Marion County Republicans have a few questions for Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett regarding why he went missing last week.

The IBJ reported the Mayor was absent from several events last week as well as planned events last weekend after suffering a minor injury that required him to get stitches.

The mayor tripped, “busting his lip,” while taking out the trash, city spokesman Mark Bode said in a statement. His lip required stitches.

The injury caused Hogsett, who is seeking a third term, to miss events on his public schedule last weekend, including the Indianapolis Alzheimer’s Walk and the Indy Scottish Highland Games and Festival.

Marion County GOP Chairman Joe Elsener released the following statement…

“Mayor Hogsett has been absent from his public duties for at least a week, and we only know this because of local media reporting. The Mayor and his administration hid this information from the public and the City-County Council. 
 
And now, we are being asked to believe that Mayor Hogsett missed a week of work — including an announcement of a critical arrest by IMPD in the Broad Ripple shootings — because he tripped taking out the trash.This just doesn’t make sense. To his credit, the Mayor is not a vain man. We’ve all seen him dance, he shaves his head for charity. We find it hard to believe he missed a week of work because of a “busted lip.” 
 
It is not credible to believe the Mayor went into hiding over a fat lip. Worse, it’s a pattern. When rioters destroyed our downtown, Joe Hogsett was nowhere to be found in an acute moment where executive leadership was needed. He has still never credibly explained his absence. Should another public safety crisis arise in Indianapolis, citizens deserve to know that their mayor — their public safety director, in fact — is present and accounted for. 
 
As when Governor Daniels was injured by a door in 2011 and got stitches, the public was informed within hours.The residents of Indianapolis deserve to know:

  • What day did this injury happen? 
  • Where did it happen?
  • Where was Mayor Hogsett treated? 
  • When was he released?
  • What is the full extent of the injury, and why didn’t the public know? 

The Mayor has been absent from his duties for a week and he hid this information from the public and the City-County Council. This is unacceptable, and it’s a pattern. The citizens of this city deserve the truth.”