Gov. Holcomb on AG Hill: ‘Zero percent-tolerance for sexual harassment’

INDIANAPOLIS – For the first time since the allegations surfaced against Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill, Gov. Eric Holcomb stood before cameras and addressed the media Friday afternoon.

Hill is accused of inappropriately touching four women. 

“This is in the hands of the inspector general,” the Republican governor said. “That’s where it should be.”

Holcomb said he read the Op-Ed of Republican staffer Niki DaSilva. She was the third woman to come forward publicly to allege Hill inappropriately touched her at an end-of-legislative-session party at an Indianapolis bar in March. 

“My standard is zero percent-tolerance for sexual harassment. Having believed what I read by the four victims that came forward, I appreciate their courage for doing so,” Holcomb said. “Believing them and having my own standard that I made public in March, I had no other option than to ask for his resignation.” 

Hill has repeatedly denied all of the allegations and defiantly scoffs at calls for his resignation.

John Zody, the chairman of Indiana’s Democratic Party, does not just want hill to resign, he wants answers. Zody sent Hill’s office a public records request on Friday. “So, our question to him is what public tax dollars are being used to support him in his effort to defend himself, legally or otherwise? The second piece of that is what communications resources are being used?”

Holcomb said, “If people have new information or questions, I think they should rightly be directed to Indiana’s inspector general. She is the independent, right person to conduct this review with the help of, of course, a special prosecutor.”

The governor said he is confident the investigation will be fair and thorough. 

Two other women have come forward to publicly accuse Hill. One of them was State Rep. Mara Candelaria Reardon, a Democrat from Munster. 

Hill has repeatedly said the claims are vicious and false.