Indianapolis Council Launches Investigation into Hogsett Administration

The Indianapolis City-County Council has initiated an investigation into sexual harassment allegations within Mayor Joe Hogsett's administration, focusing on former Chief Deputy Mayor Thomas Cook, who is accused of harassing several female employees. A select committee, consisting of five Democrats and two Republicans, will hire an independent firm to scrutinize the handling of these allegations and recommend policy changes by February 2025. Despite some council members expressing confidence in Hogsett's ability to address the issues, the council emphasized the need for a transparent inquiry to restore trust and ensure worker safety. Currently, six investigations are ongoing, and one city administrator was recently terminated for related misconduct. Hogsett has stated that his administration is committed to fostering a safer workplace and has implemented new training and reporting protocols. The investigative committee's formation received overwhelming bipartisan support, reflecting a collective commitment to addressing the serious allegations at hand.