attack, IPS, and Staying in the Fight

- Rev. Greene says the Metrobloks vote is itself a democratic failure — a councilor voting against his own constituency — and places it alongside the shift of IPS to a mayoral-appointed board as evidence that democracy is under attack at the neighborhood, local, state, and federal levels simultaneously.

- Rev. Alexander says he’s hearing from dejected people who want to give up, and urges them not to: even when a vote goes against the community, people need to understand that five council members can outvote thousands of residents — and that is exactly why voter education and turnout matter.

- Rev. Greene calls for people to be energized rather than exhausted by the number of fights: data centers, school boards, voting rights, utility costs — they are all connected.

00:41:16 — The Real Math: Jobs, Investment, and Who Benefits

- Rev. Greene, drawing on his background as a systems engineer who worked in data centers beginning in 1985, says the jobs argument for data centers is overstated: a modern data center likely employs one person overnight; in the 1990s it was two.

- Rev. Alexander says on every major energy and infrastructure construction project he is aware of in Indiana — solar, wind, data centers — the foremen and superintendents were out-of-state travelers, not Hoosiers.

- Rev. Greene says local contractor inclusion has to be negotiated upfront and intentionally; without it, companies simply bring their existing out-of-state crews because it is easier.

- Both note that the community of Martindale-Brightwood is not anti-economic development — what they are is pro-community agreement, and a real community agreement requires negotiation, not a unilateral offer.

- Rev. Greene warns that if Metrobloks drives up energy demand and AES raises rates, everyone in the region pays — it is not a Brightwood problem, it is an Indianapolis problem.

00:48:55 — Closing: Call to Action

- Rev. Alexander calls for a coalition of councilors, senators, community leaders, and homeowners associations to sit at the same table and hear directly from developers.

- Reminder: EV charger education event, Tuesday April 7, Julia Carson Center, 6 p.m.; doors at 5:30.

---

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In a timely appearance ahead of Indiana’s primary season, Indiana’s 7th District Congressman Andre Carson joined Rev. Tony Alexander and Pastor David W. Greene on the Concerned Clergy Radio Show for a substantive hour covering the partial government shutdown, TSA worker pay, ICE reform, the state of the Democratic resistance under Trump’s second term, data centers and rising utility bills, IPS school governance, and gun violence prevention. After Carson’s departure, the hosts took calls — including one asking whether there is any legal recourse against on-air defamation of Black leaders — and pivoted to a call to civic action, urging listeners to attend upcoming No Kings rallies and Souls to the Polls events across Indiana on Saturday, with voter registration closing April 6.

WHAT’S INSIDE

0:01:06 — OPENING PRAYER

Rev. Alexander leads prayer.

0:01:50 — INTRODUCTION OF CONGRESSMAN CARSON

Rev. Alexander introduces Carson as representative of Indiana’s 7th Congressional District.

0:02:06 — CARSON WELCOME / PLEASANTRIES

Brief exchange. Rev. Alexander notes Carson is in the middle of a primary campaign and that Pastor Greene is on assignment and may join later.

0:03:03 — WHAT’S HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON?

Rev. Alexander asks Carson to break down the current moment in D.C. — particularly the intelligence/national security landscape — from his perspective.

0:03:35 — CARSON OPENS: GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN / TSA / ICE / PROJECT 2025

Carson’s extended opening statement:

- Democrats are holding firm in a partial government shutdown over ICE funding

- Proposes separating ICE from DHS so TSA can function and airports remain open

- Filed an amendment to ban ICE agents from wearing masks/face coverings in public

- Connects Project 2025 to TSA privatization proposals, DEI elimination, healthcare cuts

0:06:28 — TSA PAY, ICE BONUSES — REV. ALEXANDER PRESSES

Rev. Alexander notes TSA workers aren’t getting paid while ICE agents are receiving $50,000 recruitment bonuses. Asks Carson to clarify the political blame dynamics.

0:07:44 — CARSON: TSA MORALE, ATTRITION, AND FIFA CONCERNS

- 400+ TSA agents have quit since the partial shutdown began

- Record wait times at airports

- Expresses concern that staffing levels won’t recover in time for the FIFA World Cup

0:09:13 — IS A DEAL POSSIBLE?

Rev. Alexander asks whether there’s any hope of a resolution or if it’s a stalemate.

0:09:32 — CARSON ON SHUTDOWN NEGOTIATIONS

- Says Schumer has put forward a “good faith proposal”

- Democrats pushing for ICE reform as a condition; Republicans offering only to exclude ICE deportation funding, which Carson calls insufficient

- Notes Senator Thune says a deal is not close

- Says Trump could end the TSA delays immediately by accepting a deal — and has chosen not to

0:11:55 — “ARE DEMOCRATS READY TO FIGHT?”

Rev. Alexander voices frustration shared by many in the community: Democrats appear to be getting “punched in the face” without fighting back. Asks Carson directly if the party is ready to fight differently.

0:13:23 — CARSON: THE FIGHT IS HAPPENING — BUT THE TOOLS HAVE CHANGED

Key segment. Carson argues:

- Democrats can’t use the same playbook in a new environment

- Traditional media, terrestrial radio, church appearances alone aren’t enough

- Black voters are doing “a la carte” voting — they won’t automatically follow the party

- Social media and influencers now make or break elections

- The Black faith community, Black elected officials, creatives, and influencers must work collectively

- A progressive from San Francisco operates differently than one from Indianapolis — same goals, different methods

0:16:45 — CALLERS / TRANSITION

Rev. Alexander acknowledges callers and brings in Pastor Greene.

0:17:06 — PASTOR GREENE JOINS: OBAMA COALITION / JAMES BALDWIN / WHITE VOTER DEMOGRAPHICS

Pastor Greene calls in and raises a demographic argument:

- Black voters are 14% of the population vs. 34 million Latino registered voters

- Obama built a winning coalition across Asian, Latino, Jewish, and Arab-American voters — that coalition has fractured

- Invokes James Baldwin, Malcolm X, and MLK: the Democratic Party is still predominantly moderate-white, and laying the blame for losses on Black turnout misses the structural picture

- The real question is why 65-70 million moderate white voters haven’t held the line

0:19:15 — CALLER JOYCE: PERSONAL GRIEVANCES / SENIOR CITIZEN ISSUES

Joyce, a retired government worker and senior citizen, describes what she characterizes as a pattern of harassment — frozen bank account, mail not being delivered, a gun pulled on her, being locked up in June, and her passport being flagged since 2017.

0:20:52 — REV. ALEXANDER: “HOW DO WE GET RID OF PROJECT 2025?” (Chat question)

Aggregates listener questions and hands back to Carson.

0:21:10 — CARSON: DATA CENTERS AND UTILITY BILLS

Carson pivots to a local issue he’s watching closely:

- Data centers are largely under state jurisdiction but he’s exploring federal options

- There’s a tier system — some data centers claim to be self-contained; others want to pass infrastructure costs onto consumers and municipalities

- “They should pay their fair share of the bill, not neighborhoods”

- Cites a personal dispute with AES over his own utility bill

- References Google scrapping its Franklin Township data center after community pushback

- Notes Bernie Sanders has proposed a federal moratorium on data centers — says he’s open to it

0:23:53 — CARSON: IPS / ILEA SCHOOL GOVERNANCE

Carson addresses ongoing discussion about restructuring Indianapolis Public Schools governance:

- Any changes must center students, teachers, families, and community voices

- Elected school boards are “a cornerstone of our democracy” — wary of shifting to appointed bodies

- Education decisions in Indianapolis must reflect and protect Black and brown families and working-class communities

- Supports both charter and traditional public schools — but with equity, accountability, and transparency

- Notes his own IPS background (St. Rita) and the students he grew up with who were misplaced in classes despite demonstrable intelligence

0:27:31 — CARSON: VIOLENCE, GUNS, JOBS

- References a “nexus to the Mexico-Chicago drug pipeline” (declines to go deeper)

- Introduced the Gun Safety Incentive Act to encourage safe firearm storage

- Hosts annual youth and adult job fairs with Ivy Tech — calls them personal passion projects outside congressional duties

- Notes violence historically spikes in summer; urges collective responsibility

0:29:06 — CARSON RESPONDS TO PASTOR GREENE: MALCOLM X ON LIBERALS

Carson directly engages Pastor Greene’s Baldwin/Malcolm X point:

- While a proud progressive, Malcolm X warned about certain liberals who “smile and say the right things” while pursuing agendas as destructive as overt racists

- Calls out the assumption that Black leadership should always “play second fiddle”

- Describes directly asking corporations (Eli Lilly, AES) about Black executives, contracting with Black-owned, women-owned, and veteran-owned businesses

- “What use of it is to have a position if you aren’t going to leverage it on behalf of your people?”

0:31:00 — REV. ALEXANDER: DEI LANGUAGE BEING SCRUBBED

Notes that the words “equity,” “diversity,” and “inclusion” are being AI-filtered out of contracts. Urges changing the language to preserve the substance of the initiatives.

0:31:39 — CARSON WRAPS / CAMPAIGN INFO

AndreCarson.com | 317-226-9400

Campaign is canvassing, phone banking, and compensating volunteers. Carson urges anyone who wants to get involved in politics to join a campaign that shares their values.

0:35:58 — SEND-OFF

Rev. Alexander thanks Carson. Viewer Gloria thanks Carson via chat.

0:36:44 — BREAK

0:37:29 — BACK FROM BREAK: REV. ALEXANDER AND PASTOR GREENE CONTINUE

0:37:59 — CALLER “MAYHEM”: DEFAMATION OF CARSON AND HIS GRANDMOTHER’S LEGACY

Caller asks whether there is any legal remedy for on-air personalities — specifically one described as fired from Urban One — who are defaming Carson and his grandmother Julia Carson’s legacy on the radio without factual basis.

0:39:32 — HOSTS DISCUSS: IS THERE A LEGAL ANSWER?

Rev. Alexander and Pastor Greene agree there probably isn’t a satisfying legal remedy. Pastor Greene ties the climate of disinformation to top-down normalization from Trump, saying people feel “empowered to say and almost do anything without facts.”

0:41:13 — DOUBLE STANDARD: CHARLIE KIRK, JESSE JACKSON, ROBERT MUELLER

Rev. Alexander raises the asymmetry: criticizing Charlie Kirk (even ideologically) was treated as off-limits, while figures like Jesse Jackson and Robert Mueller — who served the country — are freely maligned. Pastor Greene adds that Trump saying “I’m glad he’s dead” about Mueller is “out of bounds” and sets a permission structure that trickles down.

0:42:29 — CALL TO ACTION: SOULS TO THE POLLS / NO KINGS RALLIES

Rev. Alexander previews upcoming weekend events:

- Souls to the Polls — Saturday

- No Kings rallies — Saturday, at locations across Indiana

- Voter registration deadline: April 6

0:43:16 — PASTOR GREENE: WHY THESE EVENTS MATTER

Argues this is not a time for silence. No Kings rallies signal to the Republican Party that the opposition is watching and mobilizing. Low turnout at protests will be read as permission to keep going.

0:45:44 — REV. ALEXANDER: 60+ INDIANA CITIES HOSTING NO KINGS EVENTS

Per the Indianapolis Star, over 60 Indiana cities will have No Kings rally locations Saturday. Names Carmel, Lebanon, and Norah (east side) as central Indiana options. Says you don’t have to go downtown to participate.

0:47:00 — PASTOR GREENE: IRAN / WAR / MISPLACED PRIORITIES

Brief pivot: raises concern about the U.S. sending ground troops toward Iran. “We don’t have money for healthcare and other things, but we got money to go do this.” Notes sardonically that Trump’s sons won’t be among those heading to the front.

0:48:05 — REV. ALEXANDER: WEST PALM BEACH DEMOCRAT WIN / REGISTER TO VOTE

References a recent Democratic win in Palm Beach, Florida — right in Trump’s backyard — as proof that change is possible. Reiterates voter registration deadline of April 6.

0:49:18 — PIKE TOWNSHIP DEMOCRAT CLUB FORUM — TOMORROW

Primary election candidate forum

March 26, 6:00 PM

Lincoln Middle School

5353 West 71st Street, Indianapolis

0:49:50 — CLOSING REMARKS

Rev. Alexander closes out. Thanks Carson, Pastor Greene, and all listeners.

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Rev. Tony Alexander dedicates this episode to breaking down the SAVE Act, a federal bill being considered in Congress that goes far beyond simple voter ID requirements. While most people hear only that it requires ID to vote, the SAVE Act actually mandates proof of citizenship (passport or original birth certificate) both to register and to vote, forces all states to hand voter rolls to the federal government for citizenship verification, requires re-registration for anyone who didn’t provide citizenship proof initially, and introduces a “Real ID Enhanced” different from the standard Real ID. Rev. Alexander explains how this will disproportionately impact seniors who may not have original birth certificates, younger voters who lose documents, women whose names changed with marriage, and anyone born out of state who must obtain documents from their original birthplace. The bill will also overwhelm BMVs, Social Security offices, and passport agencies as millions try to get required documents. Two callers share experiences: Jo describes difficulties getting Real ID when her birth certificate didn’t match her married name (had to hire attorney, provide school records to prove maiden name), and Guy thanks Rev. Alexander for explaining the details that mainstream media overlooks. Rev. Alexander emphasizes the bill also shortens the election change window from 90 days to 30 days and includes provisions to charge people with lying on citizenship affidavits even when documents are contested. He urges listeners to register by April 6th, look up the actual law, share documents not summaries, and understand what’s coming.

WHAT’S INSIDE

00:03:23 - Station ID and Show Opening

• WTOC AM 1310, 95.1 FM Indianapolis, Praise Indy

• Rev. Tony Alexander welcomes listeners, mentions Herman Whitfield family settlement with IMPD

• Open lines weekly: 317-480-1310, streaming on Facebook (Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis) and YouTube

00:06:18 - What is the SAVE Act?

• Being considered in Congress (House or Senate), unclear if it will pass as written

• Most folks hear it’s just a voter ID law - sounds simple and reasonable

• But it’s much more: requires proof of citizenship (passport OR original birth certificate)

• Must provide proof of citizenship to be REGISTERED, not just to vote - anyone not registered with citizenship proof will have to re-register

00:14:23 - This is Voter Suppression Across the Spectrum

• Bill seems to be failing in Congress, doesn’t have full Republican support, but someone’s really trying to push it through

• Goes across spectrum: Democrat, Republican, Black, white

• Definitely affects females especially those who have been married (name changes)

• Those without passports, can’t find original birth certificates

00:19:22 - What Documents Required and Overwhelming the System

• Original birth certificate plus proof of citizenship, will also require passport

• What happens to BMVs, Social Security offices, Marion County Health Department?

• Everyone without passport will have to get one - overwhelms customs/border passport department

• Women married long time don’t have proof of name change from Smith to Davis - now adding citizenship status requirement

00:24:05 - Federal Verification and Voter Rolls

• Mandatory for all states to give all voter rolls to federal government

• Federal government will determine if you are actually a citizen - they’ll be the verification system

00:24:43 - [FIRST COMMERCIAL BREAK]

00:29:07 - Return from Break: SAVE Act Recap and Iran Discussion

• Welcome back - important everyone understands SAVE Act is much broader than simple voter ID

• Not as simple as showing driver’s license when you vote

• Intelligence Committee hearings today with Tulsi Gabbard and Kash Patel about Iran strike - alarming things said

• Were told one thing but starting to come out that wasn’t true

00:32:41 - Republican Leadership Pushing and Original Certificate Requirement

• Republican leadership trying to get SAVE Act across because very important to Trump

• Indiana seeing retribution campaign against legislators who voted against redistricting

• Back to SAVE Act: must be ORIGINAL birth certificate - not copy from health department

• They want certificate from when you rolled out of hospital - disqualifies whole lot of folks

• Round and round way of suppressing vote

00:36:47 - Caller: Jo’s Real ID Experience

• Had trouble getting Real ID - birth certificate name didn’t match married name

• Had to hire attorney, provide school records from Tennessee to prove maiden name

• People need to get documents in order now

00:39:06 - [SECOND COMMERCIAL BREAK]

00:42:22 - Difficulties Across All Ages and Real ID Enhanced Explained

• Older individuals without original certificates, younger people lose documents constantly

• Regular Real ID (star) different from Real ID Enhanced (American flag)

• Enhanced verifies citizenship proof provided, previously used mainly for Canadian border

00:48:59 - Caller: Guy Thanks for Explaining Details

• Glad Rev. Alexander went into detail - most people just hear “you need ID to vote”

• This is masquerade/charade - if people heard details, they’d feel differently

• Trump administration constantly trying to hoodwink/bamboozle public throughout entire tenure

00:56:24 - Need to Be Informed on SAVE Act

• People copy headlines/articles, flood market with same message - many get misinformed

• Need to be informed with SAVE Act - only 5 states doing it now

• What happens to struggling systems like Social Security when everyone needs documents?

• People rushing to get Social Security cards, birth certificates they haven’t had in 15 years

• Have to get documents from original place - so much folks don’t understand

00:58:07 - Additional Provisions and Closing Warnings

• Must sign affidavit saying “I am a citizen” - if they contest it, can charge you with lying even if you really are citizen

• Currently have 90 days before election to make changes - SAVE Act shortens to 30 days

• Register by April 6th, make sure registration still valid

• Look up actual law, share documents not summaries, be informed

01:00:32 - Show Closing

• “That’s all we have for tonight. We hope everyone is informed and we’ll see you all next week. Be blessed.”

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In this week’s Concerned Clergy town hall meeting, Pastor David W. Greene Sr. and Rev. Tony Alexander discuss two critical issues facing Hoosiers: Secretary of State Diego Morales partnering with Turning Point USA to conduct voter registration drives in high schools (raising concerns about partisan indoctrination using taxpayer resources and lack of equal access for other groups), and INDOT’s proposal for a toll road across I-70 charging $15.60 for passenger vehicles and $84 for truckers. The toll road discussion reveals how working and middle-class families already struggling with rising utility bills, property taxes, and affordability challenges face yet another financial burden. Callers emphasize that the middle class is “tapped out” and being squeezed from all directions while political leaders from both parties remain complacent due to low voter turnout. The Turning Point USA discussion focuses on the inappropriate use of state resources for partisan political purposes, the hypocrisy of removing DEI and Black history education while allowing Charlie Kirk’s ideology into schools, and concerns about legal challenges to stop this taxpayer-funded indoctrination. The hosts stress the importance of civic engagement, voter registration, and holding elected officials accountable through voting.

WHAT’S INSIDE

00:02:20 - Opening and Prayer

• Rev. Alexander and Pastor Greene welcome listeners

• Prayer for military, Iran situation, national/state/local leaders

• Two agenda items tonight: Morales/Turning Point and I-70 toll roads

00:04:03 - Preview: Two Major Concerns

• Diego Morales using Turning Point USA / Charlie Kirk in high schools

• INDOT requesting federal funding for I-70 toll road across state

00:05:01 - I-70 Toll Road Proposal Details

• Toll road from Illinois border to Ohio border

• $15.60 for passenger vehicles, over $84 for 18-wheelers

• Marion County roads terrible but now adding toll costs

00:08:34 - Toll Roads Will Spread

• If I-70 gets toll, I-65 and I-69 will follow

• Truckers already complain about Indiana road conditions

• No guarantee toll money will actually fix roads

00:12:45 - Affordability and Middle Class Squeeze

• Working families already stretched on utilities, gas, property taxes

• Toll roads add another burden on top of existing costs

• Seniors on fixed incomes making difficult choices

00:15:17 - Federal Cuts and State Priorities

• Losing federal money for education, HUD, housing, SNAP

• Toll revenue for Governor Braun’s priorities before re-election

• Won’t help Marion County—not how he wins elections

00:16:32 - Caller Jim: Middle Class Tapped Out

• Middle class paying for everything, basically tapped out

• Need accountability—remove politicians without integrity

• Politicians get pensions and benefits on backs of working people

00:18:21 - Voting and Accountability

• Low voter turnout lets both parties become complacent

• Only way to create accountability is voting

• People don’t know who voted for what or why

00:20:24 - Rising Costs Compounding

• Gas prices rising due to oil tanker access issues

• Higher gas = higher grocery prices (domino effect)

• Healthcare costs also climbing—difficult times

00:26:05 - Commercial Break and Prayer

• Reminder to call in at 317-480-1310

• Prayer about monks walking from Texas to DC for peace

• Commercials

00:30:46 - Return from Break: Turning Point Focus Begins

• Returning to Concerned Clergy Radio Show

• Shifting focus to Secretary of State concerns

• Caller Jim made important points about accountability

00:31:37 - Diego Morales Turning Point Initiative

• Fox 59 reporting: Secretary of State tapping Turning Point USA in high schools

• Pairing voter registration with poll worker recruitment

• Republican strategy—Governor Braun aligned with president, removed DEI/Black history

00:34:04 - Hypocrisy: Blocking Facts, Allowing Indoctrination

• Can’t teach slavery facts but Charlie Kirk ideology allowed

• State money only for Turning Point—no equal access for other groups

• How is using taxpayer dollars for one partisan group legal?

00:36:32 - Legal Challenges and Trump Connection

• Pastor Greene hoping for lawsuits—should be illegal

• Trump had Charlie Kirk’s widow at State of the Union

• Shows coordination between national and state Republican strategy

00:40:12 - Caller Guy: Need Courts for Relief

• Must go to courts to stop this bullying behavior

• Charlie Kirk twists facts and Christianity

• Mentions James Tallarico (Texas) as counter to MAGA agenda

00:45:30 - Continued Discussion of Partisan Schools Access

• Extended conversation about Secretary of State favoritism

• Question of appropriate use of public education

• Concerns about indoctrination vs civic education

00:50:15 - Equal Access and Election Integrity

• All groups should have equal access to Secretary of State resources

• Partisan favoritism undermines election integrity

• Taxpayer money shouldn’t fund one ideology

00:55:40 - Voter Registration Importance

• Check Indiana voter portal to ensure registration

• Stay informed about what’s happening in legislature

• Bills often hidden in other legislation

01:00:15 - Closing and Call to Action

• Vote in every election to hold leaders accountable

• Check voter registration status

• Concerned Clergy continues weekly town hall

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https://progressiveindiana.net

https://concernedclergy.org

In tonight’s Concerned Clergy town hall meeting, Indiana State Representative Gregory Porter joins Rev. Tony Alexander to discuss critical bills from the recently concluded legislative session that disproportionately impact Black communities in Indianapolis and across Indiana. The conversation covers the systematic dismantling of democratic processes through House Bill 1033 (judicial appointments that eliminate Black representation on the bench), the Indianapolis Public Schools takeover bill creating state oversight of the predominantly Black school board, Senate Bill 285 criminalizing homelessness, and AES Indiana’s sale to BlackRock private equity amid skyrocketing utility bills. Representative Porter describes this as a “clawing back” of 50-60 years of civil rights progress, with the governor and his allies systematically removing local control and Black leadership through appointments rather than elections. The discussion reveals how these interconnected policies—from judicial appointments to school board oversight to criminalizing poverty—represent a coordinated effort to strip power from Marion County’s majority-minority community while enriching corporate interests at the expense of everyday residents struggling with unaffordable utility bills and housing costs.

WHAT’S INSIDE

00:01:24 - Opening and Prayer

• Rev. Tony Alexander welcomes listeners and introduces Rep. Gregory Porter

• Prayer for those dealing with war, bombings, and homelessness

• Setting agenda: AES buyout, bills at governor’s desk

00:03:38 - Legislative Session Overview

• One of hardest, busiest short sessions—over 500 bills filed, only 120+ passed

• Started with redistricting bill in December (shot down by Senate)

• Bills that didn’t pass often got stuck into other bills at the end

00:05:42 - Major Problematic Bills

• HB 1033: systematic attack on judicial system

• School board oversight: questioning competency of seven Black women running IPS

• Alzheimer’s bill passed (small victory)

00:06:27 - House Bill 1033: Judicial Appointments Disaster

• Senator Carrasco added amendment removing seats for Marion County Bar Association (Black), Indianapolis Bar, prosecutors, public defenders

• Now governor and Supreme Court appointees choose judges

• Very probable no more Black judges selected for Marion County

00:09:28 - FOP and Judicial Prejudice

• Fraternal Order of Police unhappy with Black judges

• System allows committee to refuse recommending judges for retention

• Rep. Porter calls it “judicial Jim Crow, plantation judiciary”

00:12:29 - Clawing Back Progress

• 50-60 years of progress being systematically reversed

• Everything now appointed by governor or mayor rather than elected

• Past protections requiring African American candidates now gone

00:13:39 - Indianapolis Public Schools Takeover Bill

• Mayor and others (RISE, Stand for Children) wanting mayoral control

• State-appointed overseer for IPS created

• Seven elected Black women school board members now have white male overseer

00:16:08 - IPS Oversight Details

• Described as “plantation overseer” over largest school district in Indiana

• School board no longer controls its own operations

• High school superintendent appointed to oversee experienced Black women educators

00:20:03 - Charter Schools and Asset Stripping

• Concern about charter expansion and IPS asset transfers

• IPS has significant debt obligations and valuable assets

• Fear of privatization scheme transferring public buildings to charter operators

00:24:07 - AES Indiana Sale to BlackRock

• AES bought by private equity consortium including BlackRock

• Bills increased 80-125% for many customers

• Timing suspicious: rate increases announced Monday, then buyout approved

00:27:12 - Bills on Governor’s Desk

• Bills must be signed within 10 days or become law without signature

• Can also veto bills

• Many problematic bills pending governor’s action

00:29:27 - Early Voting Restriction Bill (Died)

• Would have cut early voting from 28 days to 16 days

• Bill died in final days after pushback

• Small victory worth celebrating

00:30:41 - Senate Bill 285: Criminalizing Homelessness

• Vilifies homeless people, gives law enforcement citation authority they don’t want

• Doesn’t reduce homelessness—just hides it

• Driven by legislators from outside Indianapolis

00:31:10 - Lugar Plaza Redesignation

• Plaza outside City-County Building now designated as park

• Dusk-to-dawn restrictions, no alcohol allowed

• Targets unhoused neighbors seeking security

00:33:23 - Downtown Safety Reality

• Downtown statistically safest area in Marion County

• Conventions, NFL Combine, Final Fours all come downtown

• Homelessness is visibility issue, not safety threat

00:36:15 - Local Control Being Stripped

• State legislators from outside Indianapolis making city decisions

• Attacking local autonomy and home rule

• Pattern of state overriding local control

00:40:13 - AES Sale and Utility Rate Crisis

• Buyout timing connected to rate increases—makes portfolio look good at $15/share

• IURC task force studying but no follow-through from administration

• Brand new homes seeing bills jump from $200 to $500

00:45:01 - Data Centers and Tax Breaks

• Data centers haven’t come online yet, can’t blame for current rates

• State giving 50-year tax breaks (cheap land, formerly cheap electricity)

• Need community benefit packages from data centers

00:47:13 - AES Sale Process Not Complete

• $33 billion acquisition needs federal approval

• One investment company from outside the country

• Private equity firms squeeze assets for profit, may resell later

00:48:28 - HB 1343: Militarizing Indiana National Guard

• Buried in Veterans Bill, allows Guard to be militarized like in D.C.

• Can help ICE operations (ICE moved to 96th & Meridian in Hamilton County)

• Governor aligned “lock, stock, and barrel” with current president

00:50:11 - Senate Bill 76: Immigration Enforcement in Schools

• Law enforcement can enter schools and universities

• Can hold someone 48 hours if they “feel” person is undocumented

• Targeting children and students, causing trauma

00:51:25 - Cell Phone Ban in Schools

• Kids can’t have cell phones during school hours

• Educator saying “cell phones down, GPA up”

• May help learning environment and declining test scores

00:52:22 - Senate Bill 27: Chicago Bears Stadium Deal

• Passed in last hours, governor already signed—Bears to Hammond by 2033

• $5-6 billion investment with stadium, convention center in Gary

• State on hook for bonds, gentrification concerns, Illinois fighting back

00:55:09 - Caller Guy: “The Big Squeeze”

• Everything being squeezed on the people from multiple directions

• Recommends book “Technocracy Rising” by Patrick Wood

• Big money people squeezing utilities, agriculture worldwide to get more money

00:56:20 - Closing and Call to Action

• Work not over even though session ended—organize, advocate year-round

• Black Caucus travels state educating people on what transpired

• Get registered to vote, get educated, get to the polls—365-day process

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https://progressiveindiana.net

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As Indiana's legislative session ends, Reverends Alexander and Greene discuss major losses including SB 285 (criminalizing homelessness with Class C misdemeanor and $500 fine) and HB 1423 (IPS takeover by appointed board). They emphasize that homelessness is primarily a housing issue, not a criminal one, noting the largest homeless demographic in Indiana is Black women with children who work but can't afford rent. The hosts criticize the mean-spirited, punitive approach that jails people who can't post bail while spending money to house Chicago Bears but not homeless Hoosiers, and note the bill follows model legislation from conservative think tanks like Cicero Institute. On the IPS takeover, they explain the nine-member appointed board (three from IPS, three from charter board, three mayoral picks) transfers power from democratically-elected officials to privatization interests, with nothing in the bill about academic performance—it's about money and power. They warn this model threatens all public schools statewide through language in the bill, compare it to ALEC-style legislation, and promote a "funeral for IPS" event. Throughout, hosts stress these policies lack compassion, serve monied interests over people, and represent the state's loss of moral direction.

TOPICS DISCUSSED

3:57 - OPENING: LEGISLATIVE SESSION ENDING
- At tail end of Indiana legislative session, headed to governor's desk
- "Way it looks, we're going to have a lot of losses" but hoping for some wins
- Inviting calls at 317-480-1310 to discuss bills

6:19 - SB 285: CRIMINALIZING HOMELESSNESS
- Most disheartening bill, reflects "mean-spirited nature" of recent statehouse actions
- Makes being homeless a Class C misdemeanor with fine—not a solution when people are already financially struggling
- Homelessness is a housing issue, need services and compassion not punishment

8:02 - MODEL LEGISLATION FROM CICERO INSTITUTE
- SB 285 borrowed from other states, led by Cicero Institute think tank
- Part of pattern of conservative groups drafting legislation state-to-state
- Similar to ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) model

14:00 - HOUSING VS. PUNISHMENT APPROACH
- Need to focus on getting people housed, not criminalizing them
- Arresting homeless and jailing them costs money (housing and feeding in jail) while claiming no money for actual housing
- Creates cycle: misdemeanor record makes it harder to get job, apartment, stability

17:45 - FACE OF HOMELESSNESS IN INDIANA
- Largest homeless group in Indiana: Black women with children
- These are working mothers who don't make enough to keep up with rent
- People fall on hard times and get caught in struggle, not the stereotype of "strung out" or "don't want to work"

20:05 - MISPLACED PRIORITIES
- State has money to bring in Chicago Bears but punitive toward homeless Hoosiers
- "For certain projects, money ain't an issue. But for other things, we say we don't have money"
- Can find money quickly for some priorities but not for helping people in need

24:09 - CYCLE OF POVERTY AND INCARCERATION
- Jail system gets paid per inmate—is that the solution?
- After jail, person has criminal record hanging over them for employment and housing
- Makes it even harder to get on feet and pay bills

25:00 - STREETS TO HOME INITIATIVE
- Positive alternative providing actual housing and wraparound services
- Faith communities providing "moving kits" (plates, glasses, trash cans, basic needs)
- Service providers help with life skills (balancing checkbook, healthcare, etc.)

27:10 - KEEPING PEOPLE HOUSED LONG-TERM
- Goal is stability, not just getting someone in apartment for three months
- Need to address underlying issues (may have lost birth certificate, other documents needed for jobs)
- Service providers walk beside people through multiple steps to achieve lasting stability

32:01 - HB 1423: IPS TAKEOVER
- Elected IPS school board loses power to nine-member appointed board
- Trump said "DEI was gone, SNAP was gone"—well IPS is gone too in Indianapolis
- "Funeral for IPS" event tomorrow 4pm at Albertson's Mortuary, 5020 East 16th Street

33:25 - COMPOSITION AND IMPLICATIONS OF APPOINTED BOARD
- Three from IPS board, three from charter board, three mayoral appointees
- Moves from democratically-elected to appointed positions—"complete death of IPS as we know it"
- Nothing in HB 1423 about academic performance—it's about money, power, and privatization

35:34 - THREAT TO ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND ALEC MODEL
- Language in bill affects all public schools including townships statewide
- Charter school movement started in New Orleans, brought to Indiana following ALEC-style pattern
- Conservative groups authoring bills that move state to state with similar language

38:05 - POWER DYNAMICS AND FINANCIAL INTERESTS OF APPOINTED BOARD
- What happens to remaining IPS board members not selected? Will they try to please mayor to get picked?
- Expiring referendum IPS needs—only appointed board can pursue it, not elected board. If they don't or it fails, "that's the death of IPS"
- Only three of nine are IPS people; six are charter/mayoral picks. If objective is closing schools, "this is a good way to get it done"

40:44 - GENTRIFICATION AND DEVELOPER INTERESTS
- Board must be in place by March 31st—community should reach out to mayor about selections
- Concern about "mayor friendly" appointments (city councilors, former mayor Bart Peterson) rather than genuine representation
- "I think it's really about dollars and gentrification of neighborhoods, selling property and developers getting property for low prices"

46:41 - HB 1033: JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS ATTACKING BLACK INPUT
- Marion County already doesn't elect own judges—committee does
- Now replacing places where Black people give input with governor appointees
- "Our democracy is under attack across the board"

47:33 - SYSTEMIC ATTACK ON BLACK DEMOCRATIC POWER
- Don't elect judges—appointed group decides
- Trying to remove Black voices from judicial selection board
- IPS has elected board of all Black women, being replaced with mayor-appointed board

48:26 - BROADER PATTERN OF DISENFRANCHISEMENT
- Redistricting targeted Andre Carson and Frank Mrvan to dilute Black voting power
- "We are under attack. Our democracy is under attack"
- "These things are not even a coincidence"

49:01 - CRIMINALIZING HOMELESSNESS TARGETS BLACK COMMUNITY
- 60% of homeless people in Indiana are Black
- Criminalizing homelessness means Black people getting fines and misdemeanors
- "Is it just a coincidence? The answer to that is no way"

49:34 - GOVERNOR BRAUN FOLLOWS TRUMP ON DEI
- Governor going along with president eliminating DEI
- Systemically attacking Black representation: criminalizing homelessness (60% Black), judicial appointments, IPS takeover
- Will appoint "two or three people of color" but "of our color, not of our kind"—token appointments to serve mayor's agenda

51:00 - WIN: EARLY VOTING BILL DEFEATED
- Bill to reduce early voting from 28 days to 16 days appears defeated
- Kudos to everyone who participated in that fight
- Still must be careful as "language can just jump in something" at last minute

55:35 - CLOSING THEMES
- Loss of compassion and moral direction in Indiana policy
- Serving monied interests over people in need
- Call for community resistance and attending IPS funeral event

https://concernedclergy.org

The Concerned Clergy hosts dedicate this episode to honoring Reverend Jesse Jackson, who recently passed away, opening with his iconic "I Understand" speech about growing up poor. The show covers critical legislative battles in Congress like the SAVE Act (requiring extensive documentation to vote, disproportionately affecting women and minorities) and in the Indiana Statehouse like SB 285 (criminalizing homelessness with $500 fines). Reverends Alexander and Greene emphasize making voting plans for the May primary given expected intimidation tactics including potential ICE and National Guard presence at polls. A significant portion addresses immigration rhetoric versus reality, with callers debating whether immigrants drain resources, while hosts counter with facts about detention costs, tax contributions, and indigenous peoples' prior claim to the land. The episode examines Christian nationalism's hypocrisy, questioning how self-proclaimed Christians can support policies harming vulnerable populations while supporting Epstein-connected individuals. Throughout, the hosts stress moral courage in speaking truth to power, the importance of Reverend Jackson's legacy in paving the way for Obama's presidency, and the need for community solidarity in resisting oppressive legislation during Black History Month.

TOPICS DISCUSSED

0:48 - OPENING: REVEREND JESSE JACKSON TRIBUTE & LEGISLATIVE THREATS
- Opens with Jackson's "I Understand" speech about growing up poor without insurance, in three-room house with outdoor bathroom
- Jackson's presidential runs paved way for Obama, contributed immeasurably to Black history and people struggling everywhere
- Indiana legislature trying to take women back to pre-1920 (voting) and pre-1974 (couldn't open bank accounts)

4:52 - THE SAVE ACT: VOTER SUPPRESSION LEGISLATION
- SAVE Act would disenfranchise not just Black folks but many voters by requiring extensive documentation
- Women who changed names through marriage may struggle to provide all required documents (birth certificates, marriage certificates, etc.)
- Bill represents systematic attempt to roll back voting rights and make voting nearly impossible for marginalized communities

10:00 - IMPACT ON WOMEN & FAMILIES
- Women historically couldn't vote until 1920, couldn't open bank accounts until 1974
- Name changes through marriage create documentation barriers under SAVE Act requirements
- Moving state to state makes obtaining required historical documents even more difficult

15:01 - VOTING STRATEGY: MAKE A PLAN FOR MAY PRIMARY
- Don't wait for general election - vote in May primary with a clear plan
- Early vote or request absentee ballot now to avoid Election Day chaos
- Expect ICE presence, National Guard, multiple hoops to jump through at polling sites

16:11 - DON'T VOTE ALONE CAMPAIGN
- MADVoters and other organizations pushing "don't vote alone" strategy
- Take friend or family member as witness to your voting experience
- Going with others provides safety and documentation of any intimidation or irregularities

17:35 - SB 285: CRIMINALIZING HOMELESSNESS
- Bill passed committee 8-5 (four Democrats and one Republican voted against)
- Makes it Class C misdemeanor to be homeless on streets, up to $500 fine
- Moving to governor's desk, expected to take effect July 1st if signed

28:09 - CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM'S HYPOCRISY
- Caller asks how self-proclaimed Christians can support anti-Christian policies
- Ministers need to bring moral voice to Capitol, shine light on darkness
- Politicians claim Christianity while proposing legislation that harms vulnerable people, including Epstein connections

30:15 - IMMIGRATION: RHETORIC VS. REALITY
- Trump narrative claims immigrants taking money, jobs, housing, benefits
- Reality: Building detention camps costs money, staffing costs money, housing/healthcare/food costs money
- 73% of people in ICE detention have no criminal records according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Bureau statistics

35:05 - IMMIGRATION STATISTICS & FACTS
- Most detainees (73%) have no criminal record despite rhetoric about "criminals"
- Detention system is massive expense while claiming immigrants drain resources
- Contradiction between claims and actual government spending reveals true agenda

38:14 - CALLER: "MILLIONS CROSSING BORDER"
- Caller claims millions crossing border illegally every month based on TV
- Hosts explain legal ways to cross border exist, asylum seekers have rights
- Caller insists "they" weren't coming legally, revealing racialized assumptions

40:05 - CALLER: "THEY'RE GETTING OUR FUNDING"
- Caller claims immigrants getting funding for babies and medical care Americans deserve
- Says Black ancestors paid and died to build country, "these people just walked over"
- Hosts challenge zero-sum framing and remind Indigenous people are true original inhabitants

45:07 - RESPONSE TO CALLER: INDIGENOUS LAND & TAX FACTS
- Europeans are the actual interlopers, Indigenous peoples were here first
- Immigrants pay taxes into system but don't collect Social Security benefits
- Facts contradict narrative that immigrants drain resources without contributing

49:53 - IMMIGRANTS PAY TAXES WITHOUT COLLECTING BENEFITS
- Documented fact: Immigrants pay into Social Security without collecting
- Pay sales tax, property tax (directly or through rent), income tax
- Contribute billions to system they cannot access, opposite of draining resources

52:17 - MORAL VALUES IN LEADERSHIP
- Importance of having leaders with actual moral values versus those who claim them
- Need for accountability and truth-telling in face of hypocrisy
- Community must hold elected officials to ethical standards

54:32 - CLOSING: JACKSON LEGACY & LOCAL RESPONSE
- Disappointment with local media/leadership response to Jackson's passing
- Working on clips and greetings from family members to honor his legacy
- Jackson is icon who deserves better recognition from Indianapolis community

57:26 - FINAL THOUGHTS & CALL TO ACTION
- Continue honoring Jackson's work for justice and equality
- Stay engaged with legislative fights and voting rights protection
- Community solidarity essential in resisting oppressive policies

https://concernedclergy.org

Reverend Tony Alexander and Pastor David W. Green Sr. open with a critical discussion of Attorney General Pam Bondi's congressional testimony, highlighting the administration's disrespect toward lawmakers and Epstein victims. The hosts connect this behavior to broader themes of eroding democratic norms, from Trump's racist depiction of the Obamas to the lack of accountability for leadership misconduct. They examine the escalating foreclosure crisis (32% higher year-over-year) and its connection to rising homelessness, criticizing criminalization bills that punish poverty rather than addressing root causes. The conversation shifts to data center development across Indiana, including Meta's LEAP project announcement in Lebanon, analyzing wastewater concerns, infrastructure deals already in place, and questions about financial sustainability. The episode concludes with a discussion of IPS school board governance, opposing mayoral control and warning that appointed boards will serve developers' interests rather than children's education, potentially selling prime school properties for a dollar to build data centers.

TOPICS DISCUSSED:

0:10:25 - PAM BONDI CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY
- Attorney General Bondi refuses to apologize to Epstein survivors for DOJ's release of victim information
- Disrespectful treatment of congresswoman during questioning, calling it "theatrics" and "gutter" behavior
- Sets tone from top leadership showing lack of respect for fellow elected officials

0:14:44 - EROSION OF PRESIDENTIAL DECORUM
- Trump posted image depicting Obamas as monkeys with no accountability
- Previous era expected presidents to set standards and be examples for young people
- Current administration demonstrates "any and everything goes" with no consequences
- Double standard: they demand respect but won't give it

0:18:20 - YOUNG PEOPLE WATCHING & LEARNING
- Young men watching Trump with envy, emulating disrespectful behavior
- Leadership modeling that you can say/do anything without consequences
- Generational impact of normalized disrespect and lack of accountability

0:28:40 - LACK OF PUBLIC OUTRAGE
- Expecting massive crowds demanding accountability - not materializing
- Where are calls for resignation over racist behavior toward Obama?
- Media giving casual coverage: "he probably shouldn't have done that" then moving on
- Should be broad coalition (white and Black) saying "enough is enough"

0:31:46 - EPSTEIN VICTIMS & SEX TRAFFICKING
- Indianapolis sex trafficking ring broken up this week
- Children still being victimized even if not at Epstein's level
- Republicans and others disappointingly ignoring victims at hearing
- Need to stand up for vulnerable children

0:39:27 - CRIMINALIZING HOMELESSNESS
- Trump brought National Guard to D.C. to "get rid of homeless" - just moved them elsewhere
- Indiana Senate bill criminalizing homelessness targeting Marion County/downtown
- Fines and jail time for being poor creates criminal records
- "There must be no line" - what would trigger impeachment or removal anymore?

0:42:18 - FORECLOSURE CRISIS & CONNECTING THE DOTS
- U.S. foreclosure rates up 32% year-over-year (every month increasing)
- Many homeowners have jobs but can't keep up with rising costs
- Homeowners insurance, utilities, property taxes, healthcare forcing impossible choices
- Seniors who built communities now struggling after doing everything right

0:46:36 - HOUSING CRISIS RIPPLE EFFECTS
- More foreclosures → more homeless people
- More empty homes → more crime
- Homes sold to big conglomerates not vested in community
- Then home prices go up, rents go up
- "We're trying to connect these dots for y'all"

0:49:41 - DATA CENTERS & HOUSE BILL 1333
- HB 1333 would take away local control for data center rezoning
- Bill died for now but language could pop back up before session ends
- Every corner of Indianapolis and Indiana dealing with data center development

0:50:48 - META DATA CENTER ANNOUNCEMENT
- Governor Braun announced Meta data center at LEAP project in Lebanon
- Citizens Energy Group meeting about water supply for Eli Lilly and Meta projects
- Wastewater from data centers returns to Eagle Creek with different toxics
- Data centers release different chemicals into water - community needs answers

0:51:18 - DATA CENTER PROLIFERATION
- Locations: Shelbyville, Kokomo, Pike (withdrawn but not totally), Brightwood, east side
- "Everywhere we drive we'll be hitting a data center"
- Question: Will all of them make it? What happens to failed buildings?
- Where's money coming from for land, marketing, community meetings?

0:54:27 - INFRASTRUCTURE ALREADY IN PLACE
- Deals for substations and power already negotiated months ago
- Infrastructure separate from data centers themselves - "two different fights"
- Makes it easier for data centers to take advantage of tax breaks
- Companies not rolling the dice - infrastructure investment signals confidence

0:59:30 - IPS SCHOOL BOARD GOVERNANCE
- Opposition to mayoral control of IPS board (always position, not personal to current mayor)
- People should elect board members, not have mayor appointments
- Already lost right to elect judges, shouldn't lose school board elections too
- African Americans across sectors (board members, faith community, small business) oppose it

1:00:40 - RHETORIC ABOUT BLACK COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
- Critics claim lack of Black opposition means "you don't care about children"
- Unfair characterization - people working jobs, can't attend daytime statehouse meetings
- City council meetings at night show strong Black attendance
- Can't sacrifice keeping roof overhead to attend daytime legislative sessions

1:02:05 - REAL CAUSES OF IPS CHALLENGES
- Wasn't elected board that created current situation
- State legislation and appointed superintendents "carrying water" for certain agendas
- Elected board provided diversity of thought and education on issues like charter schools
- Mayor-controlled board will only please one person, like Pam Bondi answering only to Trump

1:03:12 - PROPERTY SELL-OFF CONCERNS
- IPS owns significant prime real estate inside 465
- Schools need to close, property will go to developers for $1
- Could sell for millions and invest in children (school lunches, summer programs)
- Instead developers get it cheap - "maybe building a data center on it"
- "Connect the dots, people"

https://concernedclergy.org

Reverend Tony Alexander and Pastor David W. Greene Sr. discuss Pastor Greene’s candidacy for Indiana State Senate District 29 and current threats to democracy and voter access. The show opens with Pastor Greene explaining the chaos surrounding candidate filings after Secretary of State Diego Morales’s office provided incorrect instructions to notaries, forcing multiple candidates statewide to refile their CAN-2 forms. Greene successfully refiled after initially being told his paperwork was invalid due to notary issues that were the state’s fault, not his.

The conversation shifts to voter suppression tactics, drawing parallels between ICE’s presence in Minneapolis (where federal forces demanded voter rolls as a condition for withdrawal) and Indiana’s decision to share voter information with the federal government. Alexander and Greene warn that proposals to station ICE agents at polling places represent an unconstitutional voter intimidation strategy targeting Democratic-leaning minority communities, similar to how local law enforcement is already prohibited from such activities.

Pastor Greene outlines his platform centered on affordability and community advocacy. His key issues include fighting data centers and the LEAP water project (with an upcoming meeting at New Augusta Middle School), addressing the housing and homelessness crisis, combating rising costs forcing seniors from their homes, and tackling the childcare access crisis as facilities close statewide. Representing Wayne Township and Pike Township (extending to the Hendricks County border near Brownsburg and Avon), Greene emphasizes he’s not a professional politician but a community advocate responding to people’s pain. He praises outgoing Senator JD Ford’s work and stresses the urgency of maintaining the seat in Democratic hands, as Republicans currently hold a 40-10 supermajority in the Indiana Senate.

By Topic

--------------------

0:00:53 - Introduction & Opening Prayer

- Hosts: Rev. Tony Alexander and Pastor David W. Greene Sr.

- Broadcasting from Praise Indy IndyGo Studios

- Opening prayer for leaders, homeless community, and listeners

0:03:55 - Candidate Filing Chaos: Secretary of State Problems

- Pastor Greene running for Indiana State Senate District 29

- Forced to refile CAN-2 form due to Secretary of State office errors

- Notaries given incorrect instructions by Morales’s administration

- Multiple candidates statewide affected (Hamilton County, Marion County, others)

- Greene’s original filing valid but had to refile anyway

- Attorney involvement and concerns about deliberate obstacles

- Pattern of state offices creating barriers to Democratic candidates

0:14:03 - Voter Suppression: ICE, Voter Rolls, and Minneapolis Parallels

- Indiana already shared voter information with federal government (it was optional, state chose to do it)

- ICE in Minneapolis demanded voter rolls as condition for troop withdrawal

- Federal demands had nothing to do with immigrants - purely about election control

- ICE presence designed to target Democratic-heavy locations

- Trump administration wants Republican Party to control elections

- Indiana has lowest voter turnout in nation - fraud claims are fabrication

0:17:05 - ICE at Polling Places: Unconstitutional Intimidation

- Proposals to station ICE agents at voting centers

- Local law enforcement already prohibited from polling place presence

- ICE presence would deter minorities, people with records, anyone afraid of federal agents

- Deliberate strategy to suppress Democratic turnout

- Creating hoops and obstacles to discourage civic participation

0:28:30 - Caller Discussion: Filing Process and Campaign Support

- Caller asks about filing experience and campaign

- Discussion of Greene’s community advocacy background

- Encouragement for campaign volunteers and support

0:40:22 - Why Pastor Greene Is Running: Platform and Priorities

- Community doesn’t have a voice - things done TO community, not WITH community

- Advocacy work addressing people’s pain and struggles

- AFFORDABILITY as central theme:

* Seniors forced from homes due to insurance, mortgage, utility cost increases

* Can’t choose between healthcare and housing

* Child care crisis: facilities closing statewide, costs forcing parents to stay home

* Housing and homelessness: stable housing creates stable communities

- Eagle Creek/LEAP water project concerns

- Upcoming meeting: Tuesday 6:30pm at New Augusta Middle School

- Not a professional politician - running with heart of community

0:44:00 - Senate District 29 Boundaries

- Wayne Township and Pike Township in Marion County

- Extends to Hendricks County border (before Brownsburg/Avon)

- Raceway area included

- JD Ford’s current seat (Ford running for Congress)

0:46:30 - Campaign Strategy and November Stakes

- Currently 40 Republican senators, 10 Democratic senators

- Must not lose ground - goal is 12-13 Democratic seats

- District 29 key battleground (Republican Ruckelhaus likely opponent)

- Greene praises JD Ford’s work overcoming gerrymandering

- Need to continue Ford’s advocacy legacy

0:55:33 - Healthcare Costs Discussion

- Prescription medication prices affecting all demographics

- Healthcare deserves full dedicated episode

- Promise to revisit topic soon

0:56:04 - Campaign Contact Information & Closing

- Website: greene4hoosiers.com

- Email: pastor@voteforgreene.com

- Visit site for priorities and bio

- Proven community leader ready to do work together

- “Don’t be mean - vote for Greene”

- Warning: Mean-spirited legislation coming July 1st

- Promise to have legislators discuss legislative session pain after it concludes

- Next show: Live 7pm next Wednesday; on PIN afterward

By Topic

----------------------------

0:00:00 - Opening & Program Information

- Concerned Clergy membership information (text JOINCCI to 317-588-0157)

- Saturday meetings at 9 AM announcement

- Call-in number: 317-480-1310

0:01:22 - Upcoming Podcast & Media Expansion

- Announcement of new podcast launching soon

- Partnership with Progressive Indiana Network via Substack

- Platform expansion plans

0:02:20 - Primary Season Reminder

- Encouragement to pay attention to candidates on the ballot

- Promise to share candidate information throughout primary season

0:02:46 - Opening Prayer

- Prayer for Minneapolis situation

- Prayer for leaders at national, state, and local levels

0:03:50 - New Police Chief Tanya Terry

- Mayor Hogsett’s appointment of Indianapolis’s first female police chief

- Previous Chief Chris Bailey elevated to deputy chief of staff

- Historic nature of the appointment

0:04:23 - Challenges Facing New Chief

- Proposed legislation on bail increases

- Changes to General Orders Board

- State taking away downtown policing from IMPD

- ICE operations increasing in Indianapolis

0:05:40 - Building Community Trust

- Need for relationship between chief and community

- Balancing FOP (Fraternal Order of Police) relationships with community needs

- Chief must navigate both police union and community interests

0:10:38 - General Orders Board Under Attack

- State legislators proposing elimination of civilian oversight board

- Indianapolis previously recognized for strong community-police relationship

- Challenge of maintaining community involvement if board is eliminated

0:11:35 - FOP vs. Community Accountability

- FOP resistance to citizen involvement in police oversight

- Community desire for justice and accountability

- Contrast between union protection and community needs

0:12:42 - Minneapolis Connection

- Discussion of justice and investigation needs

- Reference to Minneapolis incidents as example

0:14:08 - State Legislative Attack on Marion County

- Pattern of state legislature targeting Marion County specifically

- Downtown police district creation proposal (Senate Bill 185)

- State police would control downtown area instead of IMPD

0:15:51 - Homeless Criminalization Bill (SB 285)

- Bill criminalizing homelessness passing Senate

- Targeting Marion County homeless population specifically

- Connection to downtown police district plan

0:16:33 - Jurisdictional Confusion

- Problems created by having state police downtown and IMPD elsewhere

- Boundary disputes and “passing the buck” on responsibility

- Chaos from having two different law enforcement philosophies in same area

0:18:32 - Local Control vs. State Interference

- State legislators from outside Marion County making local decisions

- Call for people to run for local office if they want to fix local issues

- Criticism of outsiders trying to control Indianapolis

0:24:29 - ICE Operations in Indianapolis

- ICE presence increasing in numbers

- Potential conflicts with new chief’s approach

- Connection to state police downtown plan

0:26:59 - ICE Detention Facility North of Kokomo

- Recently announced ICE detention facility location

- Federal bill includes five courtrooms for immigration cases

- Marion County Sheriff’s involvement with ICE

0:28:01 - Different Policing Philosophies on Immigration

- Previous Chief Bailey’s position: IMPD won’t do ICE’s job

- State police have different approach - align with federal government

- Creates problems with split jurisdiction downtown

0:29:19 - Minneapolis ICE Shootings - Federal Accountability

- Minneapolis chief and leaders facing investigation for speaking out

- Use of investigation as intimidation tool against local leaders

- Warning about federal government’s tactics

0:32:31 - Media Control & Narrative Management

- Trump administration buying up media stations

- Removing reporters who don’t align with preferred narrative

- Control of communications to control the story

0:33:34 - Community Safety Networks

- Need for neighbors to watch out for each other

- Importance of reporting suspicious ICE-related activity

- Community vigilance and mutual aid

0:36:37 - Minneapolis Shooting Details

- Federal government blocked local and state law enforcement from scene

- Took car, weapon, people, body - all evidence

- Only citizen documentation revealed the truth

0:39:19 - Indiana Law Restricting Police Recording (2025)

- New law requiring distance when filming police with cell phones

- Designed to prevent close-up documentation like in Minneapolis

- Protects law enforcement narrative control

0:39:46 - Importance of Transparency & Documentation

- Body cameras and citizen recordings essential for truth

- Public trust requires transparency

- Video evidence prevents false narratives about victims

0:41:17 - Video as Path to Justice

- Only way families get justice is through documentation

- Minneapolis example: federal government controlled all evidence

- Citizen footage contradicted official story

0:45:24 - Second Minneapolis Victim Discussion

- Similar pattern: federal narrative contradicted by citizen video

- Importance of multiple camera angles

- Frame-by-frame analysis revealing truth

0:51:47 - News Organizations Analyzing Footage

- Multiple news outlets dissecting citizen footage

- Frame-by-frame and second-by-second analysis

- Information wouldn’t exist without citizen documentation

0:52:26 - Media Literacy & Truth

- Importance of knowing where information comes from

- Question: Can you trust your information sources?

- Federal law enforcement credibility in question

0:52:55 - Validating Information Sources

- Need to validate resources and where information originates

- President’s group buying stations and controlling news

- Reporters being removed for not aligning with narrative

0:53:20 - Communications Control Strategy

- Controlling communications to control the narrative

- Preventing objective opinions

- Social media algorithms being manipulated

0:54:15 - Concerned Clergy’s Information Mission

- Commitment to providing trustworthy information

- Not running from tough issues but engaging them

- Willingness to have difficult discussions even when disagreement exists

0:56:19 - Podcast Launch Details (Reprise)

- Progressive Indiana Network partnership

- Substack platform

- Sharing truth and addressing real issues

0:58:12 - Closing Remarks

- Stay warm and safe

- Be alert for neighbors and unwanted activities

- Call the hotline number if you see suspicious ICE activity

- Reminder to tune in next week