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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThree women’s allegations lead to review, employee reporting program
Mayor Joe Hogsett’s administration and the Indianapolis City-County Council launched investigations and new reporting and training programs this year after three women accused Thomas Cook, who served for four years as the mayor’s chief of staff and manager of his campaigns, of sexual harassment.
Lauren Roberts, Caroline Ellert and an anonymous accuser told their stories to The Indianapolis Star, which published a story in July headlined, “‘I kept saying no’: Women accuse top Hogsett aide of preying on subordinates for years.” Ellert also accused Cook of assault that she said took place in 2019.
Roberts had been a deputy campaign manager during Hogsett’s first mayoral bid. Ellert started with the city as an intern and later moved into a full-time role.
Cook, who was a partner at Bose McKinney and Evans until the allegations became public, acknowledged to The Star that he had “consensual relationships that violated a trust placed in me.” But he said he did not use his “professional position to further those personal relationships.”
In September, the City-County Council voted to investigate whether city officials appropriately investigated and acted on the accusations when they were initially made. The Hogsett administration ordered sexual harassment training for city employees and announced an anonymous reporting system for employees. And The Star reported in October that the Indiana State Police are investigating.
“It is unacceptable for anyone in a position of power to abuse their authority, or to fail to act when such abuses occur, or to oversee or contribute to an environment that allows that behavior,” Democratic Councilor John Barth said before the council voted to investigate.
City officials also reported in September that, after the allegations against Cook came to light, employee complaints made to Hogsett and the city’s Human Resource Department have led to seven additional internal investigations, including one that led to an employee’s termination.•
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