State ethics watchdog plans to leave office

After 10 years on the job, Indiana's top ethics watchdog is planning to leave office.

Indiana Inspector General David Thomas confirmed Monday that he plans to resign sometime this year.

His departure became public this week when he filed a request asking the State Ethics Commission for permission to work as a special prosecutor and to provide legal advice to a private college.

Thomas didn't name any potential employers, but said recent discussions with judges and prosecutors in the Wabash Valley led him to believe they would likely assign cases to him if he expressed an interest.

Special prosecutors typically handle cases in which the elected county prosecutor has a potential conflict of interest. Thomas said his interest in the job increased after a change to state law allowed special prosecutors to work full-time instead of part-time.

He also has inquired about providing legal advice to a private college "in order to perhaps receive health insurance benefits," he said.

"Being a prosecutor in any forum would be of interest to me for the remainder of my career, as I am 53 years of age and need to continue working for some time," Thomas wrote in his request.

Thomas said he doesn't believe Indiana's conflict-of-interest and post-employment rules would prohibit such future employment. But he said he wanted to seek a formal opinion from the commission, given his preliminary discussions with potential employers.

"I'm going to be here at least several months," he said. "But I want to be very transparent and come to the ethics commission to disclose the discussions I've been having."

The ethics commission is scheduled to take up Thomas' request at its Thursday meeting.

Thomas, a former Clay County prosecutor, became the state's first inspector general when the office was created under then-Gov. Mitch Daniels in 2005. Since then, the office has pushed for criminal charges or ethics complaints in more than 100 cases. It also has recommended nearly 20 legislative changes adopted by the General Assembly.

Thomas said Monday that establishing the office was "the highlight of my legal career."

Call Star reporter Tony Cook at (317) 444-6081. Follow him on Twitter: @indystartony.