A November dispute at the St. Joseph County Republican Party’s monthly meeting has led to criminal charges against a party official.
Coming off their wins in the elections, the party’s November monthly meeting at a Mishawaka banquet hall should have been a moment for Republicans to celebrate. But prosecutors say things turned violent over a dispute between county council members Amy Drake and Dan Schaetzle.
Schaetzle reportedly had taken the mic to defend himself against Drake’s criticisms when Marvin “Joe” Layne, the party vice-chair, told him that his time to speak was over. When Schaetzle refused to yield the floor, prosecutors say Layne battered him.
Schaetzle later went to the hospital with back pain and then reported the incident to police.
Democratic County Prosecutor Ken Cotter’s office last week filed a misdemeanor battery charge against Layne. Court records say Layne is being served a summons to appear in court.
The party also is angry with Schaetzle for his moves this week to form a bipartisan power-sharing agreement with Democrats on the 5-4 Republican majority council. Schaetzle is president and two Democrats hold leadership positions.
On Thursday Republican Congressman Rudy Yakym issued a statement saying the party fought for decades to win control of the council, and finally did it in the 2022 elections, only to have Schaetzle “ignore the mandate he was elected to fill.”
