06-26-2019
Curtis Hill, Indiana Attorney General, is the defendant in a federal lawsuit alleging sexual harassment, retaliation, gender discrimination and defamation.State Representative Mara Candelaria Reardon, Gabrielle McLemore, Samantha Lozano and Niki DaSilva claim that Hill rubbed them on their backs or buttocks at an annual gathering of legislative employees. The other three women were also state employees. After bringing their claims forward to the Office of the Attorney General, they allege they were retaliated against; this retaliation came from other legislative members, lawmakers and their staffs. The women say they were mocked and ridiculed for their complaints.
A state ethics probe and a criminal investigation were conducted last year but no formal charges followed. The report issued following the criminal probe indicated that the women’s stories were “credible” but the investigation was unable to prove “beyond a reasonable doubt” that Hill committed battery. The ethics inspector did note that Hill’s conduct was “creepy” and “inappropriate” but concluded that it did not violate ethics rules. It was noted in the report that many women at the gathering reported that Hill’s behavior made them uncomfortable, and both genders reported that he acted “like a freshman at a college frat party.”
Hill responded to the lawsuit with a statement asserting that the claims had already been investigated and no recommendations were made for further action at the end of those investigations.