Second councilor calls for Hogsett resignation
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Photo illustration: Allie Carl/Axios; Photo: Jeff Haynes/Getty Images
A second City-County Council member has called on Mayor Joe Hogsett to resign following an investigation into his administration's handling of sexual harassment allegations against Hogsett's former chief of staff.
Catch up quick: Thomas Cook was one of Hogsett's top aides for years before being asked to resign in 2020 for violating the city's non-fraternization policy.
- He had an extramarital affair with a coworker, violating a zero-tolerance directive given to Cook after a 2017 internal investigation into harassment allegations.
- He was later hired to work on Hogsett's 2024 reelection campaign.
Driving the news: Councilor Andy Nielsen yesterday called on Hogsett to resign, based on the findings of a seven-month investigation into harassment allegations by three women who shared their stories with local media last year.
- Councilor Jesse Brown called on Hogsett to resign last summer after the initial reporting.
While the investigation found no legal wrongdoing on the part of the city, it describes "overly casual and at times professionally inappropriate workplace conduct" displayed by Cook and unnamed others in the administration.
What they're saying: Hogsett's "repeated decisions to retain Cook demonstrated a profound lack of judgement and disregard for fundamental ethics," Nielsen wrote. "These decisions knowingly put people in harm's way and eroded trust in institutions that we should and must hold to the highest standards."
The other side: "While we don't always agree, one thing the City-County Council and I do agree on is the importance of continually improving City policies and training," Hogsett said.
- He said he's already instructed the city's Office of Corporation Counsel to figure out how to implement recommendations from the investigation to strengthen employee protections.
What we're watching: Other councilors have said their work on the issue is just beginning, now that the investigation is concluded. It remains to be seen if that will include more pressure on Hogsett or reform within the City-County Building.