Jennifer-Ruth Green, who ran as a Republican for Indiana’s 1st Congressional District seat in 2022, resigned as Indiana’s Secretary of Public Safety on Sept. 5 amid fallout from a state ethics complaint, which alleged she asked employees to get her state-issued vehicle from Crown Point, edit her campaign Facebook page, and other tasks that run afoul of Indiana’s ethics code, then threatened the employment of the person who filed the complaint.
The complaint, filed with the Indiana State Ethics Commission, details Green’s violations, including political activity, ghost employment, misuse of state property, and the prohibition against retaliation. The complaint was filed and signed by Green on Sept. 12.
Green, who was appointed to her state role in January by Gov. Mike Braun, allegedly violated the political activity and ghost employment rules when she asked employees to generate content and proofread posts on her “Elect Jennifer-Ruth Green” Facebook page, according to the complaint. Additionally, Green violated the political activity rule a second time when she had a meeting with a National Republican Congressional Committee political director during work hours. She violated the misuse of state property rule when she met with the NRCC director in a conference room on state property.
The ghost employment rule was violated a second time when Green asked employees to perform personal tasks for her on state time on multiple occasions, including retrieving her assigned state vehicle from Crown Point, the complaint stated.
Further, Green violated the misuse of state property rule when she included her state title on her Battle-Proven Leadership website, where she promotes training seminars and her book, according to the complaint.
Green violated the misuse of state property rule when she used and required an employee to use her state vehicle for her personal use, according to the complaint.
After learning that an employee reported her to the Office of the Inspector General, Green violated the prohibition against retaliation when she threatened the employee with demotion or termination and “made derogatory comments” toward the employee, according to the complaint.
Tim Edson, a spokesman for Green, said the complaint is “a baseless, politically motivated hit job.” Green wasn’t given the opportunity to obtain counsel or respond to the “false allegations” before the complaint was filed with the ethics commission, Edson said.
“The truth is on Jennifer-Ruth Green’s side and this politically motivated smear campaign will fail,” Edson said.
Following Green’s resignation, Edson said Green is “very strongly” considering a run for the First Congressional district, currently held by U.S. Rep Frank Mrvan, D-Highland. Green ran against Mrvan in 2022 but lost.
Indiana legislators have been approached by the Trump administration to consider mid-census redistricting ahead of the 2026 general election. Indiana’s First and Seventh Congressional districts are the only Democratic districts that could be considered for possible redistricting by the Republican supermajority in the legislature.
For redistricting to be considered, Gov. Mike Braun would have to call for a special legislative session. As of Monday afternoon, Braun hasn’t called for a special session.
akukulka@post-trib.com
