Former state Rep. Mara Candelaria Reardon and three other women who accused former Attorney General Curtis Hill of drunkenly groping them at an Indianapolis bar dropped their civil lawsuit against him hours before jury selection was set to begin Monday.
The women initially sued in federal court in 2019 before filing the civil lawsuit in 2020 claiming that Hill committed battery against them and then defamed them with repeated claims that their allegations were false.
Their decision Sunday to drop the suit ends nearly seven years of investigations and litigation surrounding Hill’s actions during a March 2018 party on the final night of that year’s legislative session.
In this Tuesday, June 18, 2019 file photo, Gabrielle McLemore, left; Niki DaSilva, left center; Rep. Mara Candelaria Reardon, right center; and Samantha Lozano listen as their attorney announces a lawsuit against Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill and the State of Indiana during a press conference in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)
In a statement from their attorneys, the women said they agreed to dismiss the suit after reaching “the frustrating conclusion that proceeding with the trial cannot provide the relief they sought; namely, Mr. Hill accepting responsibility for his actions and admitting his fault in intentionally touching each of them in a sexual manner without consent.”
Reardon, who is from Munster, declined to comment Tuesday.
In response to sexual harassment allegations made last month against State Senator Greg Taylor, D-Indianapolis, Reardon recently said she was “extremely disappointed” that the culture at the statehouse hasn’t changed since she and the three other women filed the lawsuit.
“Nothing has changed, even after we came forward,” Reardon said. “I was very disappointed that nothing substantive has ever changed to create a safe space at the statehouse.”
Reardon, who left state politics, said sexual harassment in the statehouse has led to “a talent drain” for Indiana “when talented, bright, amazing women have to leave government — and sometimes the state — because of this abuse.”
Current legislators should work toward implementing some workforce changes, Reardon said, which include an independent human resources structure, clear and independent reporting paths and preemptive training and resources.
The legislature needs to allow for immediate investigations into any sexual harassment or abuse and consequences for the accused “especially when they admit that they’ve done wrong,” Reardon said.
“Democrats and Republicans both have to take a hard look at their behavior. We cannot be known as the statehouse for an abusive workplace. We should be known as policymakers, who change people’s lives for the better,” Reardon said.
Reardon said sexual harassment has been disproportionately “a man problem” that disproportionately affects women.
The other women in the lawsuit were Gabrielle McLemore Brock, Samantha Lozano and Niki DaSilva. In 2018, Reardon was a Democratic state representative and the three other women were legislative staffers.
When legislative leaders approached Hill with findings from their private report, he was “generally apologetic,” according to the Indiana Supreme Court’s disciplinary record. But Hill has repeatedly denied the women’s claims in public.
Despite his denials, the Indiana Supreme Court ordered a 30-day suspension of his law license in 2020 after finding “by clear and convincing evidence that (Hill) committed the criminal act of battery” against the women.
The Supreme Court justices ruled after nine people who attended the party testified at his professional misconduct hearing.
The allegations were a key campaign issue when Hill narrowly lost the 2020 Republican attorney general nomination for his reelection to Todd Rokita, who took office in January 2021.
The Associated Press contributed.
akukulka@post-trib.com
