There’s been an abrupt leadership change atop the Indiana Civil Rights Commission, the agency charged with enforcing civil rights law and investigating discrimination complaints in the workplace, housing and other areas of civil life.
José Evans, a former Republican Indianapolis city-county councilor who took the helm in March, resigned Aug. 22 after five months on the job. The same day, Gov. Mike Braun appointed J. Philip Clay, a Republican real estate investor who ran unsuccessfully for a Statehouse seat last year, to replace Evans.
The circumstances surrounding the switch up are unclear. Two former employees and contractors of the agency spoke during a public commission meeting in May about a work environment under Evans characterized by “aggressive behavior” and a “climate of intimidation.” Both told the commission board that the state’s human resources department was aware of multiple complaints. A third person painted a similar picture to IndyStar.
The commission in a Facebook post expressed “sincere gratitude” for Evans’ service while praising its new appointment.
“Director Clay has been an active leader in central Indiana for many years, bringing both passion and energy to this important role,” the post reads. “He looks forward to working closely with Governor Braun and the Commission to continue strengthening civil rights protections while serving the State of Indiana.”
In response to a records request seeking complaints or the factual basis for any disciplinary actions taken against Evans, the State Personnel Department cited Indiana law that states records related to discipline may only be disclosed if the end result was suspension, demotion or discharge.
Evans resigned, and thus, “there are no disciplinary actions in Jose’s file in which the final action taken resulted in suspension, demotion, or discharge,” a spokesperson said.
Evans told IndyStar in a statement that he legally cannot discuss “the specific circumstances involving individual employees, their complaints, or departures—whether voluntary or otherwise.”
He said he was appointed by Braun to restore accountability and impact within the commission, and resistance to that, he said, is taking the form of “coordinated misinformation.”
“Change, especially when it disrupts long-standing dysfunction, will always come with resistance,” he said. “I stand by my record, and I welcome scrutiny—so long as it is honest, lawful, and rooted in facts, not fiction.”
Evans’ Aug. 22 resignation letter to Braun, which he provided to IndyStar, did not offer an explanation for his departure.
“During my tenure, I worked to bring accountability, reform, and renewed purpose to the Commission—efforts I believe will strengthen the agency for years to come,” he wrote. “I am grateful for the opportunity to lead this important work, and I remain proud of the progress we made together.”
Clay, the new director, is “unavailable for an interview this week,” a commission staffer said.
Braun’s spokesperson referred questions about HR complaints and investigations back to the State Personnel Department.
What happened during Evans’ tenure
In addition to his two terms as a city councilor, Evans also previously served as Director of Minority & Women Business Enterprises for the city.
Under his leadership at the civil rights commission, multiple former employees and contractors told IndyStar the environment felt hostile and unpredictable. They watched several coworkers leave or be terminated without an explanation.
“It was always up in the air ― who’s being fired next?” Gabriel Kramer, a former external affairs coordinator in the commission, told IndyStar. “We never quite knew what would set him off.”
Kramer repeatedly sought help from SPD, according to emails in which he requested HR representation for a May one-on-one meeting with Evans that he shared with IndyStar. He told an SPD representative he feels “uncomfortable and unsafe” without a neutral third party in the room. At that meeting, according to a recording reviewed by IndyStar, Evans used profanity while accusing Kramer of sharing information with a deputy director about Evans’ desire to change the logo for the Indiana Commission on the Social Status of Black Males, which is overseen by the civil rights commission.
Kramer told the commission in the May 19 public meeting that he believes the termination of his contract was in retaliation for his complaint, which was filed with his staffing agency and shared with SPD, according to emails shared with IndyStar.
Another former staff member said at the meeting that she left the agency over concerns about the work environment under Evans. She said there were “several incidents” documented with human resources that “point to a pattern of controlling and isolating behavior that made the environment unsafe and inconsistent with the values this commission represents.”
Erin Baker, a paralegal who also worked as a contractor in the office during part of Evans’ tenure, in an interview with IndyStar described his tone as demanding and hostile in staff meetings. She said he issued directives with little warning or explanation, such as an overhaul of the dress code.
“Who would want to work in a condition where they’re stressed out all the time, and worried whether, is he having a good day, is he having a bad day?” she said.
An investigator within the commission, Cecilia Kibada, wrote an op-ed for the Indy Politics blog in defense of Evans, saying she “never saw a hostile work environment” and instead saw a mentor who was passionate and was trying to drive change and restructuring, which can be unpopular. She said she started a petition to reinstate Evans once the office heard the news at the end of the work day Aug. 22, but by that evening, his replacement had been announced.
“His goal was to build a stronger ICRC with an even greater impact,” she wrote. “With any restructuring, people need to be patient because change takes time to show results. And we have already seen positive impact. Of course, change is not easy, and sometimes people don’t like it. But we all know we cannot develop if we keep doing the same thing every day.”
Jose Evans, a former City-County Council member, dropped out of the Indianapolis mayor’s race and endorsed Jim Merritt.
Clay draws mixed responses
Clay appears to have a background primarily in sales, real estate and banking, as well as a budding political career. That background has drawn criticism from state Democrats.
He came up through the Indiana Republican Party’s Diversity Leadership Series, and then was one of six Black Republicans chosen for the Republican National Committee’s annual “Rising Star” program in 2022.
He ran against Indianapolis state Sen. Mike Young in the primary last year. As a newcomer, Clay came within 11 points of the longtime incumbent.
On Monday, Indiana Democratic Party Vice Chair Alex Nyirendah criticized Clay’s appointment, alleging Clay’s background is a mismatch with the position enforcing civil rights law. Nyirendah pointed to an op-ed Clay wrote in which he argued that incidents of police brutality are too often used to paint police writ-large as racist, when there should be more outrage over “black-on-black crime.”
“This role demands expertise in civil rights law, impartial leadership, and the ability to earn trust from communities who have faced generations of discrimination. Mr. Clay brings none of that experience,” Nyrirendah wrote. “Hoosiers should be alarmed. If the governor is willing to place ideology above qualifications here, what other critical protections will be weakened next?”
Many others, however, chimed in on the civil rights commission’s Facebook post to call Clay an “honorable man” and a great choice for the job.
Contact IndyStar Statehouse reporter Kayla Dwyer at kdwyer@indystar.com or follow her on X @kayla_dwyer17.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Braun’s Indiana Civil Rights Commission leader resigns after five months
