INDIANAPOLIS — Governor Eric Holcomb is continuing to deny helping shift the blame for the death of an Amazon worker in Plainfield off the company in order to help the city’s chances of landing Amazon’s HQ2 last year.
According to an article published by Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting, Holcomb sought to lure Amazon to Indianapolis, so he met with investigators with IOSHA and told them to back off the investigation into the death of Phillip Lee Terry, who was crushed by a forklift while working at Amazon Plainfield distribution center.
“Today, I’m trying to take a page out of Eva Kor’s book and get to a place of forgiveness, because I don’t know what motivated these lies,” Holcomb said to Indy Politics while helping serve the Mozel Sanders’ Thanksgiving dinner at Butler University Thursday.
Holcomb said Reveal and other Indianapolis media outlets running with the story are “not only spreading lies but selling them.”
“Anyone who would want to profit without doing a proper investigation, a true investigation. What Reveal put out there is litter with lies,” Holcomb added.
The governor said the story accused him of attempting to try and help Amazon shift blame onto Terry for his death never happened and that he has several people that can corroborate that claim. Holcomb said eventually he and his administration will get to a point where they can “properly respond” the accusations.
Reveal says they are standing by their reporting.
Meanwhile the Governor’s attorney Joe Heerens sent cease and desist letters to “Reveal” and the “Indianapolis Star.” You can read those letters below.
The Governor also made the following statement:
“While filing a cease and desist letter is an unusual step to take, I’m compelled to do so. I will not let the false accusations about Indiana state employees and me stand, as first published by California-based Reveal and followed soon thereafter by the Indianapolis Star. Unfortunately, other news organizations in our state have either published the same story in its entirety or other versions unchecked for truth and accuracy, further perpetuating a false narrative.
“We have worked hard over the years in Indiana to create an environment for our citizens, state employees, and businesses based on accountability and fairness, where the rules are fairly applied to all based in truth.
“There are many good, tough, and thorough reporters in the Fourth Estate who seek to educate by way of the truth. Unfortunately, when Reveal and the Indy Star worked in conjunction to publish a false story, it tarnishes journalistic integrity across the board and the public loses faith in where they get their news.”