According to the Associated Press, Gov. Eric Holcomb and the two GOP Statehouse leaders have called for Republican Attorney General Curtis Hill to resign amid what they say are credible claims that Hill drunkenly groped four women, one of which was a lawmaker, at an Indianapolis bar.
The governor said in a statement Thursday night that four women had the courage to step forward to report sexual harassment by the Indiana attorney general. Holcomb says the findings of the recent legislative report are disturbing and, at a minimum, show a violation of the state’s zero tolerance sexual harassment policy.
He said he agrees with GOP Senate leader David Long and Republican House Speaker Brian Bosma that Hill should resign and supports “a thorough investigation by the state’s inspector general.”
Long and Bosma issued a joint statement Thursday evening, saying: they believe that the women who came forward with accounts of inappropriate behavior by Attorney General Curtis Hill in the early hours of March 15th, are telling the truth regardless of the attorney general’s denial of these allegations.
A spokeswoman for Hill did not respond to a message seeking comment Thursday evening.
The call from high-level Republicans for Hill to resign comes after Democrats ratcheted up political pressure in an election year where female voters could make a big difference at the polls.
Over the past week, Democrats have harshly criticized what they characterize as a lackluster Republican response to the allegations against Hill. A Statehouse rally calling for Hill’s resignation was being planned for Saturday.
Hill has denied the groping allegations, which were lodged by the lawmaker and three legislative aides, and on Tuesday said he had no plans to step down.
The accusations against him were included in a confidential legislative memo that was leaked this week to news outlets.
