Articles

Court asked to deny Hill’s request to stop investigation

The Marion County Prosecutor’s office pushed back today against Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill’s attempt to squash the appointment of a special prosecutor, saying his motion had “fatal flaws” and he was making a “dubious proposition.”

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Lawyers attack memo, say Hill considering defamation lawsuit

Repeatedly claiming “false and malicious” statements were included in a confidential memo containing allegations of sexual misconduct by Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill, Indianapolis attorney Kevin Betz announced he is preparing a defamation lawsuit on the AG’s behalf. Betz and his law partner Sandra Blevins held a press conference Wednesday in the lobby of their Indianapolis law firm, Betz & Blevins, to announce the possible suit.

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Applications open for Allen County judicial vacancy

An Allen County superior court judge will retire at the end of this year, prompting the Allen Superior Court Judicial Nominating Commission to begin the process of selecting his replacement. The vacancy will occur in December when Judge John F. Surbeck, Jr. retires from his position in the Allen Superior Court Criminal Division.

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AG Hill contests special prosecutor role in groping investigation

Lawyers for Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill have filed court papers challenging the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate whether he drunkenly groped a lawmaker and three legislative staffers. A document filed in Marion Superior Court also challenges the authority of the state’s Inspector General to build a case against him.

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Ratcheting up defiance, Hill releases email from third accuser

Embattled Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill is doubling down on his criticisms of the groping allegations against him and the stories of the alleged victims, releasing an email from one of the victims that he says shows intentional coordination of the victims’ stories.

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Defiant Hill: ‘I never dreamed this could happen to me’

In today’s world, the standard for conviction of sexual misconduct allegations has become guilty, and “who cares if you’re innocent.” That’s according to Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill, who publicly spoke out for the first time Monday after last week’s allegations that he groped a lawmaker and behaved inappropriately toward multiple legislative staffers.

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Indiana GOP leaders call on Hill to resign as lawmaker comes forward with groping claims

Amid calls  for Republican Attorney General Curtis Hill to resign amid groping allegations made by four women, including a lawmaker, at an Indianapolis bar, the lawmaker in question has come forward to share her side of the story. Rep. Mara Candelaria Reardon, D-Munster, said Friday that Hill slid his hands down her back and grabbed her bare buttocks at a party on March 15.

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Call for AG Hill to resign arises amid harassment investigation

Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill was investigated this year after four women claimed he touched them inappropriately at a bar. Hill was investigated by the same law firm that recently drew an ethics complaint for its handling of a separate investigation that cleared a powerful Ohio lawmaker. Meanwhile, Indiana’s Democratic Party leader has called on Hill to resign.

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House speaker ‘disturbed’ DCS failed to act on past reports

Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma said Monday he was “disturbed” after finding out the state’s child welfare agency failed to take action after five different reviews conducted in recent years found problems at the agency. The revelation was included in a sixth report on the Department of Child Services, which was released in June by a consultant hired by Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb.

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New Indiana laws ban eyeball tattoos, protect renting rights

Indiana lawmakers entered this year’s session with limited ambitions when compared to years past. They still passed dozens of new laws. And while many of the most attention-grabbing ideas — like legal Sunday retail alcohol sales — were already enacted, more took effect Sunday.

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New laws for 2018

The Indiana General Assembly this year adopted new laws on matters from Sunday carryout sales to designating Say’s Firefly as the official state insect. Here is the complete list of enrolled acts signed into law this year.

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Extra $25M for DCS dwarfed by prior increases, children’s needs

The $25 million Gov. Eric Holcomb recently pledged in additional funding for the Department of Child Services is not the first infusion of extra money given to the agency in recent years. In fact, the sum is one of the smaller supplements to the department’s annual state appropriation, which is more than $600 million.

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Holcomb praises Supreme Court’s online sales tax ruling

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb is praising a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that says states can force online shoppers to pay sales tax. The 5-4 decision Thursday overturns earlier rulings, which determined companies shipping products to states where they didn’t have a physical presence weren’t obligated to collect the states’ sales tax.

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Holcomb: DCS changes, extra $25M mark new day for troubled agency

Pledging this is the start of a new day for the Indiana Department of Child Services, Gov. Eric Holcomb on Monday outlined changes his administration is implementing to improve the troubled state agency and announced that he is dipping into the state surplus to provide another $25 million to boost salaries and transform the workplace culture.

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Results of DCS outside assessment to be released Monday

Key findings from an outside assessment of Indiana’s Department of Child Services will be released Monday, when representatives from the Child Welfare Policy and Practice Group will present the results of the assessment requested by Gov. Eric Holcomb. Holcomb asked for the DCS study after former director Mary Beth Bonaventura abruptly resigned, accusing Holcomb of cutting funds and putting children’s lives at risk.

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