Holcomb: Amazon Investigation Handled Correctly By State

Gov. Eric Holcomb insists Indiana officials did everything right in an investigation into a worker death at an Amazon warehouse.

That’s after a news story alleges state officials sought to “manipulate” that investigation to clear Amazon.

A state safety inspector in an article by Reveal says he investigated the death of an Indiana Amazon worker and found the online retail giant failed to properly train him. 

The inspector also secretly recorded a conversation between his boss and Amazon officials. The supervisor reportedly tells Amazon what she’ll need to shift blame onto the worker, away from Amazon. And she tells the safety inspector the state will “manipulate” his citations.

Holcomb insists that’s all fine.

“Could’ve used the word ‘edit’ or ‘modify’ or ‘manipulate’ or… when they go through negotiations to help companies in the state of Indiana improve on any shortcoming that might be out there, this is what they do," Holcomb says. "They work with the companies to improve those workplaces.”

The article also alleges Holcomb directly interfered with the Amazon investigation, something Holcomb vehemently denies.

Contact Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.