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Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett on Wednesday night said he does not think the city’s reputation will be harmed due to his administration’s response to sexual harassment allegations against his ex-chief of staff.
Hogsett was one of nine central Indiana mayors who participated in the Meet the Mayors event held by the Indy Chamber at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The event focused on economic development and business growth in area communities.
Along with Hogsett, Mayors James Coffman of Beech Grove, Sue Finkam of Carmel, Scott Furgeson of Shelbyville, Matt Gentry of Lebanon, Chris Jensen of Noblesville, John Stehr of Zionsville, Deb Whitfield of Lawrence and Scott Willis of Westfield spoke at Wednesday’s event in groups of three.
But Hogsett initially took to the stage alone to answer questions posed by Indy Chamber Chief Strategy Officer and Chief of Staff Taylor Hughes about the situation that has led to calls for his resignation by four Indianapolis City-County Council members.
An investigation by Atlanta-based law firm Fisher Phillips into how Hogsett’s administration handled sexual harassment allegations against his former chief of staff determined the administration’s response complied with law and did not violate city-county policy, but the probe did raise red flags about a workplace culture that it called “more of a fraternity or sorority … than emblematic of a business setting.”
Two of the women who accused former chief of staff Thomas Cook of harassment and were interviewed by Fisher Phillips told The Indianapolis Star that the law firm omitted key details and documents from the report, including “uncomfortable” text messages they had received from Hogsett and provided to investigators.
Hughes started his questioning by asking if Hogsett thinks the controversy is putting the reputation of Indianapolis at risk and how the mayor will focus on fulfilling the city’s potential while also managing calls for his resignation.
Hogsett said he does not expect the city’s reputation will take a hit due to “record accomplishments” the city has experienced over the past year, citing sporting events that attracted a record number of tourists and other visitors to the city. In 2024, Indianapolis hosted the NBA All-Star Game and the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials.
He also listed the $206 million Westin Indianapolis Airport hotel that is under construction at Indianapolis International Airport, a focus on addressing homelessness and affordable housing, increased road funding and the creation of the Indianapolis Local Education Alliance to support Indianapolis Public Schools as evidence that he “can stay focused in how I deal with sometimes a noisy situation.”
“And it’s unfortunate, frankly, that so much political rhetoric surrounds other things, but I can tell you what I focus on, and that is making Indianapolis work,” Hogsett said.
Hughes followed by asking Hogsett what specific actions he is taking to ensure that abuse survivors are heard, that appropriate action is taken and that safeguards are implemented to prevent future abuse.
Hogsett started by referencing the removal of a former Hogsett campaign employee from last week’s Indianapolis City-County Council meeting. Lauren Roberts, who has accused Cook of sexual harassment, was forcibly escorted out of the room along with two women who stood with her at the lectern after arguing with Council President Vop Osili over public comment time limits during council meetings.
“I think that it’s fair to say that what occurred at the City-County Council meeting a week ago Monday is regrettable, and that is why we are focused on moving the law forward in meaningful ways,” Hogsett said. “I will say that what worries me more than anything is that the political rhetoric and some of what I would consider to be ‘political footballism’ that has surrounded these issues are really moving us away from what we identified as the goal in the first place, and that is to do everything that we can to make our workplace as safe and as comfortable as we can possibly make it and make improvements in that regard, which, by the way, we had done over the course of the last year.”
Hogsett also noted a new system that allows employees to report harassment anonymously over a computer system.
“It’s all now by computer, and that protects the identity and the confidentiality and the anonymity of those who would bring concerns forward,” he said. “So, my worry is that the political rhetoric and the tone have taken away from the ultimate mission, and that is to do better than we had before and make the kind of changes that would make our work environment as safe as it possibly could be.”
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