Indiana Senate Democrats reelected Greg Taylor as their caucus leader Monday, just after an Indianapolis Star story detailed multiple sexual harassment allegations against Taylor that stretch back more than a decade.
The Star story revealed three women said they were sexually harassed by Taylor, both verbally and physically, while he’s served as a lawmaker. And some of those allegations were reported to past legislative leaders, seemingly without any action taken.
In a statement to the Star, Taylor apologized for his behavior and said he may have “blurred the lines.”
The Senate Democratic caucus did not issue a statement after reelecting Taylor as its leader, merely announcing that he’d retained his leadership position.
The caucus released a statement late Monday that referred to allegations against a “member of the legislature” but made no mention of Taylor. It also called for an improved misconduct reporting structure.
In a statement, House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta condemned sexual harassment, “no matter who it comes from.”
“I cannot ignore this principle simply because a Statehouse Democrat has been accused of sexual harassment,” GiaQuinta said.
GiaQuinta said a state law has required sexual harassment training for lawmakers since 2018 and that the Indiana House has a reporting mechanism in place that includes a confidential investigation process and guaranteed protection from retaliation.
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House Speaker Todd Huston echoed GiaQuinta’s comments about the House system. He didn’t comment directly on the allegations against Taylor but was asked whether the Statehouse is a safe place for women to work.
“I sure hope so,” Huston said. “And we fight every day to make sure it is.”
Shelli Yoder said Monday she stepped down from the Assistant Minority Leader role to "stand with the courageous women who came forward."
"As your state senator, I have always strived to lead with transparency, accountability and integrity, even in the face of difficult and deeply challenging situations," she said in a statement on X. "My decision not to seek another term as Assistant Minority Leader reflects my unwavering commitment to these principles."
Brandon is our Statehouse bureau chief. Contact him at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5 .
Katy Szpak added comment from Yoder to this story.
