In 1986 Hogsett served as campaign manager for Evan Bayh's successful bid for secretary of state of Indiana. Bayh tapped Hogsett to serve in the position of deputy secretary of state. Hogsett then managed Bayh's successful campaign for Governor of Indiana two years later and was appointed by Bayh to the office of secretary of state that Bayh had vacated. Hogsett won election against Indianapolis mayorBill Hudnut in 1990. Hogsett received 775,163 votes (51.83%) and Hudnut received 719,314 votes (48.10%).[3] Hogsett served as Secretary of State until December 1,1994,when he declined to run for re-election.[4] As of 2021 he is the last Democrat to occupy the office of Indiana Secretary of State.
Congressional and Senate elections
In 1992,Hogsett ran for the U.S. Senate against Republican incumbent Dan Coats. Coats,who had been appointed to the seat by GovernorRobert D. Orr in 1989 after Dan Quayle resigned to become Vice President of the United States,had won a special election in 1990 to serve out the remainder of Quayle's term and was seeking a full 6-year term in office. Hogsett lost to Coats by 900,148 votes (40.8%) to 1,267,972 (57.3%),carrying 13 of the state's 92 counties
Despite having been recruited by state Democratic Party leaders,Hogsett declined to run in the 2000 2nd congressional district election.[5]
Democratic Party Chairman and Attorney General election
In February 2003,Hogsett became Chairman of the Indiana Democratic Party after incumbent Chairman,Peter Manous,resigned.[6][7] Hogsett then resigned in June 2004 so that he could run for Attorney General of Indiana. He was replaced by Kip Tew to be party Chairman.[8][9]
Hogsett lost to Republican incumbent Steve Carter. Carter received 1,389,640 votes (58.18%),Hogsett received 953,500 votes (39.92%) and Libertarian Aaron Milewski received 45,212 votes (1.89%).[10]
United States attorney
Hogsett's official portrait as U.S. Attorney,2010
In July 2010,President Barack Obama nominated Hogsett to be United States attorney for the Southern District of Indiana,succeeding Timothy M. Morris. He went on to be unanimously confirmed by a full vote of the US Senate.
Hogsett's tenure was marked by an aggressive approach in combating violent crime,public corruption,child exploitation and civil rights violations. Local commentators have described Hogsett's efforts as bringing "more muscle to crimefighting," and he has launched a number of initiatives related to these priorities.[11]
Violent Crime Initiative
In March 2011,Hogsett announced the creation of a Violent Crime Initiative,saying at the time that "for too many young people,it is easier to get a gun than an education. That is unacceptable."[12]
Hogsett said that the "VCI," as it has come to be known,would have four priorities:(1) Prosecute more gun crimes than ever before and increase efforts to identify and vigorously prosecute in federal court violent repeat offenders and criminal gangs,especially those who use guns to further their illegal activities and criminal enterprises. (2) Increase the use of law enforcement and prosecution tools such as court-authorized wiretaps,undercover and covert operations,surveillance,search warrants and use of the grand jury to develop the best possible cases. (3) Actively utilize federal drug laws and federal gun laws for the "worst of the worst" to allow for pretrial detention and stiffer sentences. (4) Aggressively employ a multi-agency law enforcement approach to investigate,arrest and aid prosecution of violent repeat offenders and gangs.[13]
According to published reports,Hogsett's Violent Crime Initiative has produced "dramatic" results,including a significant increase in the number of prosecutions filed by his office against individuals illegally possessing guns. In 2010—prior to Hogsett's tenure—there were just 14 illegally armed felons charged by the U.S. Attorney's Office. In 2011,that number jumped to more than 110 individuals,and in 2012,there were more than 160 firearms-related charges filed as part of the Violent Crime Initiative.[14]
Public Integrity Working Group
In April 2012,Hogsett announced the creation of a first-of-its-kind Public Integrity Working Group targeting public corruption and white collar crime in Indiana. The announcement claimed the Working Group was "historic,in terms of both the number of law enforcement agencies involved and as to the singular focus on such an important issue –the integrity of our public offices and officeholders."[15]
Hogsett's office set up a Public Corruption Hotline to assist the Working Group,which was reportedly modeled after efforts to combat corruption in northwestern Indiana. He has also responded to critics wary of partisan prosecutions by citing his recent prosecution of two Indianapolis city councilmen:one a Republican convicted of taking bribes to grease the wheels for a new strip club;the other a Democrat charged with swindling more than $1 million from an investor.[16]
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2013)
On September 19, 2013, Jeffrey T. Wilson,[17] Craig Ducey, Chad Ducey, Brian Carmichael, Joseph Furando, Evelyn Pattison, Caravan Trading LLC, Cima Green LLC, CIMA Energy Group and Imperial Petroleum were indicted in what Joe Hogsett referred to as "the largest instance of tax and securities fraud in state history" (in Indiana). Per the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, a tax subsidy was offered to the first person or organization to mix pure biodiesel (B100) with petroleum diesel. The individuals are accused of fraudulently selling over 130 Megaliters of RIN-stripped B99 to clients who paid an artificially augmented dollar amount while believing that they were acquiring B100 with RINs and a tax subsidy.[18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26]
Resignation
On July 14, 2014, Hogsett announced that he was resigning his position as United States attorney, effective July 31, 2014.[27]
Indianapolis Mayor
Mayor Joe Hogsett Introduces Don Gummer, an artist who created 8 sculpturesHogsett with Gerry Gobbler at the 2016 Drumstick Dash
On August 15, 2012, the Indianapolis Star published a piece entitled, "Is U.S. Attorney Joe Hogsett eyeing a run at Indianapolis mayor?" The profile noted that Hogsett's visibility and successes as U.S. Attorney had fueled speculation of a return to politics in Indiana, citing both the 2015 mayoral election in Indianapolis and the 2016 U.S. Senate race as possibilities. Hogsett received especially strong praise from former U.S. Senator Evan Bayh, who described Hogsett as "a wonderful representative for the Democratic Party and the people of Indiana."[28]
In December 2012, the Indianapolis Business Journal named Hogsett a 2012 Newsmaker in a piece entitled, "Crime stance returns Hogsett to political spotlight."[29]
In July 2014, four years after his nomination as U.S. Attorney, Hogsett announced he would leave the office at the end of the month. The decision was widely interpreted to mean that Hogsett would consider a run against Republican Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard. Media reports indicated that Hogsett's decision may have been motivated by the record-breaking violent crime spree affecting the city.[30][27]
In the days that followed his resignation announcement, a social media campaign was launched urging Hogsett to run for mayor in 2015.[31] In August 2014, he formed an exploratory committee.[32]
On November 5, Mayor Ballard announced that he would not run for re-election to a third term in office.[33] Seven days later, Hogsett announced his candidacy.[34] He handily defeated Republican nominee Chuck Brewer with 63 percent of the vote, giving the Democrats complete control of city government for only the second time since the formation of Unigov in 1970.[35]
Hogsett would go on to win reelection in 2019 for a 2nd term against Republican challenger Jim Merritt.[1] In November 2022, Hogsett announced he would seek a third and final term as mayor, later winning his party nomination for the office for the 2023 election. He will face Republican challenger Jefferson Shreve.[36][37]
In 2023, Hogsett's administration passed a set of largely unenforceable (under an existing state preemption law) gun control measures, known as Proposal 156, through the city-county council, which included an assault weapons ban. In the November 2023 Indianapolis Mayoral Election, Hogsett won reelection, defeating Republican challenger Jefferson Shreve.
Sexual harassment allegations within administration
In July 2024, the Indianapolis Star released an investigative report of Hogsett's administration, specifically on former chief deputy mayor, Thomas Cook.[38] The report outlined three women that said Cook targeted younger women who worked under him, giving them praise, poetry and gifts and promised career growth as he pressured them toward intimacy and unwanted sexual encounters.[39] According to the report, Hogsett heard complaints about Cook and his behavior in 2017. Hogsett's administration said it reprimanded and disciplined Cook three times, finally resulting in his resignation from city employment in 2020. However, he was hired for Hogsett's 2023 mayoral campaign and then later ultimately fired.
Subsequently, the Indianapolis City-County Council gave preliminary approval to form a special committee to investigate allegations of impropriety against the mayor's office concerning how it responded to Cook's actions.[40] City-County councilor Jesse Brown called for Hogsett to resign on August 7.[41]
In September 2024, an administrator in the administration was fired for violating the city's workplace harassment policy.[42]
Personal life
Hogsett lives in Indianapolis since becoming mayor. Hogsett married Stephanie Connolly in 2010, his third wife. He has two children, named William and Eden, one each with former wives.[43] In September 2023, Connolly filed for divorce.[44]
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