Councilors chosen for city sexual harassment probe committee

The seldom-used City-County Council’s Committee on Committees convened Tuesday evening to make appointments to a legislative body that will investigate the Hogsett administration’s handling of sexual harassment allegations.

The full council overwhelmingly approved the creation of the investigative committee on Monday evening. The committee is one piece of a larger proposal that aims to reform  Indianapolis city government workplace policies after three women publicly alleged they were sexually harassed by Thomas Cook, former chief of staff to Mayor Joe Hogsett.

The committee, which will have the power to subpoena witnesses including members of the Hogsett administration, is made up of five Democrats and two Republicans. Hogsett is a Democrat and so are 19 of the 25 members of the City-County Council.

The Democratic caucus appointees are Crista Carlino, Jessica McCormick, Kristin Jones, Rena Allen and Andy Nielsen. The Republicans are Brian Mowery and Josh Bain.

A date for the first convening of the committee has not been set, according to City-County Council Chief Communications Officer Sara Hindi. Per the ordinance, the first meeting must be held within 21 days of Monday’s passage.

Hindi said that first meeting date will be released in a public notice.