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Indianapolis Star
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Indianapolis Star
Indy Council votes against ousting leadership, approves payment for harassment investigation
The rifts among Indianapolis City-County Council Democrats deepened Monday as east side Democrat Jesse Brown introduced an unsuccessful proposal to remove Council President Vop Osili and Vice President Ali Brown from their leadership roles for their handling of the investigation into sexual harassment claims within the administration of Mayor Joe Hogsett. Before the meeting, Democrat Crista Carlino, who has already called for President Osili and Vice President Brown to resign before walking back those comments, said she was leaving the council's dominant Democratic caucus Monday "after a continued lack of leadership and accountability, abuse of power, and unfair application of our Caucus rules for membership." The 25-person council includes 19 Democrats and six Republicans. Democrats voted to remove Jesse Brown from the caucus earlier this year over his outspoken stances, he has said. While Jesse Brown's proposal to force a full council vote on the leaders' removal failed Monday, Carlino and Republicans Hart and Bain supported the attempt, signaling broader concerns dogging the council's top two Democrats. Jesse Brown said Osili's decision to forcibly remove a victim of alleged sexual harassment from the June council meeting was the tipping point in a series of leadership moves he disagreed with. Osili apologized for the incident two days later and has called for reforms to city policies to protect employees who report sexual harassment. "I don't have a smoking gun," Jesse Brown said, "but I have enough smoke that I have a lot of concerns that have not been answered." Staunch divisions among council members weren't enough to derail the approval Monday night of a final payment to the law firm that investigated allegations of sexual harassment within the Hogsett administration. In last month's council meeting, councilors postponed the remaining two-thirds of the $450,000 owed to Chicago law firm Fisher Phillips after many members and residents objected to a final report's omission of late-night and personal text messages that Hogsett sent to young women he worked with — the same two women alleging that the mayor's former top aide, Thomas Cook, sexually harassed and abused them. Indy politics: Joe Hogsett wants to move past harassment scandal. Many aren't sure he can But at the July 7 meeting, councilors approved the payment with an 18-6 vote, with Democrat Jesse Brown and five Republicans — Derek Cahill, Michael-Paul Hart, Brian Mowery, Michael Dilk and Joshua Bain — voting no. Those who objected said it was wrong to pay the law firm without requiring a follow-up hearing in which councilors could question Fisher Phillips lawyers about their decisions. "We want to know we're getting what we paid for, what we were contractually obligated to receive, such as the body of work that went into this," Mowery said. "Having not seen any of that ... we'd like to have an opportunity to now ask questions of the law firm."
Indianapolis Star
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Indianapolis Star
The Hogsett-must-resign case is weak
The case against Mayor Joe Hogsett is devolving into factional grousing among people who want a different mayor but don't know how to accomplish that through the course of regular politics. Hogsett is no doubt worthy of condemnation. A year of sexual harassment investigations, in which I have played a role, revealed Hogsett infused his campaigns and administration with a toxic culture. Staffers were subject to harassment while working under his authority. Hogsett had opportunities to fix it and prevent further harm. He failed. Women who experienced trauma while working under Hogsett are justified to continue pushing for accountability. The City-County Council's forcible removal of Lauren Roberts on June 9 is a stomach-turning illustration of what it's like for women to tell their stories. Roberts deserved the opportunity to address the council with dignity. Instead, she was treated like an intruder. The ongoing spectacle has emboldened Hogsett's preexisting enemies to shoot their shot at a weakened mayor. Four City-County Council members and many other notable community voices, including the Indianapolis Business Journal, have called on Hogsett to resign. I'm willing to listen to those arguments. So far, though, they have been underwhelming. Democrat Crista Carlino delivered the most explosive call for Hogsett's resignation during a June 17 committee meeting. She didn't stop at Hogsett. She also called for Council President Vop Osili and Vice President Ali Brown to step down, alleging they delivered unspecified "marching orders" to Fisher Phillips, the Chicago law firm that investigated the Hogsett administration on behalf of the council. The Fisher Phillips report did leave out details that should have been considered relevant. But Carlino chaired the council committee that led the investigation. She did not express concerns about a cover-up at any point during that process or immediately after the law firm issued its report. People who want to speak truth to power need to bring … well, truth. Carlino later acknowledged she had "no claim or proof" that council leadership "personally and directly impacted the investigation." That's something you might want to have before publicly alleging a conspiracy to protect the mayor. Andy Nielsen, a council Democrat who did speak up immediately after seeing the Fisher Phillips report, has called on Hogsett to resign because he has demonstrated "a profound lack of judgement and disregard for fundamental ethics." Opinion: Why won't Republicans call on Joe Hogsett to resign? While that may be true, the leap from "lack of judgment" to "resign now" relies more on vibes than logic. No one calling on Hogsett to resign has presented a convincing argument that he violated an objective standard of conduct in ways that should trigger immediate removal from office — nor have they even attempted to explain how this standard could be equally applied to all other office-holders. They just want Hogsett gone. It's easy to nod along. We know Hogsett presided over organizations permitting rampant sexual harassment and abusive behavior. We know Hogsett sent text messages that veered into inappropriate levels of intimacy with young women who worked for him. But there's also a lot of gray there as it pertains to the mayor himself. Based on what we know 100% to be true today, Hogsett has not even been accused of behavior that would typically force an elected official out of office. That lack of evidence is forcing Hogsett's longtime critics, who have always struggled to prosecute a case against him, to overreach in hopes that the bad vibes will be enough to push him out. Consider the IBJ's editorial calling for Hogsett's resignation. The IBJ wants Hogsett out because he skipped a press conference for a homelessness initiative amid his swirling controversy and because the "Hogsett administration has never been able to articulate a clear strategy for the city, a message or a plan through which business and community leaders could rally." Well, former Gov. Mike Pence wasn't exactly a sought-after guest for ribbon cuttings during his RFRA era. Yet, he was as unmoved by the ensuing "Pence Must Go" yard signs as Hogsett is by calls for him to step down. As for a lack of vision, that judgment is reserved for the Marion County voters who have overwhelmingly elected Hogsett three times. Whatever you think of Hogsett, no one — not Republicans and not competing Democratic factions — has mounted effective opposition based on an alternative vision for Indianapolis. Briggs: Hogsett's texts to women show Indianapolis mayor embodied toxic culture Republicans have forgotten how to talk to people who enjoy living in Indianapolis since the days when former Mayor Greg Ballard championed bus rapid transit, electric car sharing and urban trails. Jefferson Shreve's dour $14.4 million all-crime-all-the-time campaign in 2023 showed just how far out of touch Republicans have fallen. Meanwhile, Democrats on Hogsett's left have failed to grapple with the mayor's enduring popularity among people who aren't constantly online. Political frustrations are likely fueling the Hogsett-must-go bandwagon. A lot of people want Hogsett out of office, but no one has been able, or willing, to directly challenge him. It's curious that a chronically inept executive, or so the criticism goes, wields such prohibitive power. The calls for Hogsett's resignation amount to a wish that he would just go away — and that he could be replaced through a Democratic Party caucus vote instead of a more difficult countywide election. Hogsett is not going away. There's a stronger chance that Hogsett runs for reelection — and wins — in 2027 than resigns before the end of his third term. While the City-County Council turns itself into a sideshow and the mayor's opponents make futile calls for him to self-deport, Hogsett is raising money and no doubt looking on like Logan Roy in "Succession," thinking, "You are not serious people." Anyone who wants a different future for Indianapolis needs to start thinking less about Hogsett's past sins and more about how to either defeat him or win a mayoral campaign without him. IndyStar's Hayleigh Colombo recently wrote about the shadow campaign underway for 2027. The most striking thing to me about the article was that the strongest mayoral contenders are moving tepidly, afraid to go all in. Osili, who has been preparing for years to run for mayor, is dealing with the aftermath of removing Roberts from the council chamber. Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears says he's running for reelection to his current job in 2026. State Sen. Andrea Hunley, D-Indianapolis, also plans to run for reelection in 2026. Opinion: I was dragged out by sheriff's deputies. Indiana Democrats stayed silent. Hogsett, awash in scandal and having pledged not to run in 2027, is the only person who appears prepared to run. Every person complaining about Hogsett's lack of leadership needs to hold up a mirror. Who in Indianapolis is demonstrating strong political leadership right now? Hogsett is a deeply flawed person whose mistakes have harmed people. That's a good reason to want him out of office. But it's not going to happen through wishing him away or cathartic calls for resignation. It's going to happen when someone mounts a viable campaign anchored in a compelling new vision for the future.
Indianapolis Star
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Indianapolis Star
Council Democrat gets kicked out of caucus after criticizing leaders. She's now apologizing
The Indianapolis City-County Council's Democratic caucus ousted one of its own members June 24 in the wake of fallout from an investigation into Mayor Joe Hogsett's administration's handling of sexual harassment claims. Crista Carlino, who recently called for Hogsett, Council President Vop Osili and Ali Brown to resign and implied Osili limited the scope of the investigation, was removed after a vote of a majority of her colleagues, according to two council members who told IndyStar about the meeting. Less than 24 hours after the ouster, Carlino apologized for "any undue stress and disappointment my actions caused" the Democratic caucus. The move represents a major fracture in the party. However, it's possible she's reinstated due to her apology. Carlino also stated that she had "no claim or proof" that council leadership "personally and directly impacted the investigation" into Hogsett's former chief of staff Thomas Cook. Last week, Carlino implied council leaders gave "marching orders" to the outside law firm, Fisher Phillips, that conducted the investigation into the Hogsett administration. Both Osili and Brown have vehemently denied those charges. More: Woman accusing Hogsett aide of sexual harassment dragged out of Indianapolis council meeting "I apologize for the extreme accountability I called for in such a public way, without you there to discuss or defend your leadership and actions," Carlino said in the statement, where she also said she was stepping away from her committee chair roles, including leading the investigative committee that launched the probe. "We are at an impasse. Deflection and false accusations have become the rhetoric," Carlino's statement continued. "This is not who we are. My colleagues on the council have lost faith in my leadership and are placing blame on me, and I accept that." Democratic council member Ron Gibson, an ally of the mayor who recently defended Hogsett's late-night and personal texts to young women about topics including poetry, told IndyStar that Carlino was given an "opportunity to issue a public apology because of her untruthful statements about the investigation" before removing her from the caucus. "If she is willing to be fully transparent in a public statement, then we will vote to reinstate her," Gibson said. He reiterated that she could be added back to the caucus later Wednesday after Carlino released her apology statement. "More than likely, we vote to reinstate her," Gibson told IndyStar. Carlino also said in the statement that when she called for the resignations "I did so because I felt it was the right thing to do in my heart at the time." Carlino became the second member of the Democratic caucus to be removed recently; they previously voted to oust Democratic socialist Jesse Brown last year after a dispute over support of charter schools. Brown was the first member of the council to call for Hogsett's resignation. The Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis and Baptist Ministers Alliance released a statement condemning Carlino's ouster and accusing Democrats of a "political power play." "This is not the leadership our city needs," the groups said. "We will not sit quietly while those who speak up for justice are pushed out by those who bankroll the status quo."
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Thomson Reuters (TRI) Price Target Hiked at Wells Fargo on Legal Tech Space Opportunity
Thomson Reuters Corporation (NYSE:TRI) is one of the 11 best industrial stocks to buy right now. On June 16, Wells Fargo analyst Jason Haas reiterated an 'Equal-Weight' on the stock. The analyst also hiked the stock's price target to $213 from $187. The analyst rating underscores a balanced view of the stock's near-term performance. A close-up of a person signing a loan agreement, emphasising safety and legality of this company's fixed & floating rate loan services. The price target adjustment follows a meeting with Fisher Phillips's Chief Knowledge and Innovation Officer, Evan Shenkman. The law firm is best known for its early adoption of legal tech. Consequently, the law firm reiterated that Thomson Reuters remains well-positioned within legal tech. Thomson Reuters Corporation (NYSE:TRI) is an industrial company that specializes in offering specialty business services. Its Legal Professionals segment offers research and workflow products focusing on legal research and integrated legal workflow solutions that combine content, tools, and analytics for law firms and governments. While we acknowledge the potential of TRI as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: and . Disclosure: None. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Thomson Reuters (TRI) Price Target Hiked at Wells Fargo on Legal Tech Space Opportunity
Thomson Reuters Corporation (NYSE:TRI) is one of the 11 best industrial stocks to buy right now. On June 16, Wells Fargo analyst Jason Haas reiterated an 'Equal-Weight' on the stock. The analyst also hiked the stock's price target to $213 from $187. The analyst rating underscores a balanced view of the stock's near-term performance. A close-up of a person signing a loan agreement, emphasising safety and legality of this company's fixed & floating rate loan services. The price target adjustment follows a meeting with Fisher Phillips's Chief Knowledge and Innovation Officer, Evan Shenkman. The law firm is best known for its early adoption of legal tech. Consequently, the law firm reiterated that Thomson Reuters remains well-positioned within legal tech. Thomson Reuters Corporation (NYSE:TRI) is an industrial company that specializes in offering specialty business services. Its Legal Professionals segment offers research and workflow products focusing on legal research and integrated legal workflow solutions that combine content, tools, and analytics for law firms and governments. While we acknowledge the potential of TRI as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: and . Disclosure: None. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
