Sixty-eight days.
That’s how long Thomas Cook, former chief of staff to Mayor Joe Hogsett, was allowed to remain in city government after he was asked to resign due to a relationship with a subordinate.
That’s one of the findings in a 54-page investigative report released May 29 by Ohio-based Fisher Phillips. The firm was hired by the City-County Council to investigate allegations made by three women who worked with Cook.
The probe was launched after Mirror Indy and IndyStar published articles describing how the women felt trapped and victimized working under Cook’s supervision.
The Hogsett administration acted lawfully and did not violate city-county policy in its handling of the allegations, the law firm concluded. But the firm also said the decision to allow Cook to remain in city government for two months after being asked to resign — and whether he used that time to negotiate contracts for personal gain — was worthy of further inquiry by the city’s legal staff.
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The firm noted in its findings that the scope of its inquiry was limited to the complaints’ allegations and a review of the city’s policies regarding sexual harassment. It was not hired to make a legal determination regarding Cook’s actions. Cook has not been charged with a crime.
The report was presented during a public meeting May 29 to an investigative committee made up of seven city-county councilors — five Democrats and two Republicans.
The law firm interviewed two anonymous complainants along with 10 current and former members of the mayor’s administration, including Hogsett himself.
The firm said it made repeated attempts to interview Cook but was unable to reach him. Cook also did not respond to Mirror Indy’s request for comment for this story and has not responded to previous emails and messages seeking comment.
When asked by a reporter after the meeting why the firm didn’t choose to exercise subpoena power in an attempt to interview Cook, committee chair Crista Carlino said that it wasn’t necessary given the body of evidence and witness statements collected by the firm.
“There were no criminal charges officially filed, so subpoena power didn’t need to be used,” said Carlino, a westside Democrat on the council.
Two of the women who reported Cook’s actions to Hogsett declined to comment when reached by Mirror Indy.
Elise Shrock and others hold signs up toward journalists. Credit: Jenna Watson/Mirror Indy 
Councilors Jessica McCormick (left) and Crista Carlino (right) listen to the presentation. Credit: Jenna Watson/Mirror Indy 
Councilor Joshua Bain reads through the report. Credit: Jenna Watson/Mirror Indy 
(From left) Lauren Roberts speaks via video call as Elise Shrock, Morgan Mickelson and Maggie Adams-McBride listen. Credit: Jenna Watson/Mirror Indy 
Elise Shrock, a Democratic communications strategist, holds up a sign toward journalists. Credit: Jenna Watson/Mirror Indy 
Councilor Jessica McCormick reads through the report. Credit: Jenna Watson/Mirror Indy 
Councilors Jessica McCormick (left) and Crista Carlino (right) talk during a recess. Credit: Jenna Watson/Mirror Indy 
Councilor Rena Allen (second from right) looks toward the crowd as someone holds a sign reading “believe survivors” on one side and “believe women” on the other. Credit: Jenna Watson/Mirror Indy 
Maggie Adams-McBride says “this is a joke,” while listening to the presentation. Credit: Jenna Watson/Mirror Indy
In a written statement immediately following the report’s release, Hogsett said that while he has not read the full contents of the report, it indicates that the investigations into Cook’s behavior were “handled appropriately and confidentially,” the statement read, in part.
“It remains crucial that the city has the best system in place for reporting, investigating, and dealing with harassment of any kind, which is why I will work with the City-County Council on how these recommendations may further strengthen efforts to create a safer, better workplace for everyone throughout the city’s operations,” Hogsett said.
The investigation took six months to complete and is expected to cost around $450,000. The council used $150,000 from its own budget and is requesting an additional $300,000 in city funds to pay the firm. The council is slated to vote on the fiscal appropriation at its June 9 meeting, council spokesperson Sara Hindi told Mirror Indy.
The firm offered the following recommendations in its report:
- Appointing an inspector general to investigate harassment allegations against county executives on an as-needed basis
- Removing the city’s Human Resources Division from the Office of Finance and Management and recreating it as an independent human resources board
- Amending city code to to create an independent Office of Equal Opportunity, which would move the city’s Office of Equal Opportunity out from under the Office of Corporation Counsel and establish it as a separate and independent office to handle sensitive allegations of harassment, discrimination and retaliation against political appointees and elected officials
- Promoting awareness of and access to the city-county’s reporting tool and investigatory processes for complaints of harassment and discrimination
The report also delved into the troubling workplace culture within the Hogsett administration.
Multiple people who were interviewed by investigators remarked on the “overly casual and at times professionally inappropriate workplace conduct” displayed by the administration, describing the work atmosphere as “more of a fraternity or sorority … than emblematic of a business setting,” according to the report.
Report met with backlash
During the meeting, two former city employees sat in the front row holding up signs that read “Abuse hasn’t stopped” and “Protect workers. Not Joe.”
They are Morgan Mickelson, former director of the Indianapolis Office of Sustainability, and Maggie Adams-McBride, a former project manager in the mayor’s office. They declined to speak to reporters following the meeting.
At one point during the meeting, Elise Shrock, a communications strategist involved in Democratic politics, connected on FaceTime with Lauren Roberts, one of Cook’s accusers, and put her on speakerphone to ask why the report hadn’t yet been made public, prompting the committee to take a brief recess.
Roberts came forward in 2017 to report harassment against Cook that she said occurred while she was working for Cook on the Hogsett campaign from 2014-2015. After an investigation, Hogsett ordered Cook not to have any further relationships with subordinates and said doing so would result in his termination, the law firm said.
The meeting was initially marred by technical difficulties. Fisher Phillips partner Danielle Kays presented the report via Zoom from Chicago on behalf of the law firm, but she was difficult to hear at times.
When asked after the meeting if the committee considered having the law firm give its findings in person, Carlino said the committee decided against it as a cost-saving measure.
Councilor Brian Mowery, a southside Republican, said the firm should have presented in person given the nearly half-a-million dollar price tag of the investigation.
Cook did not seek ethics waiver
Cook resigned in December 2020 after the mayor learned that Cook had a relationship with a subordinate. Soon after, he was named a partner at Indianapolis-based law firm Bose, McKinney & Evans, where he landed consulting contracts with the city.
This caught the attention of Fisher Phillips, which noted in its report that Cook did not request nor was he granted a post-employment waiver from the city’s Office of Corporation Counsel to personally contract with the city or provide legal services to a third-party developer.
Getting that waiver “may have been legally necessary,” the firm noted, citing state laws around conflict of interest.
Hogsett told Fisher Phillips that he did not help Cook obtain the position at Bose, McKinney & Evans.
The firm also noted that given Cook’s previous reprimand in 2017, the mayor’s decision to allow Cook to resign in 2020 rather than being terminated “would reasonably cause the city-county’s decision to be questioned.”
The firm also said it was unclear what projects Cook worked on during the 68 days he stayed on after he was asked to resign, and Hogsett said he could not recall the specific nature of the work.
In February 2022 and April 2023, the Indianapolis Local Public Improvement Bond Bank contracted with Cook to provide services in connection with the redevelopment efforts around the former City Hall building on Alabama Street and the Indianapolis Heliport. Hogsett, who is responsible for appointing the director of the bond bank, denied involvement in awarding those contracts, the report said.
Cook also worked on Hogsett’s 2023 campaign until Caroline Ellert, a former city staffer, reported her allegations to Hogsett in October 2023. The following month, the bond bank terminated its two contracts with Cook.
Councilors respond
While the report cleared the administration of legal wrongdoing, both Republican and Democratic councillors questioned whether the administration acted appropriately.
“There’s legal standards and ethical standards and moral standards,” said Councilor Josh Bain, a southside Republican. “I think morally and ethically we fell way short.”
Carlino said Cook should not have been allowed to remain employed for 68 days after his inappropriate relationship with a subordinate was reported in October 2020. The report from Fisher Phillips recommended that the city’s Office of Corporation Counsel examine whether Cook used that time period to engage in potential self-dealing, Carlino said.
“It’s absolutely a problem, and it’s in law so that folks can’t do that and benefit from that,” Carlino told reporters after the meeting.
Several of the people interviewed as part of the investigation expressed concern that Cook was given that time period “to position himself for personal gain by negotiating contracts for his own benefit,” according to the report.
Councilor Andy Nielsen, an eastside Democrat, said Cook should have been fired well before he left the city.
“There is no avoiding this conclusion, and not doing so was a clear lack of judgment,” Nielsen said.
Carlino said the committee will consider the firm’s recommendations and findings to implement reforms for the benefit of current and future city employees.
“The real work begins now,” she said.
Mirror Indy, a nonprofit newsroom, is funded through grants and donations from individuals, foundations and organizations.
Peter Blanchard covers local government. Reach him at 317-605-4836 or peter.blanchard@mirrorindy.org. Follow him on X @peterlblanchard.
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