The city of Gary announced in a Monday news release that former Deputy Mayor Trent McCain’s ethics complaint against Ragen Hatcher has been dismissed.
State Rep. Hatcher, D-Gary, is the executive director of the Gary Sanitary District. McCain submitted the request because of Hatcher’s dual employment, he previously said in an announcement sent to the Post-Tribune.
According to Post-Tribune archives, McCain argued that the Indiana Constitution prohibits anyone from “holding more than one lucrative office at the same time.” The state constitution also prohibits someone “charged with legislative duties from simultaneously exercising executive functions.”
McCain also claimed that Hatcher received a legislative salary in 2024 as GSD’s director of strategic partnerships and internal compliance. He alleged that if those “two compensation streams overlapped” in 2024, the violation predates her executive director appointment by almost one year, according to Post-Tribune archives.
McCain also said in his previous statement that the Gateway database does not include a conflict of interest disclosure statement filed by Hatcher in 2024, 2025 or 2026.
The dismissal of these claims puts the matter to rest, according to a city news release.
“The City of Gary remains intensely focused on our comeback narrative, driving regional momentum, and executing our vision for the community with absolute fiscal responsibility, transparency and integrity,” Gary Mayor Eddie Melton said in a city statement. “We appreciate the Ethics Committee’s reaffirmation that Indiana’s Legislature is a part-time, citizen legislature. Its rules rightfully encourage its members to maintain outside employment and bring real-world experience to the policymaking process. (Rep.) Hatcher’s leadership at the Gary Sanitary District continues to be an asset to our city and its residents.”
In a May 1 letter, the Indiana House Statutory Committee on Ethics analyzed, addressed and dismissed each allegation, according to a city news release. The committee affirmed that the executive director role doesn’t constitute a “lucrative office” in the Indiana Constitution, and the director acts at the discretion of the GSD board.
The committee noted that Indiana’s separation of powers doctrine applies to state government and not local government, which the city’s news release said validates Hatcher’s concurrent roles.
“It should be noted that this matter was thoroughly researched before (Rep.) Hatcher, who is a licensed attorney, assumed the role of Executive Director of GSD,” Gary’s news release said.
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Hatcher made $123,425.52 as GSD executive director, and as a state representative, she made $78,912.54 in the same year, according to Post-Tribune archives.
In a text to the Post-Tribune, McCain said he believes neither the House Ethics Committee nor the Indiana Attorney General’s Office conducted a full investigation.
“Both reviewed the complaint on its face and declined to proceed further — that is a procedural outcome, not an exoneration,” McCain said.
McCain claimed in his text that the ethics committee used the distinction that Hatcher is employed by the board and acts at its direction “to sidestep the dual lucrative office question, not resolve it.”
The Indiana Attorney General’s Office told McCain in an email that they agree with the committee’s decision. McCain forwarded the email to the Post-Tribune.
McCain also claimed that neither body addressed that Hatcher was receiving GSD compensation nearly a year before her appointment as executive director, and the conflict of interest disclosure filings are not in the state database.
“The people of Gary deserve better than a representative who collects a government paycheck on both sides of the same table while filing nothing to disclose it,” McCain said. “Two agencies looked away. The public record did not change.”
McCain’s brother, Todd McCain, in September 2024, filed a lawsuit in Hammond’s U.S. District Court against the GSD and Melton, alleging political retaliation from when he was fired from a role in the department.
Todd McCain asked for relief for lost wages, employment benefits, other compensation lost, among other requests. He claims the termination of his First Amendment rights, which protect his freedom of political expression and affiliation.
Todd McCain campaigned for former Mayor Jerome Prince, who Melton defeated in the May 2023 Democratic primary. Trent McCain served as deputy mayor during Prince’s administration.