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Competing filings in the disciplinary case against Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill call for the Republican to face a sanction as severe as a two-year suspension or as little as nothing at all.
Lawyers for Hill and the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission each filed proposed hearing officer reports Monday, almost two months after former Indiana Supreme Court Justice Myra Selby presided over a four-day disciplinary hearing.
Hill is accused of multiple ethical violations stemming from allegations that he drunkenly groped and made unwanted sexual advances toward a state lawmaker and three legislative staffers.
The Disciplinary Commission is calling for a minimum two-year suspension without automatic reinstatement, writing in its tendered proposed report that Hill’s actions were criminal and “abhorrent.”
Hill has repeatedly denied the allegations, and a special prosecutor and the Indiana inspector general declined to criminally or ethically charge him. He has also resisted calls for his resignation, choosing instead to launch a reelection bid.
To that end, Hill’s lawyers are advocating for the dismissal of the disciplinary action, writing in their tendered report that the AG’s conduct “may have been boorish and offensive to some or many, but it was conduct that occurred in a private setting that had no connection with the practice of law or his role as an attorney.”
Selby will ultimately choose what, if any, discipline she recommends to the Indiana Supreme Court, which will have the final say in any sanction.
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Sorry, big guy, but you’re can’t play grab ass with several women and hope to not be disciplined because it happened outside the confines of your office or not during official duties. If he skates, I hope the voters send him a message that it’s not okay.
This voter will, if it comes to that. I hope it doesn’t.
This voter will as well! He needs to resign!
After the first of the year, even a one-year license suspension would prevent him from running for reelection, because he wouldn’t be eligible to hold office as of the first day of the new term in 2021…
I’m betting this is the “solution” that the powers-that-be will advocate for. Of course they can’t actually lobby the Supreme Court but I’m sure the message will be conveyed somehow.
“May have been boorish and offensive to some or many,but it was conduct that occurred in a private setting”
– so it’s ok if this type of activity happens at anytime ?
– and he’s our AG? Seriously !
– can’t we do better than this
Nothing has conclusively been proven and it’s one word against the other.
The whole thing reeks as another political smear job!
Unless there is a conviction of concrete evidence, there shouldn’t be any punishments to Atty.General Hill based on accusations or hearsay period.
Until the aforementioned legal precedents are met that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt that leads to a conviction, Atty.General Hill will continue to have my vote and support.
Why, when Hill initially confronted by Brian Bosma and David Long, did he roll out the “I had a lot to drink” excuse and even sent an apology to the women via Bosma … only to go on the offensive and deny everything a couple days later when he found out that the public was going to find out about his behavior?
We have the word of FOUR women who were personally touched without permission in addition to others who witnessed his conduct – hardly “one word against another”.
The Rules of Professional Conduct are the governing documents for lawyers. Section 5 of Preamble state:
[5] A lawyer’s conduct should conform to the requirements of the law, both in professional service to clients and in the lawyer’s business and personal affairs. A lawyer should use the law’s procedures only for legitimate purposes and not to harass or intimidate others. A lawyer should demonstrate respect for the legal system and for those who serve it, including judges, other lawyers and public officials. While it is a lawyer’s duty, when necessary, to challenge the rectitude of official action, it is also a lawyer’s duty to uphold legal process.
Darrell W.
There is way more to the entire ATG thing than this hands on event. I should know, I’m one of the casualties of the ATG run amok. Sometimes you have to take the opportunity handed you not necessarily the ones you want.
AG Curtis Hill is not above the law. But he is not below the law either. I can’t imagine that the Commission would have recommended a 2 year suspension for other attorneys in a similar situation.
Attorneys have an absolute right to dispute allegations filed by the DC. The DC staff should not take that personally and should not push for a lengthier suspension because an attorney accused of misconduct decided to litigate rather than capitulate. Not saying that’s happening here. But the length of the proposed punishment seems way out of line for Hill’s outrageous behavior (if true) that no other agency thought was worthy of a criminal or ethics charge. Not saying Hill shouldn’t be disciplined if the fact finder determines the groping happened But a two year suspension w/o automatic readmission (which means the actual suspension would likely be longer, perhaps much longer) seems like it might be driven more by an animus toward AG HIll than an animus toward the conduct.
If every woman who has been inappropritely treated by a member of the Bar during non-work hours will come forward and lodge a complaint, the Disciplinary Commission will be very busy. What about the female elected official who found a sloppy drunk Mayor Brainard’s having let himself into her home via an unlocked door late at night? Not very many women came to their “sister’s” aid when allegations of unwelcomed physical actions were made against Brainard. City employees who once complained about Brainard’s unwanted physical advances took a sudden vow of silence when asked to come forward and relate the incidents. Sad that the denials of a powerful white Republican elected official are given weight, yet those of a Black Republican elected official immediately lead to demands for resignation. Wake me up when Bosma, the media, and the Indianapolis Bar Disciplinary Commission abandons its adherence to old Martinsville KKK mentality.