By TODD ROKITA
Indiana Attorney General
As Indiana’s Attorney General, I have sworn a duty to uphold the laws and the Constitution of the United States and the State of Indiana.
When I left my work in the private sector to serve as Attorney General, I did so because I believed there was a higher calling in public service and an opportunity to make a difference for Hoosiers as a servant leader. I am incredibly proud of our team’s accomplishments over the last 20 months. On behalf of Hoosiers, we daily and successfully fight federal government overreach, including prevailing on challenges to vaccine mandates. We also continue protecting Hoosiers online, battling international robocalls, and distinguishing Indiana as a protector of unborn life and women.
One of the functions of the Office of the Attorney General is to hold practitioners accountable to the standards of practice in his or her profession, as well as federal or state laws. In addition to reviewing a wide variety of complaints and situations, this is a critical legal function as it enables Hoosiers to have confidence in licensed professionals.
Based on a doctor intentionally reporting her patient’s circumstances to the media, my office undertook a review of that act in response to public concern. I reported that fact in response to media inquiries and public outcry, and in doing so met my duty to inform the public, which is an important role of the Attorney General. My comments are supported by facts, as are all statements from my office.
Since the doctor’s comments to the media about her patient made international news, the disclosure of such private information – which is protected by state and federal law – is a matter of substantial public interest. The indication of a review or subsequent investigation does not imply guilt or innocence and the media and others need to stop rushing to judgment and keep an open mind, relying on my and my office’s promise to get all the facts and not be deterred.
These situations are always more complex than the media makes them out to be. Just because the media reports something does not make it so. Likewise, just because random third-party commentators and ‘know betters’ have not seen evidence does not mean it does not exist. We must be critical consumers of information and not just believe anything we read or hear.
I have been misquoted often in certain media “reports,” and in other op-eds as having made accusations or claims that the law was broken. In fact, what I clearly said was this:
“We’re gathering the information. We’re gathering the evidence as we speak, and we’re going to fight this to the end – including looking at her licensure if she failed to report. In Indiana it is a crime to not report, to intentionally not report.”
Also, these commentators could not have watched the actual interview, or they would have seen the context and the questions asked. But instead, their narrative is much better served relying on a misquote than reviewing what was actually said.
As a parent, I am especially concerned when any issue arrives in my office regarding the safety or security of children. I remain steadfast in my commitment to get all the facts, undeterred. My tenacious pursuit of truth and justice is what Hoosiers saw when they elected me, in record numbers. But do not mistake the tenacity to seek the truth for undue prejudicial bias. No conclusions have been drawn.
The media and others should withhold judgment on the situation until the process is complete. I certainly have done that.
Todd Rokita serves as Indiana’s Attorney General.