Dem. State Sen. Hunley Criticizes State Party, Calls for Overhaul...
Dem. State Sen. Hunley Criticizes State Party, Calls for Overhaul of Sexual Harassment Prevention Policies
Source: Garrett Berquist/WISH-TV / other
INDIANAPOLIS — You’ve heard of the sexual harassment accusations against former Indianapolis deputy mayor Thomas Cook and the public apology from Mayor Joe Hogsett. Now, one Democrat is calling out the rest of her party.
In a video posted to Instagram, State Senator Andrea Hunley, a Democrat representing District 46, says sexual harassment is not just a problem with Thomas Cook, but a systemic problem throughout the hierarchy of the Indiana Democratic Party.
“Somehow, the city of Indianapolis, one of the largest employers in the county with over 7500 staff members across 30 divisions doesn’t have a comprehensive sexual harassment prevention policy or reporting mechanisms. [And] neither does the Indiana Democratic Party, the organization that trains Democratic volunteers, candidates, county party members and elected officials,” says State Sen. Hunley.
Full statement from State Sen. Hunley on Instagram. Article continues below:
Cook has been publicly accused by Lauren Roberts and Caroline Ellert, two former staffers within the Hogsett administration, of grooming, sexual harassment and assault dating back nearly a decade.
A third woman has also accused Cook. She chose to remain anonymous in the report originally filed by digital news outlet Mirror Indy.
Mayor Hogsett publicly apologized to Roberts and Ellert during last Monday night’s city county council meeting, but both women continue to call for the results of the supposed 2017 investigation into Thomas Cook.
Hunley says she chose to remain quiet, thinking the state Democratic Party would speak out about the Cook allegations.
However, Hunley now believes her party does not have the will to take this challenge head on.
“I learned my lesson,” Hunley explained on Instagram, “I reminded myself that I was given a voice and platform for a reason. It wasn’t to wait for somebody else to speak on my behalf, so I’m speaking up now. I’m not going to stop until accountability is taken, an independent process for reporting is established, and a formal, third-party led audit has been conducted.”
Last Friday, the Hogsett administration announced the mayor intends to sign an executive order “in the coming days” to require sexual harassment prevention training for all employees. An ordinance has been in place since 2019 that requires anyone in a supervisor role to take a two-hour sexual harassment prevention course every two years.
