When Indiana Gov. Mike Braun arrives for a big-ticket fundraiser in his honor at one of Hammond’s premier spots, Mayor Tom McDermott Jr. and whoever joins him will be jeering Braun on.
McDermott told the Post-Tribune Monday that a friend alerted him to Braun’s fundraiser at The Banc, a recently completed $20 million mixed-use development. He didn’t feel any particular way about it, though he wondered why someone who had nothing to do with The Banc would choose it as a venue, he said.
Then a second friend who called him later in the day let him know the price of admission, and where he didn’t care before, the eye-watering ticket price crawled under his skin, he said.
“Politicians have fundraisers all the time, but $10,000? I was just stewing,” McDermott said. “This is a development that I built; this guy had nothing to do with it. And I’ve reached out to him multiple times, and he’s never returned a phone call. I had relationships with Governor Holcomb and Daniels, but not this guy.”
McDermott got a hold of the event flyer, which says the event is being hosted by The Banc’s developers, NWI Development Group out of Michigan City and Asa Real Estate Development, and posted it to his social media page Saturday night. The event is being paid for, and donors can write their checks to, political action committee Indiana Victory Committee.
“Governor Braun is making his first appearance in Hammond to visit The Banc, a housing development my (democratic) administration delivered for downtown Hammond! But unless you’ve got $10,000 to spare, don’t expect to get in,” McDermott wrote in his post. “This isn’t a public visit — it’s a closed-door fundraiser for wealthy donors. Meanwhile, the families who actually live in Hammond and made this city strong are left outside.”
McDermott said his first post got around 20,000 hits, so he thought that was the end of it. On Sunday, however, his Chief-of-Staff, Scott Miller, said the post caught some unexpected attention.
“Sunday morning, Scott calls me and says he’s getting blown up by Braun’s people telling him I need to take the post down because they think it’s ‘a security risk,’” McDermott said. “That’s the reason I posted the second post: This is a First Amendment issue, and I’m not taking it down.”
McDermott in his second post said that he was asked to take the post down so “the Governor and his donors can drink and dine in peace without the inconvenience of the public being present.” He refused.
“There was nothing untrue in my original post. Nothing threatening. Nothing to be ashamed of. It simply stated the truth: Governor Braun is holding a swanky, closed-door fundraiser in downtown Hammond,” McDermott wrote. “The post stays (it’s been seen by over 50,000 people already).
“The First Amendment still works in Hammond. And if residents choose to exercise their constitutional rights peacefully, the Hammond Police Department will be there to make sure everyone stays safe. See you all on Tuesday at 5231 Hohman Ave., drinks start at 530pm!”
“I don’t think they’re happy about this,” McDermott added. “I don’t think he’ll actually show up if he sees protestors out there, but if he does, I will be there to greet him along with hundreds of my like-minded friends, and he gets to listen to us yelling while he eats his shrimp and lobster.
“Wrong city, wrong county, wrong mayor.”
Braun Spokesman Griffin Reid did respond to the Post-Tribune’s request for comment but was unable to provide a formal statement by press time.
McDermott later relayed that troopers with the Indiana State Police showed up at the Hammond Police Department Monday morning to question administrators about how they were going to handle protestors and safety. ISP Spokesman Sgt. Glen Fifield confirmed troopers went to the department but clarified the visit had nothing to do with any potential protest.
“Whenever the Governor makes an appearance anywhere, members of his detail, which includes ISP troopers, always check in with local police so they’re not caught off guard when he shows up,” Fifield said. “We’ve done that for as long as I can remember.”
No one affiliated with NWI Development group appears to have donated to the Indiana Victory Committee between 2023 and 2025, according to the Federal Election Commission website.
Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
