Mayor Peterson's Crusade against sex continues (OUTRAGEOUS)

[democraticinsurgent]

Shop with sexual themes closed; 2nd business sued

Mayor Bart Peterson on Thursday announced the closing of an illegal adult business across the street from a day care and the filing of a lawsuit against the owner for another adult business run out of her Northside home.

Peterson joined neighborhood leaders and police officials to discuss the closing of The Reformatory, a shop with sexual themes in the Chatham Arch neighborhood.

Melyssa Donaghy, the shop owner, attended the event and tried to ask questions. She said her shop was an art gallery that sold thousands of dollars worth of local art along with some domination and submission products.

Peterson also announced the city has filed suit against Donaghy for running an illegal home business out of her basement in the 4100 block of Central Avenue. An undercover police investigation allegedly found that clients were paying to take part in sexual activities, including sex-related torture.

Donaghy called the mayor a "hypocrite" for criticizing her gallery despite his programs that promote the arts.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051202/NEWS01/512020478/1006

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As a longtime former resident of Indianapolis I am totally dismayed with Peterson's obsession with sex clubs, adult stores, etc. What a TOTAL waste of taxpayer money. Melissa is a friend of my ex and by all accounts a wonderful human being who happens to own sex-related LEGAL businesses for consenting adults.

What ISN'T wrong with our government these days?

[hippiechick]

1. Bart's political ambitions are really turning him into a shithead.

You can tell he's trying really really hard to become the next Evan Bayh ... a mealy-mouthed 'family friendly' GOP lite DINO who can't make a decent decision.

Indiana politics needs a faction of old fashioned ass kicking DEMOCRATS to take over the party.

To the retirement home with all these inbred good ole' boys !!!

[IndianaGreen]

5. I hope you are wrong about Bart Peterson, whom I supported in the past

I must admit that this Taliban turn of his has me baffled and confused. The whole scene of the press conference outside Joan of Arc struck me as grandstanding, of the GOP kind.

I fear Peterson has hired a DLC lapdog as a political consultant and he is planning to run against Mitch in '08.

[hippiechick]

6. I hope I'm wrong, too IG ...

... but from what I've seen of and heard from him in the last year or so ... :puke:

[thinkingwoman]

2. Tell me more about the shop

this the first I've heard of her having a shop that was closed down.

As for the basement biz, however, she's legitimately busted on that one. Honestly, zoning is zoning. It's oppressive but not just against sexual businesses. Cutting hair or doing people's taxes would be violations of that as well. She took a risk and lost.

I am interested in the shop mentioned though, and the circumstances for that. Can you provide more info?

[democraticinsurgent]

3. dunno much about the store

i moved from indy to columbus ohio last spring and have never been there. i think it was a combination art gallery/fetish shop, probably not too unlike Priscilla's but with original artworks that were likely of a sexual nature.

as far as the basement thing is concerned, yeah, it's probably technically illegal. So too are many other home based businesses but you don't see the city coming afte them. this is selective persecution all over the place.

i agree with hippiechick re: Bart moving in the Bayh direction. What a lousy Democrat Evan has turned out to be. Pro War, Anti Video Game. What a disconnect! Bayh should know that video games are great training for future warriors...

Bart does not need to be so mainstream. He's a corporate Dem already but he would do better by going after traditional Dem issues rather than this namby pamby boy scout crap. It's a transparent appeal to the religious right and may help him statewide, but it may hurt him with his base.

[thinkingwoman]

4. I'm not fond of Bart either

and I agree that hippiechick has him pegged!

There are definitely home based businesses all over the place which are illegal. But cities will go after them if neighbors complain, which seems to have been the case here.

[SpeedwayDemocrat]

7. So many other unlicensed businesses out there...

what about all the unlicensed day care operators out there? Has Bart managed to clean all of them up already? Seems to me that you put the emphasis on the businesses were their activities can actually injure someone. What about all the violators who are running day care, elder care and nursing home facilities; many with multiple violations? Leave the adult entertainment businesses alone and focus your law enforcement areas affecting the young and elderly who cannot protect themselves.