Snyder put Portage, Indiana, on the map. Just not the way he envisioned. (2024)

In true James Snyder fashion, he replied almost immediately to my text message.

I reached out to him after the U.S. Supreme Court reversed his 2021 conviction for federal funds bribery by reinterpreting the $13,000 payment Snyder received from a city contractor as a “gratuity,” not subject to federal prosecution.

Since I first met the former Portage mayor nearly 15 years ago, he has been remarkably responsive to my texts, calls, emails and face-to-face encounters. He never once ducked me or blew me off despite his dire circ*mstances regarding nearly a decade of dogged pursuit by federal prosecutors and all the legal entanglements that came with his complicated court case.

Within minutes, or sometimes seconds, Snyder had always responded to my questions and requests for a comment. Thursday’s text exchange was no different.

We initially met in 2011 on the front porch of my former Portage home when he first campaigned for office. Snyder knocked on my door with a police officer at his side, asking for my vote. It didn’t matter to me his political party affiliation, Republican, to lead the third largest city in Northwest Indiana, where I had lived for more than 30 years.

Snyder was confident, enthusiastic, outgoing and smiling. Always smiling. Every time I met him afterward — at public events, municipal meetings, casual run-ins and campaign trails — he exuded those same personality traits. This continued even after federal investigators began sniffing around his office as he successfully ran for re-election in 2015.

“I’m a little more measured than I used to be, but I’m still very excited,” Snyder told me that year.

The married father of four appeared giddy to remain in public office, and ever-optimistic about his future. Snyder has always felt positive about himself, his mayoral achievements, and his lengthy court battle against public corruption charges. It's a common crime in our notorious Region.

“I believe Snyder is convinced he’s innocent of all charges against him by federal authorities. Convinced. Nothing less,” I wrote in a 2017 column.

Many of his supporters have felt the same way since his indictment, repeatedly characterizing the relentless prosecution of his case as unfair persecution.

“He has been vilified in the press and the rumors have only gotten worse and worse,” said Stewart McMillan, a prominent 70-year-old businessman from Valparaiso.

“The facts of what actually happened have been twisted to where they do not at all carry any measure of truth. What is it that people want to assume the worst of everyone?” McMillan asked. “What is so disgusting — and I have seen it firsthand — is how the government can lie in presenting their case and yet if a citizen lies they get threatened with perjury and jail.”

McMillan, who’s been in Snyder’s camp “since day one,” said he would have never believed the risk that every American takes every day of becoming a target of the federal government.

“I shudder to think how many people have been forced to plead guilty and be marked for life because they did not have the financial resources to take on Uncle Sam,” McMillan said.

McMillan has been a longtime donor to Snyder’s legal defense fund, joining a notable list of other deep-pocketed donors who haven’t been as outspoken as McMillan about his financial contributions. I asked him just how much money he has given to Snyder’s legal defense. McMillan declined to specify the amount.

It’s unclear exactly how much Snyder’s high-profile attorneys have been paid over the past several years, or who’s on the hook to pay what must be a staggering legal bill. It’s also unclear if the city of Portage will be asked for reimbursem*nt for some of those expenses, as Snyder previously requested, because he served as mayor at the time of the bribery charge.

During his nearly two-term stint as mayor, which ended in 2019 with his conviction, Snyder consistently told me that his goal was to put Portage, Indiana, on the map.

In his early State of the City speeches, he labeled 2012 as the “year of correction." The next year was the “year of communication” to better relate with residents, and 2014 was “year of construction.”

With the Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision this week in Snyder’s favor, I wondered if he would label 2024 as the year of redemption or vindication.

In hindsight, Snyder did indeed put Portage, Indiana, on the map. Just not the way he envisioned. The high court’s ruling — and his case — immediately appeared on every major news network in our country, including The Daily Show on Comedy Central.

“The Supreme Court made it even easier to bribe elected officials — oh sorry, to tip, elected officials,” quipped host Michael Kosta. “So if you give a politician money before they do a favor, it’s a bribe. But if you give it to them after, the Supreme Court says it’s a gratuity because they think we’re idiots.”

For Snyder supporters such as McMillan, this ongoing case and latest ruling is no laughing matter.

“His win was a total win for every American,” McMillan said. “It is not, as one justice commented, a reduction in the ability of the federal governments ability to prosecute.”

Snyder has been telling me this scenario for years; a win for him would be a win for any American who could be unfairly targeted by the federal government. I last heard from him in February when he sent me a text out of the blue with an attachment labeled “Snyder Brief” regarding his court case.

Through the years, he sent me similar texts or calls without much explanation. I understood that he sought favorable publicity for his court battle. Snyder has been continually resourceful, playing every card in his deck and a few surprise cards from his suit jacket sleeves.

But would he want to still talk to me after the Supreme Court’s ruling, when I had nothing to help his case? I sent him a text to find out. His quick reply didn’t say one word. It shared only the contact information for his attorneys.

When this newspaper contacted requesting comment for a story, Snyder declined. But he shared a photo taken that day of himself and his legal staff in front of the historic court building after the decision was announced. It’s the same photo he posted on his Facebook page, with supporters’ comments such as “Hooray for justice,” “Praise the Lord!” and “Glad you fought and won.”

In the middle of the photo, Snyder beamed his trademark smile, the same one he flashed on my front porch when he campaigned to put Portage on the map.