Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett, once celebrated for his ethics reforms and dubbed “Mr. Clean,” is now facing scrutiny after a joint Mirror Indy/IndyStar investigation revealed he ignored major conflicts of interest involving city development incentives.

At the center of the controversy are Thomas Cook, Hogsett’s former chief of staff, and Scarlett Andrews, the city’s top development official. Cook resigned in 2020 after an internal investigation confirmed a prohibited romantic relationship with Andrews, yet Hogsett quietly let him stay two more months and later praised his departure. Soon after, Cook joined a law firm tied to Hogsett and began representing developers seeking millions in city incentives — deals overseen by Andrews.

Between 2020 and 2023, Andrews’ department approved or re

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