INDIANAPOLIS — An Indiana state senator is calling for accountability from her own party amid sexual harassment allegations against a former deputy mayor of Indianapolis.
"As Democrats in positions of leadership, we have got to do more, and we have got to do better," State Sen. Andrea Hunley (D-District 46) said.
In a video statement released Monday afternoon, Hunley said Indiana Democrats need to get to work addressing how to prevent sexual harassment.
This comes in the wake of allegations that Mayor Joe Hogsett's former deputy mayor, Thomas Cook, who also worked as the mayor's campaign manager, sexually harassed two women.
Hunley didn't just call out her own party in her video statement — she said she was disappointed in herself for not speaking up sooner.
Hunley called on the Indiana Democratic Party to establish sexual harassment prevention training for people who work for and volunteer for the Democratic Party in Indiana.
"I was given a voice and a platform for a reason," Hunley said in a video posted to her Instagram page.
Hunley used that voice and platform to condemn her own party, she said, for not having a comprehensive sexual harassment prevention policy.
"The organization that provides advice and guidance around everything from campaign finance to social media strategy, they lack the organizational will to address sexual harassment prevention head on," Hunley said.
The state senator's calls for action come in the wake of two women, Lauren Roberts and Caroline Ellert, who recently came forward, saying they were sexually harassed by Cook.
In an interview last week with 13News, Roberts said she quit the 2015 Hogsett mayoral campaign because Cook sexually harassed her. Two years later, Roberts said she tried to report it to Hogsett, his campaign and, finally, state party leadership.
"They basically just said, 'Talk to our lawyers,'" Roberts said.
Hogsett said Roberts' claims were investigated in 2017, and Cook was disciplined.
Cook resigned from the city in late 2020 but returned to Hogsett's most recent re-election campaign.
The city says Cook was removed from the campaign last October based on new claims Cook had a romantic relationship with a subordinate while working for the city.
Hunley called on the mayor to release the results of the investigation into Roberts' claims.
Roberts said she was never contacted as part of any investigation.
Last week, Hogsett announced he was taking an executive action to establish sexual harassment training for all city county employees — not just supervisors.
The mayor also said the city will create a third-party reporting system for employees to report complaints anonymously.
"The failures have been systemic and continue to be systemic. I stand with the survivors, Caroline and Lauren, and with those brave enough to come forward and share their stories and for those who continue to feel forced into the shadows for fear of retribution," Hunley said.
13News reached out to the Indiana Democratic Party for comment. A spokesperson said they were working on a response.