House and Senate hire lawyer to intervene in Curtis Hill lawsuit

INDIANAPOLIS—Leaders of the Indiana House and Senate have asked a federal court to allow them to intervene in a lawsuit filed by four women who say that Attorney General Curtis Hill groped them at a party at the end of the 2018 legislative session.

House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, and Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray, R-Martinsville, said late Monday that they had hired Susan M. Zoeller of Jackson Lewis P.C. to represent them in the case. Zoeller, who previously helped lawmakers craft new sexual harassment policies, has been paid $54,474 for her services so far, according to the Legislative Services Agency.

Four women—Rep. Mara Candelaria Reardon, D-Munster; Niki DaSilva, a legislative assistant for Indiana Senate Republicans; Samantha Lozano, a legislative assistant for Indiana House Democrats; and Gabrielle McLemore, communications director for Indiana Senate Democrats— sued Hill and the state of Indiana in U.S District Court for sexual harassment, gender discrimination, retaliation, battery, invasion of privacy and defamation related to the March 2018 incident.

Hill is being sued both personally and in his role as attorney general. Indiana is being sued because, the women say, lawmakers and policy-making officials failed to act when concerns about workplace discrimination and retaliation were reported.

Read more: http://thestatehousefile.com/house-senate-hire-lawyer-intervene-curtis-hill-lawsuit/39511/