Indianapolis City-County Councilor Jesse Brown is calling for a shake-up at the top of the Council, moving to place a vote on the August agenda that could remove Council President Vop Osili and Vice President Ali Brown from their leadership roles.
In a letter to colleagues delivered ahead of Monday night’s meeting, Brown accuses the Council’s leadership of interfering with the taxpayer-funded Investigative Committee, which was established to examine the growing scandal inside Mayor Joe Hogsett’s administration. He further alleges that Council President Osili “deployed unnecessary force multiple times against members of the public,” citing recent incidents involving Lauren Roberts and Elise Shrock — both critics of the administration and its handling of workplace misconduct allegations.
“This has brought embarrassment to our Council and to our city,” Brown wrote in the letter, which he signed “In love and solidarity.”
Brown plans to introduce a special order of business to add the removal vote to the August meeting agenda, in accordance with Municipal Code Section 151-13(c), which requires one week’s notice before any such vote. Tonight’s motion will not immediately oust Osili or Ali Brown, but it sets in motion a formal process that could end in a rare and dramatic leadership shake-up next month.
He is also requesting a roll call vote — ensuring that each council member’s position is publicly recorded.
The timing is significant. The Hogsett administration is still reeling from a widening scandal involving sexual harassment allegations, staff resignations, and a lack of transparency. Public trust has further eroded following a July 4th weekend mass shooting downtown that left two teenagers dead and several others injured. Critics say the Council and Mayor’s Office have failed to provide a clear, unified public safety strategy.
Council President Osili has not responded publicly to the accusations as of press time. Vice President Ali Brown has also remained silent.
The motion lays bare the growing fractures within the Marion County Democratic Party — with younger, progressive councilors like Jesse Brown demanding accountability and reform, while establishment figures attempt to maintain control amid political headwinds and public outrage.
Whether Jesse Brown’s motion succeeds in August remains to be seen, but it’s clear the political temperature at the City-County Building is rising — and fast.
Brown did not have a second for his motion as of press time. This story will be updated.
