INDIANAPOLIS — Reporting from the Indiana Capital Chronicle revealed Secretary of State Diego Morales spent over $35,000 in taxpayer dollars to send laminated booklets and whistles to lawmakers and election officials.

Printing and shipping these booklets came out to a staggering $58.45 each, with the state spending over $800 alone on whistles and lanyards.

However, the third page of the booklet warns that the information within is not to be used as, “a legal resource, definitive guidance, or administrative directive.”

“Throughout his time as Secretary of State, Diego Morales has shown a complete disregard for taxpayer dollars, and this is just the latest example. Within his first year on the job in 2023, Diego hired his brother-in-law to a six figure salary in a newly created position, and later gave out over $300,000 of taxpayer dollars in spot bonuses, six times more than any other state office. Now, he’s wasted tens of thousands more dollars on 600-page booklets that can’t even be used for official purposes,” said Indiana Democratic Party Chairman Mike Schmuhl.

“It’s clear Diego has no respect for Hoosier taxpayers, and his waste will continue as long as his enablers remain in the Statehouse. From the $1 billion Medicaid shortfall to Diego’s shameless acts, Indiana Republicans are proving they are not the party of fiscal responsibility. The fastest way to bring accountability and transparency to the Statehouse is by breaking the Republicans’ excessive supermajority, and electing Jennifer McCormick as Indiana’s next governor.”