Indiana
Mysterious “Protect Patients Indiana” group drops $50K on vague health care ads • Indiana Capital Chronicle
A vague television commercial streaming across Hoosiers’ screens during the airing of the Olympic Games seems to call for increased patient protections and less government regulation over health care. But details about “Protect Patients Indiana” are scarce, and the mysterious group — which has so far funneled more than $54,000 in ads — appears to be based out of state, in Ohio.
The 30-second ad features generic clips of doctors and patients inside hospitals. An off-camera narrator says Protect Patients Indiana “is committed to safeguarding our health care” by “reducing red tape, supporting local hospitals and their staff” and “ensuring access for all Hoosiers.”
A “join us” callout at the end of the video points viewers to a website under the same name.
Absent from the ad and website, however, is any information about Protect Patients Indiana, its financial supporters, or any other details about the group.
Though it’s not made clear in the campaign materials, the ad appears to be the work of Protect Patients Indiana, a limited liability company registered in Ohio in June.
It’s one of 83 LLCs or nonprofits created since 2023 by Cincinnati-based Langdon Law, according to Ohio’s Secretary of State.
The firm is run by David Langdon, described as a behind-the-scenes conservative lawyer, who over the last decade has quietly helped nonprofits and super-PACs pour millions of dollars into elections. Langdon did not return the Indiana Capital Chronicle’s request for comment.
Few details exist about Protect Patients Indiana
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) records indicate that Protect Patients Indiana purchased 39 ad spots to air between July 15 and Aug. 25 on WTHR, the Indianapolis NBC-affiliate.
Another 23 ad spots were purchased to air between July 15 and Aug. 31 on Indianapolis WXIN’s FOX 59.
The commercials are scheduled to run during local news hours, as well as throughout primetime evening shows like NBC Nightly News, Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy and coverage of the 2024 Olympic Games.
FCC records show the ads were purchased in early July by Denver-based M2 Placements LLC. Representatives from the group did not respond to the Capital Chronicle’s requests for comment.
Tim Phelps, vice president of Hathaway Strategies in Indianapolis, is listed as a contact for Protect Patients Indiana on the WXIN form. He is also listed as chairman of the group.
Reached via email Phelps didn’t provide additional details and only said in a statement that “Protect Patients Indiana is an organization that advocates for minimal government intervention, trust in healthcare providers and access to a range of healthcare options in every Indiana community.”
Story continues below.
Protect Patients Indiana
The wording mirrors the group’s website, which says its mission is to “advocate for minimal government intervention, trust in healthcare providers, and support for community hospitals.” That includes “safeguard(ing)” local health care services, addressing “workforce challenges,” and promoting policies that “protect and enhance access to care for all individuals across the state.”
A video of the TV ad is the first to pop up when visiting the website:
“When your life’s on the line, you shouldn’t have to worry if the local hospital is open, if there’s enough staff, or if government regulations will affect your care,” the narrator said in the video. “Four in 10 Hoosiers will need hospitalization this year. That’s why Protect Patients Indiana is committed to safeguarding our health care; by reducing red tape, supporting local hospitals and their staff, ensuring access for all Hoosiers. Protect Patients Indiana. Prioritizing health in every community, Join us.”
The hospitalization statistic is more than four times the state’s current hospitalization rate. According to the American Hospital Directory, there were roughly 653,000 hospital patient discharges in 2022, equal to about one in 10 Hoosiers.
An “issues” page on the website further highlights “staff shortages and workforce concerns” in Indiana’s health care system; concerns over rural hospital closures; Hoosiers’ “minimal appetite” for increased government regulation in health care; the “vital role” of community hospitals that provide essential services and preventive to low-income patients; and advocacy for “for policies prioritizing patient-provider relationships, fostering trust in healthcare institutions, and minimizing government interference in medical decisions.”
Both the Indiana Hospital Association and Hoosiers for Affordable Healthcare said they are not affiliated with the effort.
Website users are asked to sign an inconspicuous online petition to “secure the future of community healthcare in Indiana.” The form asks for a name, email, zip code and phone number.
No agents or contacts are mentioned anywhere on the advertisement or website. An inquiry into the website’s domain shows it was additionally registered anonymously.
What — who — is Langdon Law?
Currently, 72 of the LLCs or nonprofits created by Langdon are active, per Ohio records. Most were registered in 2023.
Protect Patients Indiana, along with the Nevada Jobs and Growth PAC LLC became effective June 5. Two other LLCs — the Ohio Christian Education Network LLC and the United States Christian Education Network LLC — were registered with Ohio’s Secretary of State during the last week of July.
Other organizations formed by Langdon since 2023 include: Working Ohioans Against Recreational Marijuana, Coalition to Restore American Values, Conservative Alliance of Republicans, Cambridge Digital Bible Research, and both an LLC and a PAC with the name Parents Against Stupid Stuff.
A 2015 report from Politico described Langdon as the “Suburban Ohio Lawyer Behind the Right’s Dark Money Machine,” and found that at least 11 groups connected to Langdon or his firm collectively spent at least $22 million on federal and state elections and ballot initiatives around the country between 2010 and 2015.
A Columbus Dispatch report, also from 2015, further described Langdon as “an unswerving legal warrior for conservative, often Christian, nonprofit organizations that together spend millions more to influence public policy and wield great influence among evangelical voters.”
Langdon was a lead author of a proposed amendment to Ohio’s constitution defining marriage as between a man and a woman, which voters passed in 2004. He’s also donated thousands of work hours to the Alliance Defending Freedom, a nonprofit Christian legal ministry that specializes in religious freedom cases.
While Langdon Law has donated thousands to political campaigns and committees in other states, no such donations appear in Indiana campaign finance records — though Langdon or the new LLC could still choose to do so ahead of the November election.
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SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WSBT) — The Indiana Attorney General has finished its investigation into Karl King Tower and issued a compliance order.
This is coming after a months-long investigation into the unsafe living conditions for residents at the apartments.
From December 2025 to January 2026, there were prolonged failures with the heating and a lack of heat for residents during winter conditions at Karl King.
The property owner provided a 20% rent credit for affected tenants and documentation related to health and safety issues.
Below is the agreement from the Attorney General:
- The owner must complete boiler and heating system improvements by September 30.
- The property is subject to a monitoring period for multiple years.
- The owner needs to provide on-site security, including cameras in common areas and monthly incident reports.
- The building needs an on-site property manager to address resident concerns.
BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT
The Attorney General has the authority to inspect the property and enforce compliance if commitments aren’t met.
It’s been a rough season for the Indiana baseball team, but the Hoosiers have one more shot to finish the season on a high note against Illinois this week.
Indiana (21-30, 7-20) has lost five straight contests and failed to qualify for the Big Ten Tournament after finishing outside the top 12 in the Big Ten, meaning Saturday’s game against the Illini will be the Hoosiers’ last.
And that may very well be the biggest surprise in all of the Big Ten, considering IU won 33+ games each of the last two years and finished above .500 in Big Ten play each of the last three seasons.
About Indiana
Indiana’s disappointing season is almost over after getting swept by in-state rival Purdue over the weekend. IU has lost four straight Big Ten series and hasn’t won a series in nearly a month.
Regardless of who is playing well and who’s not, don’t be surprised if the majority of the seniors get to play this weekend.
That probably wouldn’t be the case if Indiana were still able to qualify for the Big Ten Tourney, but with that out of the equation, expect to see the guys who might not ever play another competitive game of baseball get to see the field one last time.
The Hoosiers’ best pitcher is southpaw Tony Neubeck, who leads the team in wins, starts, innings pitched, and strikeouts. Neubeck has recorded back-to-back quality starts and could very well hear his name called in this June’s MLB Draft.
Offensively, the Hoosiers have proven they can score some runs, and despite getting swept last week, scored 21 runs against Purdue. IU’s top hitter is Jake Hanley, who leads Indiana’s offense in at-bats, hits, home runs, RBIs, total bases, and walks.
About Illinois
Unlike Indiana, no matter what happens this week for Illinois, the Illini are automatically a lock for the Big Ten Tournament. Illinois might rest some of its everyday players who have played a lot and have some of its top arms on pitch counts, but outside of that, expect the Illini to play this series like it’s their last.
Illinois still has a chance to move up a spot in the Big Ten, and there’s no denying the fact that seeding matters.
Illinois (27-23, 13-14) has won five in a row but has struggled on the road this season, especially in Big Ten play.
Still, though, Illinois has a couple of solid relievers — Sam Mommer and Sam Reed — and has an ace in Aidan Flinn.
Offensively, the Illini are inconsistent but did manage to score 26 runs in three games against Northwestern and have a couple of power hitters in AJ Putty and Collin Jennings.
Series Schedule
Thursday, May 14th (6 p.m. ET)
Friday, May 15h (6 p.m. ET)
Saturday, May 16th (2 p.m. ET)
All three games are available to watch via the Big Ten Network Plus (BIG+).
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A colleague at lunch recently proclaimed that my columns are negative, critical, lacking in affirming values. He didn’t use all those words, but I cut him short.
OK, this week, I’m offering a verbal bouquet to the Indiana State Department of Health. I’m presuming that was the agency identified in a text to me from my IU Health Care Team containing a “Full Screening Form” from SDOH.
Of course, I don’t recognize any IU Health Care Team. I do have a physician who practices at one of the ever-expanding IU Health facilities. From time-to-time he sends me on excursions through the labyrinth of departments, labs, or orifices of that serpentine organization. But I know no team.
The “Full Screening Form” from SDOH came in two sections. First I was asked, “In the past year, have you or any family members you live with been unable to get any of the following when it was really needed?” There were five classes of items indicated: Food, Health care or medication, Housing, Transportation for health care or medication, and Utilities.
I presumed I could check any or all of these. But I selected, “No.” An added option was, “I choose not to answer this question.”
In the second section I was asked, “In the past year, have you been afraid or felt unsafe due to the following?” Choices: Partner or ex-partner, Family member or caregiver, Where you live. Once again I answered, “No” and was glad to see, “Choose not to answer.”
I was not able to identify my insecurity driving the bombed-pocked streets of my city.
Here we find our state government expressing concern about our welfare. These are important indicators of well-being and security. Collecting such information, matching with my characteristics which are already on file, and merging those responses into a well-structured, but confidential data base, could provide useful inputs for policy development.
Where did this come from? Is there leftover money from a Biden initiative? Did the Braun administration or the Indiana General Assembly come up with this independently? Is this a state-wide program or just a test exercise to look (excuse the word) progressive?
Whatever the genesis, this is important and noteworthy. Most of us, faced with any of the conditions enumerated, would be hesitant to admit such concerns. But efforts to overcome that reluctance can be beneficial and prevent tragedy. If the data can be used and if useful, are used.
However, if the at-risk population fails to respond, we’re no better off. If the SDOH has no funding to follow-up itself or if local resources are insufficient to do the job, then we’ll know the need and have failed to provide help.
I look forward to the SDOH reporting on the success of this program. If they only notify my doctor of my well-being… I won’t say it. That would be negative.
Mr. Marcus is a research economist formerly with the Kelley School of Business at IU. Contact him at mortonjmarcus@gmail.com. Listen to Morton with John Guy on the podcast Who Gets What? at mortonjohn.libsyn.com
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