Former Indiana Secretary of Public Safety Jennifer-Ruth Green was the target of an ethics investigation shortly before her resignation last week. Green, who served in Governor Mike Braun's cabinet, was accused of multiple offenses including misuse of state vehicles and credit cards as well as inappropriate workplace conduct, according to the WTHR.
Despite the ongoing probe, Gov. Braun allowed Green to retain her position during the investigation, which later led to her resignation during a meeting after the office received the investigation's findings, as FOX59 reported. In addition to personal use allegations, Green reportedly made her staff run personal errands and engaged in "uninvited touching" of female employees, among other issues.
All this comes on the heels of Green's potential consideration for another congressional run in Indiana's 1st Congressional District. This news was shared by political consultant Tim Edson to WTHR, who noted that "Republican leaders in Indiana and nationally are encouraging her to enter the race."
As uncovered by the Indiana Capital Chronicle, faltering under the weight of an inspector general's investigation, Green faced allegations that traced back to February. After being served a remediation agreement in July that imposed conditions for her employment, including additional ethics training and reimbursement for personal use of state resources, Green resigned amidst a swirl of controversy.
Green has publicly defended herself against these allegations stating, "I am disappointed and disgusted by these baseless allegations," according to a statement she provided to the Indiana Capital Chronicle. With a pending session of the Indiana State Ethics Commission to discuss the situation further, the full scope of the ethical concerns surrounding Green's brief tenure are yet to be fully understood.
