Sexual harassment investigation eclipses $27 million spending debate at Indianapolis council meeting

The Indianapolis City-County Council meeting Monday night was packed and contentious. The top issue – a $27 million spending package – was overshadowed by the fallout from a sexual harassment investigation. At one point, one of the women interviewed for the investigation was forcibly removed from the meeting by law enforcement.

Lauren Roberts was the first woman to accuse Mayor Joe Hogsett’s former chief of staff Thomas Cook of sexual misconduct. The independent investigation found Hogsett’s office legally compliant in response to numerous complaints against Cook.

But a recent statement from a lawyer representing Roberts and Caroline Ellert, another woman who came forward with accusations against Cook, said the women provided extensive testimony that was not included in the report.

“Specifically, the report does not address a number of specific text messages sent to my clients by Mayor Hogsett. Ms. Roberts and Ms. Ellert voluntarily provided these messages to investigators and underscored their concerns about the mayor’s behavior as both their boss and as a person in a position of authority,” Mark Sniderman said.

The Indianapolis Star recently reported on those text messages.

A few dozen people held signs that called the investigation a scam and demanded Hogsett resign. As discussion turned to the fiscal proposal, Roberts took the podium to speak and said she had been silenced.

“Outside of manipulative backroom conversations intended to manage survivors and keep us out of your way and your political agenda,” Roberts said.

She was quickly interrupted by Council President Vop Osili who called for a point of order.

“You’re welcome to have me hauled out by Sheriffs,” Roberts said, ”but I’m going to take my time.”

She continued to talk about a toxic environment within the administration that allowed for abuse. When her two minutes were up she was forced to leave by officers. Others were also removed as tensions rose. Councilor Jared Evans said the removals shook him.

“This is a local issue that people are protesting, and why they are speaking is because they have not had an outlet with which to speak to this council,” Evans said.

Two other women who worked for the administration also spoke out about a toxic culture and called for Hogsett to resign. Morgan Mickelson recently served as the director of Indianapolis’s Office of Sustainability and said she too suffered under a culture of suppression.

“That silence has consequences. Staff morale has suffered. Talented public servants have left. Those who remain are left in a toxic environment doing their best under leadership that has not earned their trust,” Mickelson said.

Councilors allowed testimony on the issue to overlap with debate on the spending proposal.

They eventually voted to hold back some of the funding that would have paid the firm in charge of the investigation.

In the end, two amendments proposed by Republican council members to shuffle funding in the spending proposal for more road repairs failed. One amendment that holds back funding for crime prevention grants was approved, pending a report from the Office of Public Health and Safety.

The $27 million dollar spending proposal was passed and includes money for roads, snow removal, urban forests, home repairs and cultural districts.

WFYI will have more on the impacts of those funding initiatives.

Contact WFYI Managing City Editor Jill Sheridan at jsheridan@wfyi.org.