Nov 19, 2024
INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana State Senator Greg Taylor, D-Indianapolis, is being accused of sexual harassment by three women who told their stories to the Indianapolis Star. On Tuesday, the Indiana Statehouse filled up with legislators for Organization Day. It's usually a procedural affair for party leaders in the House and Senate to outline their legislative goals for the year. Gov.-elect Braun outlines agenda to Indiana General Assembly on Organization Day Instead, much of the focus was on Taylor. He spoke in front of the Senate for a few minutes. He did not directly mention the sexual harassment allegations against himself but seemed to allude to them at times. ”Sometimes the circumstances that cover what you want to talk about get changed and sometimes that's not to your liking, but sometimes they do change," Taylor said. Later on, Taylor talked about the freedoms we have in the United States. ”We have a constitution that said everyone has the right to defend themselves against anything," Taylor said. Once the organization day meeting of the Indiana Senate adjourned, Taylor met with reporters to talk about his legislative priorities, but he did not take questions. FOX59/CBS4 was able to talk with Taylor later on in the hallway outside the chamber. We asked if he had a message for the women who had accused him. "I have no message and I think we sent a statement to all of you about that, so I have nothing other than the statement that was released," Taylor said. In that statement, Taylor admitted he may have “blurred the lines” of professionalism and respecting boundaries in the past. Taylor also apologized in the statement saying, "While it was never my intent to cause harm, I acknowledge that I have fallen short, and for this, I apologize." Hours after these allegations surfaced on Monday, the Indiana Senate Democratic Caucus reelected Taylor as Senate Minority Leader. Through statements, Senators J.D. Ford, Shelli Yoder, Rodney Pol and Andrea Hunley have spoken out about the allegations against Taylor and made it clear they voted against him for leadership. Sen. Hunley and Sen. Pol were elected as assistant minority leader and caucus chair, respectively. In a joint statement Tuesday afternoon, the pair said, "We are committed to ensuring that changes are made, and that Leader Taylor is held accountable."   On Tuesday, FOX59/CBS4 was not able to verify how the other six democrat Senators voted in the caucus election. Republican Senator and Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray, R-Martinsville, said he had talked to Taylor about the allegations. Braun transition team announces schedule for inauguration festivities ”I am extremely disappointed in Senator Taylor," Bray said. "I expressed that to him. We conduct ourselves at a much higher level than that here in this chamber." Bray said he is open to conversations about further reworking and improving the sexual harassment policy. When asked, Bray said he couldn’t comment if any other members of the Indiana legislature have sexual harassment allegations against them because that's a personal matter. 
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