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Former Intern Says Indiana House Speaker Tried to Intimidate Her Over Alleged Sexual Encounter

Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma, an Indianapolis Republican and one of the state’s most powerful politicians, paid a law firm more than $40,000 in campaign funds this year in part to gather unflattering information about the former intern.

By Tony Cook, Kaitlin Lange and Ryan Martin

He investigated groping allegations against the attorney general.

He is crafting a first-ever sexual harassment policy for legislators.

He is also the same man who aggressively investigated the credibility of a former Statehouse intern who said she had a sexual encounter with him decades ago. 

Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma, an Indianapolis Republican and one of the state’s most powerful politicians, paid a law firm more than $40,000 in campaign funds this year in part to gather unflattering information about the former intern. Family members of the woman claim Bosma’s attorney threatened to reveal the unfavorable information about her if her account became public and to expose her name even if news organizations withheld it.

The woman, who was 20 at the time, did not accuse Bosma of a crime. Bosma denies the encounter took place. And the defense lawyer he hired, Linda Pence, denies the family’s claims and says she acted appropriately in investigating the allegation about her client.

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