AG Curtis Hill's law license suspended for 30 days by Indiana Supreme Court
By: Indy Star (Indianapolis Star)
Well, well, well. What do we have here?
Another republican not making nice with women staffers
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Vic Ryckaert and Crystal Hill, Indianapolis Star Published 11:30 a.m. ET May 11, 2020 | Updated 6:09 p.m. ET May 11, 2020
Senate staffer speaks about Curtis Hill accusations of inappropriate touching, Indianapolis, Monday, July 9, 2018. Robert Scheer/IndyStar Indianapolis Star
Allegations that Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill groped four women during a party at a Downtown bar culminated Monday in a month long suspension for the state's top legal officer — an outcome that appears to mark the end of Hill's disciplinary case.
More than two years after accusations against Hill went public, sparking multiple investigations and a federal lawsuit, the Indiana Supreme Court determined that Hill violated professional conduct rules and committed the criminal act of battery.
The court unanimously suspended Hill's law license for 30 days, beginning May 18. Hill can't take on any new legal matters during the suspension. But he was suspended with automatic reinstatement, meaning that he can resume practicing law when the period ends, rather than having to re-apply for his license, which can take months.
In a statement issued Monday by the attorney general's office, Hill said he accepts the court's suspension "with humility and respect."
"I offer my deepest gratitude to my family, friends and the entire staff of the Office of the Attorney General," the statement said. "My staff has worked tirelessly and without interruption and will continue to do so on behalf of all Hoosiers."
It's unclear, though, how this will affect Hill's ability to perform the functions of his job, but he said he has deputized a member of his team to "assume responsibility for the legal operations of this office during the temporary suspension of my license."
Chief Deputy Aaron Negangard will take over those responsibilities beginning Monday, May 18, through Wednesday, June 17, Hill's statement said.
Court: AG Hill committed battery
The court's decision stems from accusations against Hill from four women. The women — three Democrats and one Republican — alleged that Hill, a Republican, inappropriately touched them at an end-of-session gathering of legislative staffers at AJ's Lounge on March 14-15 in 2018.
State Rep. Mara Candelaria Reardon, statehouse staffers Samantha Lozano and Gabrielle Brock (her last name was McLemore at the time), and former statehouse employee Niki DaSilva testified under oath during an Oct. 21 disciplinary hearing that Hill's behavior made them uncomfortable and feel violated.
Hill underwent four days of testimony and questioning at the Oct. 21-24 hearing, which was prompted by sexual battery charges filed by the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission.
Hill has repeatedly denied that he touched the women inappropriately.His attorneys declined to comment Monday on the matter.
Myra Selby, a former Indiana Supreme Court justice who served as hearing officer in the disciplinary case, had recommended a 60-day suspension. Selby determined that Hill's behavior at the work-related party in Downtown Indianapolis amounted to battery and violated the rules of professional conduct, according to a brief filed in February.
As top Indiana Republican leaders call for his resignation, Curtis Hill claims innocence.
On Monday, the high court agreed with Selby's determination that Hill's conduct constituted battery. It found that Hill committed "criminal conduct" during the performance of his professional abilities.
"This is a huge vindication of what the women were claiming," Jennifer Drobac, an Indiana University law professor, told IndyStar. "That what Curtis Hill did was battery. That, to me, is huge."
Drobac, however, questioned why the court did not go with Selby's recommendation.
"It is appalling that the highest ranking lawyer in the state engaged in this behavior," she said. "And I personally wished that the Supreme court had issued a more significant and serious sanction. But, they issued a sanction. They found that it was unlawful conduct and a battery. And so for today, I'll take that."
Attorneys for the women said in a statement Monday that their clients are pleased that Hill was found to have committed criminal battery and violated the rules of professional conduct.
"Two years later, Representative Candelaria Reardon, Ms. DaSilva, Ms. McLemore Brock, and Ms. Lozano continue to deal with the effects of going public with their stories," attorneys Hannah Joseph, BJ Brinkerhoff and Kim Jeselskis said. "But remain steadfast in their commitment to help Hoosiers feel safe in the workplace."
The court also concluded that Hill went too far in some of his attempts to combat the allegations when they were first made public in July 2018, particularly when he called the claims "vicious," implying malice by the four women, the court said.
"(Hill) claimed at the final hearing that his use of the term 'vicious' was directed at the process and not at the individual accusers," the court said. "But (Selby) was not persuaded and we defer to her first-hand assessment of that testimony.'
The allegations were first made public by IndyStar, which obtained a leaked memo of an investigative report into the women's allegations that was authorized by the state's legislative leadership and prepared by a law firm.
A special prosecutor in October 2018 declined to pursue criminal charges, saying he did not believe he could prove Hill's intent in order to prove a crime occurred.
A complaint led to the disciplinary commission's inquiry into whether Hill violated the rules of professional conduct and should be sanctioned. The commission recommended in December that Hill's law license be suspended for two years.
'An unholy mess'
The logistics of Hill's suspension could get tricky, according to Greenwood attorney Patrick Olmstead, who has represented attorneys in discipline cases.
It remains to be seen how HIll, who technically represents all Hoosiers, will completely distance himself from his position and all of his pending cases.
"It's an unholy mess," Olmstead said. "Presumably what'll happen is, since it's 30 days, (Hill's office) just needs to make sure that there are other deputy attorney generals on all the cases."
Daniel Sigler, the special prosecutor investigating the allegations against the attorney general, made the announcement Tuesday at the Marion County prosecutor's office. Indianapolis Star
Hill, Olmstead said, will have to spend the next seven days getting ready to step away from his position, according to Indiana Rules for Admission to the Bar and Discipline of Attorneys.
"He doesn't get these seven days to file as many lawsuits as he wants," Olmstead said. "He's not supposed to file any between the day of the order and its effective date."
Olmstead also noted that, according to the rules, the disciplinary commission can object to Hill's reinstatement on the basis that Hill didn't comply with the terms of the order and remain removed from the office.
"If there is a month long vacation (Hill) wants to take," Olmstead said, "that'd be great."
Contact IndyStar reporter Vic Ryckaert at 317-444-2701 or vic.ryckaert@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter: @VicRyc.
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RED BOX RULES
OBAMA AND BIDEN ARE OFF LIMITS....ALL REPUBLICANS ARE ON TARGET
LMAO, good one.
He should not be paid for this time
I totally agree,
I can't figure out why he has only a 30-day suspension. Why did he not get his license yanked? And why did this take 2 years to happen?
I don't know why it was only a 30 day suspension (I expect old boy's network) but this could explain the 2 year period:
Investigations take time and prosecutors are loath to do anything until they have all the facts and evidence they need to do something.
Well, I have to agree that Investigations take time and prosecutors are loath to do anything until they have all the facts, but 4 women from one party came forth... that seems to me a bit cut and dry. I am sure other people saw it too.
Maybe it was the Old Boy's Network again protecting him.
How many times have we heard "boys will be borns", he was drunk, it's not his fault, those bitches set him up, etc......
Oh, I know. If guys get upset, they are being tough. When girls get upset they are called bitches or the "C" bomb. Can't put a woman in the white house if she's middle-aged, cause she could do something emotional because she is going through the changes.
Yeah, I have heard it all.
I've seen men have mid-life crisis that would rival any woman's menopause! And we trust them to keep their finger off the red button
I just stay in a perpetual state of denial.
You're a smart man.
Tho I tell you menopause is not for sissies!
Like he is really going to stay away from any cases.
Kick him out of the building.
Well it's clear from the redbox rules this is just a partisan hit seed designed to attack Repubilcans, while pretending to care abotu the alleged victims. This story certainly wouldn't have been posted if the accused were not a Republican. If the accused had simply switched parties, he would have a free pass simply by saying it didn't happen.
your comment is off topic and of no value
Nobody stuck a gun to your head and forced you to read this seed or comment on it
Uh, he was actually found guilty. That is right, found guilty by the state IN.
Taken right from the article. I sometimes wonder if people really do read the words that have been written?
Sean, In case you haven't noticed there are red box rules on conservative articles that make them conservative echo chambers, too. And guessing as to why the article was posted is not cricket. Every Dem here could make the same accusation.
Thanks, Perrie. Was it you who suggested that if we wanted a narrow scope of our seeds we should post red box rules? Somebody did.
And I'm just following the example of all the fine conservatives who have done just that in the past week or so.