Hogsett Won’t Resign After Harassment Fallout

INDIANAPOLIS — One day after a woman who accused Mayor Joe Hogsett’s former top aide, Thomas Cook, of sexual harassment was thrown out of a council meeting for refusing to stop speaking, Hogsett addressed the incident and his future in a one-on-one interview with WISH-TV.

“I thought it was incredibly regrettable,” Hogsett said of the encounter.

At least three Indianapolis political leaders have called on Hogsett to resign after a Chicago law firm released a report that cleared him of any legal wrongdoing in the sexual harassment case.

Hogsett told News 8 that he had a conversation with one of the women who accused Cook of harassment. Maggie Adams-McBride is a former employee of Hogsett’s, having worked as a project manager in his office.

“I was having lunch, and she came up and we did have a conversation,” Hogsett said. “It’s unfortunate that she’s left the office, because I thought she was a wonderful employee. But she’s moved on to different things, and I simply wished her the best.”

WISH-TV also asked Hogsett if he planned to resign.

“No, I don’t,” Hogsett said. “We’ve got two and a half years left in this term, and we have a lot to accomplish.”