Crooked Politics in Northwest Indiana

Defined by a tangled web of deception for more than a century, Northwest Indiana s political culture involved secret handshakes, tapped phone calls, backroom deals and murder. Found submerged in his car with a rock on the gas pedal, city official Babe Lopez s execution-style murder rocked East Chicago. Shot and killed at a political fundraiser, power broker Jay Given s murder occurred while four hundred guests mingled in a neighboring room. Former Lake Station mayor Keith Soderquist stole thousands of dollars from his reelection campaign and the city s food pantry account to gamble at local casinos. Author Jerry Davich explores the hidden political scandals and highly publicized court cases of public servants once sworn to serve and protect.