Indianapolis City-County Councilor Jesse Brown introduces motion to remove council president, vice president

INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis City-County Councilor Jesse Brown introduced a motion to remove council President Vop Osili and Vice President Ali Brown at a meeting on Monday.

In a video posted to Tik Tok before the meeting, Jesse Brown indicated that he planned to introduce the motion because he disagrees with Osili and Ali Brown’s handling of a sexual harassment investigation related to the administration of Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett.

In his video, Brown questioned why inappropriate text messages were left out of the report Chicago-based law firm Fisher Phillips generated on the sexual harassment investigation.

“Right now, we still haven’t seen the documents showing why Fisher Phillips, the law firm investigating Thomas (Cook) and Joe Hogsett, didn’t see fit to include Hogsett’s creepy texts and did not subpoena Thomas Cook,” Jesse Brown said, “why it continued working even after that contract that I’ve seen that Vop Osili signed says that they should’ve come back to the council asking for guidance and advice.

“So, there’s a ton of unanswered questions, and we still can not seem to get those answers from Osili. And that’s the main reason why I’ll be introducing a motion tonight.”

The messages Jesse Brown referenced in his Tik Tok video were reportedly sent by Hogsett to Caroline Ellert and Lauren Roberts — both of whom worked with Hogsett in varying capacities during his campaigns for and administrations as mayor.

In one of the messages, which were obtained by FOX59/CBS4 last month, Hogsett asked one of the women if her then-partner appreciated how “feisty” she is.

As Jesse Brown indicated in his Tik Tok video, the messages Ellert and Roberts brought to the council and public’s attention were not included in Fisher Phillips’ report on its investigation of Hogsett and one of his former top aides, Thomas Cook.

Since Ellert and Roberts came forward, multiple councilors have raised questions about why the messages were excluded from Fisher Phillips’ report, including Jesse Brown.

Councilors have also tried to learn why Fisher Phillips did not subpoena Cook during their investigation. In its report, Fisher Phillips indicated that Cook did not respond to its requests for interviews. Hogsett did participate in the Fisher Phillips investigation.

Fishers Phillips’ report indicated that Hogsett and the City of Indianapolis acted within legal bounds in their handling of the sexual harassment complaints that were lodged against Cook. The firm also suggested policy and oversight structure changes the City could make to improve its ability to handle such complaints.

On June 9, the council announced that it was planning to introduce a proposal that could help it implement some of Fisher Phillips’ recommendations and revamp the City’s human resources policies.

Roberts — who was one of the women who first came forward publicly and indicated she was sexually harassed by Cook — was ejected from that same June 9 meeting after she exceeded an allotment of time she had been given to speak. Law enforcement removed Roberts from the meeting, who had been talking about her experiences working with Hogsett and Cook.

After the meeting, Osili apologized for playing a role in Roberts’ removal from the meeting. Councilor Frank Mascari also invited Roberts to speak without a time limit at an Administration and Finance Committee meeting. Roberts declined Mascari’s invitation.

Previous reporting indicates Fishers Phillips’ investigation came with a $450,000 price tag. So far, the City of Indianapolis has paid $150,000 of that tab. At Monday night’s meeting, the council approved Proposal No. 164, a larger funding package that included a $300,000 allocation that will cover the outstanding balance the City owes Fisher Phillips.

Before Monday’s meeting, members of the council had debated if the City should pay the remaining $300,000 bill or withhold payments. Some councilors expressed concerns about paying the remaining balance because Fisher Phillips’ report did not include the messages Hogsett reportedly sent Ellert and Roberts.

Council members have also questioned why Fishers Phillips has not turned all of the work products it generated during its investigation over to the council. An attorney who reviewed the City’s contract with Fisher Phillips for FOX59/CBS4 indicated council members have a right to demand all the work products Fisher Phillips generated during its investigation, not just the report that summarized its investigative findings.

One of Jesse Brown’s fellow councilors, Crista Carlino, has suggested that an “architect” was pulling the strings behind the scenes to protect Hogsett from Fisher Phillips investigators. Carlino, like Jesse Brown, also called for Osili and Ali Brown to resign.

In a press release sent Monday night, Carlino indicated that she was leaving the City-County Council’s democratic caucus.

“On Monday, July 7th, 2025, I made the decision to leave the Democratic Caucus of the Council,” Carlino wrote in a prepared statement. “After a continued lack of leadership and accountability, abuse of power, and unfair application of our Caucus rules for membership, I can no longer in good conscience remain a member.

“I will continue to serve in my role on the council as the District 11 representative, but I will not caucus with any party for the forseeable future. I am disappointed, but believe this is the best decision at this time. I assure my constituents I will not cease in standing up for what I believe in and speaking the truth.”

Carlino and Brown both have frayed relationships with their fellow democrats on the city-county council. In February, Brown said he was kicked out of the council’s democratic caucus.

Carlino and Brown are also among the councilors who have called for Hogsett’s resignation. Democrat Andy Nielsen and Republican Josh Bain have also publicly called for Hogsett to resign.

In an interview with FOX59/CBS4, Hogsett said he does not have any plans to resign from his position as mayor.

Jesse Brown’s proposition to remove Osili and Ali Brown failed to receive enough support from the city-council to move forward during Monday’s council meeting.