A committee of City-County Council members are expected to decide Aug. 23 how to move forward with an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment by a former top aide to Mayor Joe Hogsett.
Two proposals gained preliminary approval Aug. 12 from the council: one to review the city’s current sexual harassment policies and procedures, and another to form an investigative committee to probe allegations against Thomas Cook, the mayor’s former chief of staff.
Those proposals were referred to the council’s Rules and Public Policy Committee, which is scheduled to meet at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 23 in the Public Assembly Room at the City-County Building.
[UPDATE: Council committee advances proposal to investigate Hogsett administration]
Democratic councilors Ali Brown and Jessica McCormick have been exploring the scope of work of the investigative committee and what powers it would have.
They plan to introduce an amended proposal that calls for the creation of an investigative committee that contracts with an independent law firm or human resources organization to examine and investigate allegations against members of the Hogsett administration. It would then recommend policy changes and other actions regarding sexual harassment training and workplace relationships.
Given that many Indianapolis-based law firms have existing ties to the city, the committee would likely need to look for a firm outside of the city to conduct the investigation, Brown told Mirror Indy.
Their proposal cites recent media coverage “detailing the sexual harassment and abuse experienced by women while employed by the Hogsett administration and campaign.”
In separate investigations published by Mirror Indy and Indy Star, three women described how Cook used his power to make them feel trapped and victimized by his behavior. Two of them, Lauren Roberts and Caroline Ellert, appeared at the Aug. 12 Council meeting, where Mayor Joe Hogsett offered his first formal public apology.
Councilor Brian Mowery, who heads the Republican caucus which first called for the creation of an investigative committee, said he was disappointed to learn about Brown and McCormick’s amended proposal through the media and not firsthand, but that he agreed with their proposal in spirit.
“I feel like we really pushed this idea from day one,” Mowery said, referring to the Republican caucus. “As long as we’re doing something and not letting this slide, I think it’s something I’d be okay with. It’s an important issue, and I don’t think it should matter which side it comes from.”
As currently proposed, the members of the investigative committee would comprise five Democrats and two Republicans. They would be appointed by the three members of the Council’s Committee on Committees: President Vop Osili, Democratic Majority Leader Maggie Lewis and Mowery.
Brown, McCormick and Councilor Ron Gibson were the only Democrats to vote against Mowery’s proposal to investigate Cook at the Aug. 12 Council meeting. Gibson previously told Mirror Indy that he wanted to see what the Hogsett administration planned to do before agreeing to pursue an investigation.
Brown and McCormick explained their reasoning in an Aug. 22 interview with Mirror Indy.
“We both were not comfortable with (the proposal), not because we don’t applaud the Republicans for stepping up and doing something, but both of us thought … the scope was too narrow,” Brown said. “We didn’t just want to focus on one person.”
Any proposal would eventually require the approval of the full City-County Council.
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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