Nothing beats getting ticked off at the press when you’re asked about a likely contentious issue that will dog your campaign all the way through the fall.  Nice work Ms. Pence.  You can expect, and get better from Deputy A.G. Greg Zoeller than this.  From Indystar.com:

Linda Pence, the Democratic nominee for attorney general, has come under fire — particularly by some conservative blogs — because she was the attorney for a paving company that was involved in a 1999 sidewalks-for-votes corruption scandal in East Chicago.

When she announced her candidacy, Pence was asked by a reporter from The Times of Northwest Indiana whether she would continue the ongoing civil racketeering case against former East Chicago Mayor Robert Pastrick.

Pence said she’d have to review the case.

She didn’t mention her client — an omission that drew the attacks from the blogs and criticism from the Times editorial page.

Pence, though, defended herself in an interview with The Indianapolis Star.

“I never hid anything in my life,” she said indignantly.

Rieth-Riley, she said, was one of many defendants in a civil — not criminal — lawsuit that grew out of the investigation. It is, she said, an excellent company with a good reputation that has done paving work in Indiana for decades. It was referred to her after the company’s regular law firm had to pull out because of a conflict of interest.

The firm was among 27 individuals and contractors sued by Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter in 2004. So far, seven defendants have settled, including Rieth-Riley, which settled in 2007, paying $625,000.

Pence said she could not discuss details because of attorney-client privilege but said companies often settle cases not because they have done something wrong but because it’s less expensive to put the matter to rest than to litigate.

“I had no involvement in the criminal case,” she said.

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