Report Clears Hogsett Team, Urges Policy Fixes
INDIANAPOLIS –An outside investigation found Mayor Joe Hogsett’s office didn’t break any rules when handling harassment complaints against former chief of staff Thomas Cook — but the city still has a lot to fix.
Cook resigned in 2020 after admitting to an inappropriate relationship with a coworker. The new report, shared Thursday night, looked into how complaints against him were handled in 2017, 2020, and 2023. At least three women have accused him of harassment or assault. He didn’t speak with investigators.
The law firm Fisher Phillips says Hogsett’s administration followed city policy, but raised concerns about a 68-day delay before Cook was let go. It also laid out six recommendations to fix gaps in how the city handles these cases — including setting up an independent inspector general and revamping HR and training systems.
Councilor Brian Mowery said he’s disappointed in how the city responded and called the process too closed-off. The City-County Council says it’ll now look at changes to improve transparency and accountability.
A special committee from the City-County Council picked the law firm Fisher Phillips to lead the review, which is expected to cost taxpayers $450,000.
