Grant County releases investigation into commissioner, forwards report to Indiana State Police and FBI
MARION, Ind. (WRTV) — Grant County Commissioners voted Wednesday to send a 30-page report to law enforcement alleging fellow commissioner Chuck Poling violated state and federal laws.
Grant County held a special meeting on Wednesday to release the results of an internal investigation that began in July 2026 after multiple county employees and elected officials complained about Poling’s conduct over the last few years.
“These complaints included, but were not limited to, Commissioner Poling offering an employee a raise if she voted for his candidate for commissioner, screaming at employees, threatening them with job loss, invading their personal space while yelling at them, jabbing his finger in their face and chest and getting so close to them they felt he might physically harm them,” read the report.
“On at least two occasions, employees complained that Commissioner Poling physically touched them by placing his arm around their shoulders and moving them into an enclosed environment away from cameras.”
The investigation found, for example, Poling approached a county employee and encouraged them to vote for a specific candidate.
Poling asked whether she was going to vote and then said, “if you vote for this guy, you would be able to get a raise,” according to the report.
Elected officials have been threatened with job loss by Poling, according to the report.
County Clerk Pam Harris reported that during the July 1, 2025, Clerk’s Office incident, Poling made threats toward herself and workers as he was being escorted from the building.
Harris stated that Poling threatened to “put her out on the street.”
Other witness statements from July 1, 2025, indicate Poling told a police officer that he would “have his badge,” demanded another employee’s name, and told that employee that if she kept it up he “would have her job,” according to the report.
The 30-page report will be shared with Indiana State Police and the FBI, who could choose to conduct a criminal investigation.
Edward Ormsby: “It’s about accountability, public integrity, workplace safety, and the duty of county government to respond when credible evidence when a public official has abused public office, intimidated public employees, misused county resources, interfered with lawful processes, committed public acts and placed the public trust at risk.”
It will also be shared with the Indiana State Board of Accounts, the state agency tasked with auditing local government.
Among the potential criminal violations alleged in the report are official misconduct, theft, fraud, intimidation, false informing, and stalking.
Witnesses stated that Poling used county employees for work for which he then invoiced the county through his sewer and drain business, obtained camera audio through false pretenses, and filed false and misleading disclosure statements, according to the report.
Poling voted no on releasing the report and declined to comment at the end of the meeting.
He has not responded to an email from Indiana’s I-Team.
Grant County Republican Chairman Nick McKinley issued the following statement regarding the investigation:
The findings and allegations contained in the investigative report concerning Commissioner Chuck Poling are deeply troubling and deserve to be taken seriously.
This report contains allegations, not criminal convictions, and Commissioner Poling is entitled to due process and the opportunity to respond to any allegations made against him. At the same time, due process does not require elected officials, political organizations, or the public to ignore the seriousness of what has been documented.
The allegations outlined in this investigation, including intimidation and retaliation against county employees, improper surveillance, potential conflicts involving county resources, alleged political coercion, and interference with the investigative process, are serious enough that they cannot simply be dismissed as ordinary political disagreements or workplace disputes.
Of particular concern is the report’s recommendation that evidence be referred to independent state and federal authorities, including the Indiana State Police, a conflict free prosecutor, the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Indiana State Board of Accounts. Independent review is the appropriate next step. Grant County residents deserve confidence that these matters will be investigated thoroughly, impartially and without political interference.
As Chairman of the Grant County Republican Party, my responsibility is not to protect an elected official simply because that individual has an ‘R’ beside his name. My responsibility must be to the principles we claim to represent: integrity, accountability, responsible stewardship of taxpayer resources and respect for the people who work for and are served by their government.
I also believe every county employee and witness who participated in this investigation must be protected from intimidation, harassment or retaliation. People should be able to report concerns about their government without fearing for their employment or personal wellbeing.
Let me be clear, the Republican Party must be willing to demand accountability from our own. Our standards cannot change depending upon whose name appears on the allegation.
I therefore support the referral of the matters identified in the report to the appropriate independent authorities for a complete investigation. Those agencies, not political officials or social media, should ultimately determine whether any laws were violated and whether additional action is warranted.
Grant County government belongs to the people of Grant County. Their trust must come before any individual officeholder, political relationship or party interest.
The allegations deserve a full investigation. The witnesses deserve protection. Commissioner Poling deserves due process. And the citizens of Grant County deserve the truth.
Click here to read the full report.
