House and Senate Leaders Describe Confrontations With Attorney General Hill

By Brandon Barger
TheStatehouseFile.com

INDIANAPOLIS—House, and Senate leaders had a message for Attorney General Curtis Hill when they confronted him with reports that he groped four women at an end-of-session party in March 2018: apologize, stay away from legislative functions and don’t retaliate.

Hill agreed and even apologized, House Speaker Brian Bosma and former Senate President Pro Tempore David Long testified Tuesday at the second day of Hill’s disciplinary hearing. Both said the apology and an admission that he had been drinking came the first time the two legislative leaders talked to Hill about his behavior at the party.

That changed, however, when an investigation into Hill’s actions that night was about to become public. Instead of apologetic, he became defiant and even combative, both said.

“I remember the attorney general saying, ‘I’m going to have to defend myself,’” Long testified. “It was definitely a more defiant tenor than he on June 29,” Long said.

Bosma, R-Indianapolis and Long, R-Fort Wayne, along with 10 other House and Senate staff members and assistants, testified Tuesday as part of the disciplinary hearing on Hill’s actions during the 2018 party held at an Indianapolis bar celebrating the end of the legislative session. Former Indiana Supreme Court Justice Myra Selby is presiding over the hearing.

Hill, appearing to be intoxicated, is accused of touching or groping three legislative staff members—Samantha Lozano, Gabrielle McLemore Brock, and Niki DaSilva—and Rep. Mara Candelaria Reardon, D-Munster. The disciplinary hearing will determine whether Hill should be punished for his actions that night.

The testimony from Bosma and Long centered around when they first learned of the accusations about Hill’s behavior and an investigation conducted by outside counsel in May. The lawmakers wanted to know whether the legislature had any responsibility for what happened to their employees.

Bosma testified that in their first discussion with Hill, the attorney general told him and Long that the situation was “troubling” and that he extended an apology to anyone who was offended by his actions.

However, Hill’s tone changed when he learned that the report of the outside investigation was released to the public.

Bosma said that in the second meeting Hill was “pissed” and asked for a copy of the report. Long and Bosma said no.

However, after the second meeting, Bosma embraced Hill and said, “I am sorry about all of this.” Bosma recalled that Hill looked at him and said, “We’ll get through this.” The speaker said the two haven’t spoken since.

“He may not now consider me his friend,” Bosma said.

Days after the report became public, Bosma, Long, and Gov. Eric Holcomb called for Hill to resign.

Earlier in the day, legislative staff members and others who attended the March 2018 party corroborated the accounts told Monday by Reardon, Lozano, DaSilva, and Brock. They were asked to describe the environment of the party and any interactions they had with Hill.

One witness, Donna Sands, a longtime Indiana Senate Republican staffer, recalled Hills behavior as “predatory.”

Another witness, Allison Lukas, a former Senate Democrat intern, described how she saw Hill’s hand moving behind Brock and rubbing her back. Lukas said Brock mouthed “help” to her so she approached her friend and asked her to go to the bathroom with her. Lukas said that it was an easy excuse to get her friend out of the situation.

Lukas said that when they reached the bathroom, McLemore started “bawling.” Both then left the party, she said, because “this was no longer a good time.”

Hill is expected to testify in his defense. The hearing continues on Wednesday.

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