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Rokita under investigation again by Indiana attorney disciplinary commission

A screenshot of a Facebook Live video. Todd Rokita, a White man with dark hair, wearing a suit, stands at a lectern, speaking directly into camera.
Screenshot of Facebook Live
Attorney General Todd Rokita was publicly reprimanded by the Indiana Supreme Court for remarks made about an Indiana physician who provided abortion care to a 10-year-old rape victim.

Attorney General Todd Rokita is under investigation again by the Indiana attorney disciplinary commission, weeks after the state Supreme Court publicly reprimanded him.

The new inquiry is over Rokita’s reaction to that public reprimand.

A few weeks ago, the Indiana Supreme Court said Rokita violated professional conduct rules in his remarks about Dr. Caitlin Bernard after she provided abortion care to a 10-year-old Ohio rape victim.

In a statement following the reprimand, Rokita said he admitted to the misconduct to “save a lot of taxpayer money and distraction,” while maintaining he did nothing wrong.

New complaints filed with the state disciplinary commission argue that response contradicted the affidavit Rokita agreed to, in which he admitted to the misconduct.

In a statement, the attorney general’s office said Rokita cooperated with the original investigation into his remarks about Bernard and that he said publicly that he’s learned from the situation and, “like everyone— can always do better.”

READ MORE: AG Rokita reprimanded for misconduct, calls investigation campaign by 'cancel culture establishment'

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The commission can ultimately dismiss the new complaints or advance them for further investigation.

Brandon is our Statehouse bureau chief. Contact him at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.

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Brandon Smith has covered the Statehouse for Indiana Public Broadcasting for more than a decade, spanning three governors and a dozen legislative sessions. He's also the host of Indiana Week in Review, a weekly political and policy discussion program seen and heard across the state. He previously worked at KBIA in Columbia, Missouri and WSPY in Plano, Illinois. His first job in radio was in another state capitol - Jefferson City, Missouri - as a reporter for three stations around the Show-Me State.