(INDIANAPOLIS) - A professional misconduct complaint against Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita has been dismissed -- but the state senator who filed it says the fight isn't over. The Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission has decided not to take action on a grievance filed last spring by Sen. Liz Brown, a Republican from Fort Wayne. Rokita's office released a letter showing the commission voted to close the case after reviewing a response from the attorney general's lawyers. Brown filed the complaint after Rokita claimed in a radio interview that she blocked an immigration enforcement bill because she has an "illegal alien" in her family. Brown called that statement false and argued it violated professional conduct rules for attorneys. Despite the commission's decision, Brown now says she has appealed, asking the panel to reconsider. She declined further comment. Rokita's attorneys argued the complaint was politically motivated and protected by First Amendment free speech rights, calling the grievance "meritless on its face." A spokesperson for the Indiana Supreme Court confirmed complainants can request reconsideration, but said details of closed cases are not made public. The dispute is also spilling into the Statehouse. Rokita's office recently criticized a bill authored by Brown aimed at cracking down on businesses that hire undocumented workers. The bill cleared a Senate committee and could be debated next month. Rokita and U.S. Senator Jim Banks have both criticized Brown publicly and are backing a challenger in her 2026 reelection race.
This is not Rokita's first ethics controversy. In 2023, he was reprimanded by the Indiana Supreme Court over comments about an Indianapolis doctor involved in a high-profile abortion case. Separate misconduct allegations tied to his response to that reprimand were dismissed earlier this year.
For now, the latest complaint is closed -- but the political and legal clash between the attorney general and the senator is far from over.