Embattled Rep. Hinkle shows up for Organization Day

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Tuesday was Organization Day in the Indiana General Assembly. Just 83 of the 100 members of the House of Representatives answered the roll call, but Phil Hinkle was one of them.

It's now time to ask if he will be there when lawmakers return in January.

Hinkle is a Republican state representative from the west side of Indianapolis who was disgraced over the summer in a scandal involving a young male prostitute . Two committee chairmanships were taken away from him, and party leaders called on him to resign. But Tuesday, there he was, in a seat in the back row, looking uncomfortable.

He left shortly after he noticed our TV crew shooting video of him.

When House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, was asked if Hinkle belongs in the chamber, he said: "I've made my, again, I've made my thoughts very clear on this , but I'm not in the business of making people do anything. Everyone's got to make their own decisions."

Bosma went on to say: "I think I know what ought to happen here, but that will be up to others to do."

Bosma said there are a couple of weeks to address Hinkle's circumstances before the 2012 session begins.