GOP Councilors Demand Oversight After Hogsett Report
Republican members of the Indianapolis City-County Council are pushing for more transparency following what they call “serious omissions” in a misconduct investigation tied to Mayor Joe Hogsett’s administration.
Minority Leader Michael-Paul Hart announced the caucus will pursue several steps in response to the Fisher Phillips report, which investigated internal misconduct.
First, Republican councilors are calling for a public oversight hearing. They want Councilor Crista Carlino to schedule the hearing to address major concerns—most notably, the absence of Mayor Hogsett’s text messages from the report, unclear evidence standards, and why subpoena power wasn’t used. They also question how the scope of the investigation was determined?
Next, the GOP caucus will request access to full evidence, including interview notes, text message logs, and all submitted documents. They’re also reviewing city contracts with former chief of staff Thomas Cook.
Lastly, councilors propose a public addendum to the report, aiming to publish overlooked evidence and testimony.
“This isn’t about politics, it’s about restoring trust,” Hart said. “The public deserves transparency, and survivors deserve accountability. We won’t allow facts to be buried or voices to be ignored.”
The Republican caucus says these actions are essential to rebuilding public confidence and ensuring a complete and honest record.
