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With a phalanx of media on hand, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett signed an ordinance Thursday that allows the City-County Council to launch an investigation into how his administration has handled sexual harassment allegations against city employees, including former mayoral chief of staff Thomas Cook.
Despite concerns over the mayor’s response to the allegations against Cook, Hogsett said he has no plans to resign and believes he reacted appropriately to the allegations at the time they were lodged based on what he knew at those moments. However, he also acknowledged that “mistakes were made.”
“I have no intention of stepping down,” Hogsett added.
Hogsett has found himself in the middle of a political firestorm since earlier this summer when three women publicly accused Cook of abusing his power by pursuing relationships with them. The Indianapolis Star and not-for-profit news site Mirror Indy were the first to report the women’s stories, questioning why Hogsett kept Cook on his city staff until the second allegation arose and later gave him a role on his mayoral campaign until a third woman complained.
The mayor’s media availability on Thursday, which lasted about 30 minutes, was the first time since the allegations were publicly aired that Hogsett took reporters’ questions on the subject for an extended period of time.
Hogsett said he recalls having a verbal conversation with Cook after the first allegations arose in 2017. After an outside law firm conducted an investigation into those claims, Cook was told there would be zero tolerance for him getting involved in any more romantic workplace relationships.
“At the time I had the conversation with him, I did believe that he understood the gravity and the nature of a zero-tolerance policy,” Hogsett said Thursday. “If you’re asking … if I knew then what I know now, my answer might be different.”
After a second allegation arose, Hogsett said he forced Cook to resign. Later, in 2023, Hogsett allowed Cook to volunteer for his mayoral re-election campaign. Another harassment allegation was lodged against Cook during his campaign work and his involvement with the campaign ended.
Each of the three allegations against Cook brought a reprimand and discipline, the mayor has noted.
When asked if his administration handled Cook’s case the same way in which it would sexual harassment allegations against any other city-county employee, Hogsett said he couldn’t answer because he typically doesn’t know about these accusations.
“I’m really not in a position to compare and contrast, because unless these complaints come to my attention, I more often than not, don’t know about them,” Hogsett said. “That is the province of legal professionals and human resources.”
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Given the apparently widespread sexual misconduct in this administration, what are the odds that Hogsett’s own conduct has been clean?
No accountability for the pigs in charge of city hall. What a disgrace.
Why resign now? His party continues to neglect the promises made to the Westside (diverted Tiff money for sewers and road rebuilds come to mind (Blue line excluded), passes budgets for road improvements that don’t materialize, pays six figure compensation to “peacekeepers, but allows 5,000 people come in and tear up our once proud downtown all while throwing his police chief under the bus, and jokes about the sexual harassment issue at a recent public event — and gets away with it in the media! Any connection between his divorce and the most recent scandal? I hope he can see the light and do something to improve his health, but this has been a journey into the abyss. Still, he can get his retirement funded by the cut he will get from professional soccer, but oops neglected the local efforts again. Poof!!
The government you elect is the government you deserve.
What a terrible excuse for a mayor. Zero leadership, zero vision, zero accountability, zero credibility. In other words, a disaster.
He has shown one bold leadership decision. He chose to kill the Indy11 stadium project for a nebulous chance at a pro-league team. Only time will tell if that was a brilliant move or utter stupidity, but I’m leaning toward the latter.
Sexual harassment mess
Indy 11 mess
Closing half the circle when there is a beautiful park two blocks north.
How many parks have bee neglected, leaving kids to the streets.
1820 Ventures commits to 200+ million $
development yet he takes pride In anouncing a homeless shelter in the path of growth and next to 3 neighbors around 600k homes with no notice to them or the general area. Plus, they still don’t have the build out money, operator, operating cash.
Doesn’t have or pay enough to police.
Hasn’t mowed tall grass that has grown to tall trees blocking traffic in my neighborhood for 3 years.
Builds a 6 foot wide sidewalk from Washington St to the new jail. Maybe the residents on Washington will ask their kids to the jail on Saturday. (Go look at that low class sidewalk on Southeastern)
Proudly lists write the mayor on line yet has not responded to 3 online letters and 3 direct USPO letters.
Os this the leadership you want??? Rhetorical of course.
Weird how the normal gaggle of IBJ Fanboyz are not commenting on this one. Even Joe B is having trouble spinning this narrative
Hogsett is guilty of violating Federal Law per Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Since he is the CEO of the City, and ultimately in charge of all employees of the City (yeh, I’m sure all his law buddies will say he has no responsibility of the employees) and has allowed the sexual harassment to go on and not do anything, he should be in jail. I don’t get why all the supposedly smart City-County Councilors have to set up all these commissions and committees to study the policy. Have you councilors read Title VII? I’ve pasted it in below. But alas, you all will roll over and ignore who’s actually criminally responsible.
The following was captured in doing a simple Google search:
Legally, workplace sexual harassment is considered a form of sex discrimination, so sexual harassment is illegal across the country. Generally, these federal (national) laws apply only to employers with 15 or more employees, but your state might have better laws that cover smaller employers.
Sexual harassment is illegal. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (“Title VII”) makes it illegal for employers to allow anyone to be sexually harassed at work by anyone else, regardless of sex, gender, or sexual orientation.
Title VII applies to employers. It is designed to make employers accountable for providing a work environment that is free from harassment and other kinds of discrimination. It does not make it illegal for someone to harass someone else. Instead, it makes it illegal for employers to allow harassment to occur or to fail to stop it once they know it’s happening.” So this civil rights law does not give you a right to sue an individual person – unless that individual person is your employer.
Quit messing around Councilors and address the real problem……Joe the Mayor. How much longer will you drag this matter out?? Vop, address the Mayor’s violation of Title VII now!!!!!
It is more important to be totally loyal to party than it is to what is right.
Shamefully this is true.
Yeh, think the party is going to participate in abetting the crime? Hmmm, Councilors might think twice. Are they employers also? I’m sure this entire sexual harassment matter will continue as just a gigantic coverup and whoever the official employer of the City is will skate. What a crock. All hail the party!!!!!
Some of these comments from Trumpians are so rich. Hypocrisy much?
Has nothing to do with “Trumpian” comments. Simply, a crime has been committed-violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act 1964.