By Brandon Barger
TheStatehouseFile.com

INDIANAPOLIS—Attorney General Curtis Hill firmly denied charges Thursday that he groped and grabbed a lawmaker and three legislative staff members at a March 2018 party marking the end of the legislative session.

In calm, measured tones Hill testified that while he had a few drinks, he wasn’t inebriated at the gathering at AJ’s Lounge in Downtown Indianapolis and that his actions, while friendly, were not “rude, insolent or angry.”

“I touched no one in a rude manner,” Hill said.

Hill was the sole witness Thursday, the fourth and final day of his disciplinary hearing before retired Supreme Court Justice Myra Selby. Since Monday, she has presided in the paneled and ornate courtroom of the state Supreme Court over testimony – sometimes graphic, sometimes emotional – about what happened at that party.

The disciplinary commission has accused Hill of touching the women in a rude, insolent or angry manner. For three of the women, the touching constitutes misdemeanor battery for unwanted contact. He is accused of grabbing the hand of the fourth woman when she tried to push his hand away and then forcing it toward buttocks, which amounts to a Level 6 felony.

Thursday was the first time that Hill publicly gave his account of night. He was briefly called to testify on Wednesday morning by the disciplinary commissions legal team to spell out the duties of the attorney general, but did not return to the witness table that afternoon.

So when the sun filtered through the Supreme Court’s stained glass windows the next day, Hill strolled into the chamber and took his seat, ready to testify in his own defense.

Under questioning by Donald Lundberg, one of his three attorneys, Hill calmly denied each of the charges leveled against him.

No, he said, he didn’t grab the buttocks of Rep. Mara Candelaria Reardon, D- Munster. Yes, he might have touched her bare back—she was wearing a backless dress—but he touched a lot of backs that night as he moved through the crowd.

No, he didn’t touch the rear end of Republican legislative aide Niki DaSilva but believes she was one of the women he attempted to guide through the crowd to the bar.

No, he didn’t tell Democrat legislative aide Samantha Lozano that “yes, you’re hot,” but instead agreed with her that it was hot in the bar, which was packed with more than 100 people.

And no, he didn’t rub Democrat Senate staffer Gabrielle McLemore Brock’s back and doesn’t even remember meeting her.

During the questioning by Lundberg, Hill sat in the chair with his legs crossed, glasses in one hand, his voice never changing pitch or wavering.

Hill said he hadn’t planned to go to the party until he met a friend, lobbyist and GOP political activist Tony Samuel, at the Capital Grille. He went with Samuel to a bar at St. Elmo’s and then to the party at AJ’s Lounge.

Through the night, Hill said, he had a glass of wine at the restaurant and bar, and at the party had a vodka martini that he “nursed” through the night plus a shot of Fireball whisky that he “sipped on.”

However, Hill maintained that at no point during the night was he impaired.

Disciplinary commission attorney Seth Pruden focused much of his attention on email chains that included Hill, Samuel and others as they talked about how to rebut the allegations as they became public.

Hill said that just because he was on the email chain, doesn’t mean that he read them.

However, he did respond “thank you, very enlightening” to one email chain with the subject line “Re: Background on disciplinary committee members.”

In that email, Danny Diaz, a political consultant wrote: “Any objection to pitching story to conservative media that (Gov. Eric) Holcomb cronies and liberals are driving this?”

Though the hearing is concluded, a lengthy process ensues before Hill knows his fate. First, the court reporter will prepare a record of the hearing. Then both sides will prepare their own findings, a last chance to argue their sides to Selby. Selby will reach her conclusion but the final decision is made by the Indiana Supreme Court.

If they decide Hill was at fault, the justices could issue a punishment ranging from a public reprimand to stripping him of his license to practice law – a step that would preclude Hill from remaining as attorney general.

FOOTNOTE:  Brandon Barger is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalists.