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The Sharon McBride Chronicles & The Lack Of Accountability Within The Democratic Party
- Logan Foster
- Mar 27
- 7 min read
The Sharon McBride Chronicles & The Lack Of Accountability Within The Democratic Party
Date: 03/27/25
Author: Logan Foster
South Bend Council Democrat Faces Layers of Scandal, Legal Troubles
South Bend Council democrat and former President Sharon McBride has found herself under intense scrutiny in the past year, with allegations and controversies surfacing that question her leadership and integrity. From financial irregularities to residency violations, the cases against McBride have piled up since February 2024. Here’s an exhaustive look at the unfolding scandals for those of you who may have been curious, but did not know where to begin.
McBride’s Background
Sharon McBride entered South Bend’s political scene in February 2018 when she was elected to fill the vacant 3rd District seat left by Councilman Randy Kelly. Kelly, pressured by the St. Joseph Democratic Party due to residency issues, resigned, clearing the way for McBride. She subsequently won general elections in both 2019 and 2023.
Parallel to her Council role, McBride served as the Director of St. Joseph County’s Ducomb Center, a community correctional facility, from 2011 until her termination in 2024. During her tenure, the facility came under fire for severe operational mismanagement, setting the stage for her current legal troubles.
A Few of the Allegations Regarding the Ducomb Center
McBride’s lack of competent leadership at the Ducomb Center led to a staggering list of alleged wrongdoings which were revealed during a St. Joseph County Commissioners meeting on February 20, 2024. Some of the alleged wrongdoings include:
McBride Paid Her Mother $105K In 2023: Public records showed that McBride’s 80-year-old mother, Delores Walker, earned $105,604.14 in 2023, making her the 15th highest-paid employee in the county. This raised eyebrows, especially when it was revealed that $47,924 of this sum came from overtime.
Overtime Mismanagement: Reports indicate that McBride terminated four staff positions at the Ducomb Center while remaining short-staffed and reliant on excessive employee overtime. County records show overtime payments exceeding $274,000 in 2023 alone.
Clocking Exemptions: The misuse of time-tracking systems adds another layer to McBride’s controversies. Records show McBride and her mother were among five employees exempt from clocking in and out, a red flag given Walker’s substantial overtime pay.
County Credit Card Misuse: Allegations have also arisen outside of the February meeting suggesting McBride may have used her county-issued credit card to cover City Council business or personal trips. An investigation is reportedly ongoing relating to that matter.
Residency Violations
Another significant controversy revolves around McBride’s residency, a critical requirement for her position as a 3rd District common council member under Indiana Code § 36-4-6-2. The law is clear that council members must reside within the district they represent for at least six months before the election and throughout their term.
Under oath during court testimony (cause number 71D07-2108-CT-000327), democratic council member McBride admitted that she had not resided in her district since September 2020, instead living with her mother, Delores Walker, in the 2nd District. Public records and sworn testimony revealed that McBride paid rent to her mother during this time, with signed receipts totaling $11,700 over 22 months, establishing a transactional landlord-tenant relationship in South Bend's 2nd District.
Adding to the evidence are utility records from McBride’s 3rd District home. Between April and October 2024, trash and water usage at the property was virtually nonexistent, with McBride's trash not taken out 27 weeks out of a 29 week period. These records further corroborate claims that McBride did not live at her listed address.
South Bend’s municipal code (Article 1, Sec. 2-1) is unequivocal on this matter, stating that: "and for all persons to be eligible to run for the office of District Council Member shall have resided in such district for the last six (6) months preceding the general election. Should any Council Member representing any district cease to be a resident of such district during his or her term of office, such office shall thereby become immediately vacant."
Potential Mortgage Fraud
Redress South Bend has also connected McBride to possible mortgage fraud and tax violations. McBride has continued to claim a homestead deduction on her 3rd District property despite not residing there. McBride refinanced her 3rd District mortgage with Notre Dame Federal Credit Union on 07/31/2024. Standard mortgage language requires borrowers to reside in their homes for 12 months after closing. McBride has not fulfilled this owner occupied requirement on her publicly available mortgage. "6. Occupancy. Borrower must occupy, establish, and use the Property as Borrower's principal residence within 60 days after the execution of this Security Instrument and must continue to occupy the Property as Borrower's principal residence for at least one year after the date of occupancy, unless Lender otherwise agrees in writing, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld, or unless extenuating circumstances exist that are beyond Borrower's control."
**Additionally, questions need to be answered on how McBride's home, which is uninhabitable, qualified for a refinance and passed strict inspections. It should be noted that McBride was promptly hired by Notre Dame Federal Credit Union after her very public termination from the Ducomb Center and currently holds the position of "credit councilor." McBride received her refinance through Notre DameFCU, where Tom Gryp, the Credit Union's President sits on Common Council committees. Redress South Bend is not making any accusations, just hoping questions can be answered. Redress brought these questions directly to NDFCU last year and did not receive a response.
McBride's Insurance Company Believes She Left The 3rd District
Lawyers and insurance professionals make the case that McBride left the 3rd District. On 12/02/2024 Citizens Insurance Company of the Midwest And Hanover Insurance Company filed a motion for summary judgement relating to ongoing litigation with Sharon McBride. In the 39 page Memorandum in Support of their motion, the defendant insurance company made the following claims relating to McBride's residence:
"She (McBride) even misrepresented her temporary housing intentions to Defendants and has instead been living with family since September 2020."
"McBride never informed Defendants about her intentions to remain with her mother indefinitely and has never facilitated repairs to the interior of the home despite having an estimate from the same contractor who performed her roof repairs. Four years is far beyond a reasonable length of time to complete for repairs to the Residence,..."
"McBride has made no efforts to begin repairs to the interior of her home, which have now been festering at this point for over four years."
"McBride and her dog moved in with McBride’s mother, Delores Walker, on or around September 1, 2020. Ex. A at 55:25-56."
"McBride has claimed rental expenses from staying with her mother, Dolores Walker, who has charged McBride rent each month McBride has stayed with Walker since September 1, 2020. Ex. A at 88:8-89:1."
"Walker tenders a hand-written invoice to McBride, and McBride pays her in cash each month. Ex. A at 89:6-14. The invoices are either for $500 or $600, with $500 accounting for baseline monthly rent and $100 charged extra for “dogsitting” during certain months. Ex. L (Invoices from Walker)"
"McBride did not report that she was paying her mother to live with her to Defendants; rather, she reported to Defendants that she was seeking temporary housing through Airbnb rather than a hotel to accommodate herself and her dog, a large mastiff."
"Defendants sent McBride a check for $2,842.87 to cover the Airbnb expenses. Ex. A at 59:1-6."
"McBride never stayed at the Airbnb. Ex. A at 42:10-13; 60:1-7."
"McBride maintains that the earlier issued $2,842.87 check for the Airbnb does not count toward her temporary living expenses. Ex. A at 89:19-90:12."
State-Level Investigations
The Indiana State Police launched two investigations into Sharon McBride’s actions in 2024.
Ducomb Center Allegations (Case No. 24ISPC010841): This investigation, initiated by St. Joseph County, focuses on financial mismanagement and improprieties at the Ducomb Center.
Residency and Fraud Claims (Case No. 25ISPC000535): Initiated by Redress South Bend, this investigation centers on McBride’s alleged election fraud, mortgage fraud, and homestead tax violations.
Both cases have been handed over to a special prosecutor for further evaluation, signaling the potential severity of the charges against McBride.
Civil Legal Challenges
On January 27, 2025, Brian S. Collier, a 3rd District resident, filed a lawsuit seeking McBride’s removal from office due to her continued violation of residency requirements. The lawsuit has faced procedural delays, with multiple judges recusing themselves, leaving the case pending while both sides await for a new judge.
South Bend Common Council’s Response and a Call For Help
The South Bend Common Council’s Rules Committee, comprised of 3 democrats, voted unanimously (3-0) to dismiss the complaint against Democrat Sharon McBride, citing insufficient evidence to move forward with a hearing, despite substantial evidence being presented. This decision has sparked frustration among residents, leading many to question the council's impartiality. Adding to the controversy is the fact that all nine council members, along with the City Clerk and Mayor, are democrats, meaning all 11 elected officials in South Bend belong to the Democratic Party.
Responding to the issue, South Bend Mayor James Mueller's office stated, "The Common Council is a separate branch of city government, and I’d refer you to them for this matter. In general, Mr. Foster is not a reliable source of information. Councilmember Sharon McBride’s legal residence is in the 3rd district. Therefore, the allegations in this complaint have no merit.” Democratic Mayor Mueller and his office not only dismissed the allegations and evidence but also criticized the source of the complaint. Meanwhile, the Indiana State Police took the matter seriously enough to assign it to a special prosecutor.
This raises an important question: Shouldn't a Mayor, regardless of party affiliation, prioritize representing their constituents and upholding the municipal code? Instead, Mayor Mueller has consistently chosen to defend a fellow democratic official while disregarding the concerns of an engaged electorate. Such actions leave many questioning whether these are the principles democracy is meant to uphold.
Updates
Redress South Bend has been following the Sharon McBride controversy and developments closely, we will update you as we have more information relating to this story. Be sure to check www.RedressSouthBend.com regularly for updates!