Quick Facts
Biography
Steve Carter (born 1954) is a former attorney general of the state of Indiana, United States, elected 2000, reelected 2004. Carter was succeeded by his chief deputy in 2009. Carter was elected as President of the National Association of Attorneys General in 2005.
Carter is most noted for championing and enforcing the nation's strongest Do Not Call Law that protects more than 4 million consumers from unwanted telemarketing calls. Carter has testified before Congress about Indiana's law and has spoken to the Federal Communications Commission to protect Indiana's law from national preemption.
As a native of Lake County, Indiana (once referenced by US Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy as the nation's most corrupt county ) public corruption was a major focus during Carter's tenure in office.
While the federal government pursued and gained criminal convictions against East Chicago city officials, Carter pursued a civil RICO action (partnering with RICO expert Robert Blakey) on behalf of state and city residents that resulted in a $108 million dollar judgment against officials and a finding that the city was a corrupt enterprise.
When the result of the 2003 East Chicago mayoral primary was challenged by the losing candidate, Carter had the state intervene seeking a new election. The Indiana Supreme Court, for the first time in state history, ordered a special election leading to the defeat in 2004 of the 33 year incumbent. Upon referral to the local prosecutor of vote fraud evidence from the electoral challenge, the attorney general's office joined what became the state's largest vote fraud investigation. Over 40 individuals were eventually convicted in the joint prosecution by Attorney General Carter and Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter (no relation).
The Lake County, Indiana vote fraud investigation and prosecution was referenced in reporting on the 2016 presidential campaign.
Education
- J.D., Indiana University School of Law
- M.B.A., Indiana University School of Business
- Bachelor's degree, Harvard University
He is a Republican who was first elected in 2000 and then reelected in 2004. His hometown is Lowell, IN.