Announcer: For Norine Hammond, the “MeToo” movement means me-tooing Chicago Democrats. First, Hammond voted for Mike Madigan’s massive 32 percent increase. Then Hammond tried to protect a Chicago Democrat state Senator from a sexual harassment investigation by refusing to let a whistleblower tell her story.
Denise Rotheimer: There’s nobody in Springfield you can go to.
Announcer: That Chicago Democrat state Senator was later found to have broken the law. Norine Hammond protects the Chicago Democrats who prey on us.
Denise Rotheimer: I know these people don’t care.
Announcer: Isn’t it time we had someone in Springfield who did?
Hammond sits on the Legislative Ethics Commission and Rotheimer believed the commission should’ve allowed her to testify about her case.
* If you watch the ad, Rotheimer’s segments are in black and white, so it might look like the two clips were taken from news footage. Rep. Hammond (R-Macomb) apparently thought so and took to Facebook to denounce her Republican primary opponent Josh Griffith…
“Using the experience of any survivor to get himself closer to winning an election is sickening, and I won’t allow any victim to be used in that manner… No decent human being would use the sexual victimization of another for political gain… The 93rd District needs someone who represents its values, not someone who preys on victims and survivors.
Hi, my name is Denise Rotheimer. I’m a whistleblower who was the subject of a recent statement by Rep. Norine Hammond. Miss Hammond claimed that her opponent is using my experience of being sexually harassed for political purposes.
In fact, it’s Norine Hammond doing that which she accuses her opponent of doing. The ad for Mr. Griffith has given me more of a voice than Norine Hammond ever did.
It was Norine Hammond who left the Legislative Inspector General’s office vacant for three years while dozens of complaints, including mine, went uninvestigated. Hammond is lying about me, she is lying about her opponent and she is lying to you.
Norine Hammond is not in my corner. She never even allowed me to testify before her committee about my case.
Obviously the young lady has found that job she was looking for. This is a long 15 minutes of fame. Hammond could have handled all this a lot better than she did. As they say “Everything is fair in love, war, and politics.” Expect more of this through the general election. A lot of people are going to get blamed for a lot of stuff.
Hammond’s FB statement has 200+ likes — that’ll tell you a little bit about how Proft’s “Rotheimer strategy” is working in the 93rd. Moreover, at a nonpartisan gathering celebrating community partnerships in Macomb just this morning, I didn’t catch one mention of the ads or of Hammond’s opponent. Griffith ran some low quality TV ads a while ago, but wasn’t heard from again until Proft slithered on to the scene. I’m skeptical Proft’s tactics will play very well here.
- Pritzker Plumbers Inc. - Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 2:33 pm:
To allege that Rep. Norine Hammond purposefully left the LIG spot vacant is laughable. It’s well documented that both she and Rep. Chad Hays submitted several names to Madigan and they’ve both consistently spoken up on the LIG issue. These ads are a terrible case of disinformation.
It was only a matter of time before Proft began to put DR more front and center. This was in the works some time ago. She seeks attention, and Proft found a way to give it while promoting his agenda in the process.
From the gitgo, this whole episode has been founded on exploitation, and quite sadly that is what will continue to compel it forward.
I agree with Anon2018 @2:50 pm . But, then again it is Dan Proft and he is an opportunist. What happened to DR is horrible, but maybe she will start to work for Proft now.
- DeniseRotheimer - Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 3:19 pm:
I do not expect people to care about what I experienced, not just with Silverstein, but with the LIG and LEC. Not to mention Cullerton and Bush who both knew about my complaint and did nothing. Any one of these LEC members could have informed the public that the LIG was vacant. They made no effort for three years. It took me five minutes and in five days the position was filled. Now Silverstein got $55k from Cullerton to support his re-election. I will keep speaking out until they are all accountable. Both Democrats and Republicans. People should criticize the leaders who deserve it instead of making excuses for them. The leaders exploited us - not me or Proft.
- Pot calling kettle - Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 3:28 pm:
DR: Sorry to break this to you, but Proft has made a living as an opportunist who exploits whatever he can, whenever he can. While your story has had resonance, you are known by the company you keep. Because of his history, keeping company with Proft diminishes your cause.
===I think once you appear in a partisan advertisement you cease to be a “whistleblower.”===
Yikes, this is a bad take! A lady who accused Donald Trump of kissing her without her consent (Rachel Crooks) is running for state house in Ohio, was just on the front page of the Washington Post this morning. Experiences sometimes make people want to speak up in a political setting, they do not forfeit the right to run for political office.
Rothheimer said, in part, “my experience of being sexually harassed,” yet the investigation concluded otherwise, that the incident with Silverstein was not sexual harassment.
Her complaints have been heard and they have led to action. Now she is attempting, in my view, to use this incident for political benefit. That makes her a former whistleblower in my opinion.
That ad will make little sense to people who are not following the #metoo Statehouse narrative. DR just isn’t going to let this go, that is obvious. She has an ax to grind and DP is taking advantage of that.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 2:20 pm:
===Hi, my name is Denise Rotheimer. I’m a whistleblower===
I think once you appear in a partisan advertisement you cease to be a “whistleblower.”
- PAbarring - Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 2:25 pm:
Not sure who or what this ad is about, confusing!
- Jibbly Bits - Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 2:26 pm:
Pretty solid negative.
- Boone's is Back - Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 2:27 pm:
Well I guess that ad answers the question about whether Denise Rotheimer had a political agenda or not…
- Retired Educator - Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 2:30 pm:
Obviously the young lady has found that job she was looking for. This is a long 15 minutes of fame. Hammond could have handled all this a lot better than she did. As they say “Everything is fair in love, war, and politics.” Expect more of this through the general election. A lot of people are going to get blamed for a lot of stuff.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 2:30 pm:
So Dan Proft is now part of the MeToo movement. Hey, look, is that a shark we just jumped?
- Flapdoodle - Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 2:32 pm:
Hammond’s FB statement has 200+ likes — that’ll tell you a little bit about how Proft’s “Rotheimer strategy” is working in the 93rd. Moreover, at a nonpartisan gathering celebrating community partnerships in Macomb just this morning, I didn’t catch one mention of the ads or of Hammond’s opponent. Griffith ran some low quality TV ads a while ago, but wasn’t heard from again until Proft slithered on to the scene. I’m skeptical Proft’s tactics will play very well here.
- Pritzker Plumbers Inc. - Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 2:33 pm:
To allege that Rep. Norine Hammond purposefully left the LIG spot vacant is laughable. It’s well documented that both she and Rep. Chad Hays submitted several names to Madigan and they’ve both consistently spoken up on the LIG issue. These ads are a terrible case of disinformation.
- walker - Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 2:35 pm:
They might have skipped the photo of Denise testifying before a committee, in her message about not being allowed to testify.
Overall, pretty confusing, and more about Proft and Rogheimer than either of the candidates.
- TopHatMonocle - Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 2:37 pm:
Ram Villivalam should get her agent on the phone pronto.
- Welp - Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 2:40 pm:
HRO tying Griffith to sexual predators/Roy Moore in 3….2…..1…..
- A guy - Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 2:45 pm:
Those are pretty effective. A lot better production than we’re used to seeing there. Those will leave a mark in this environment.
- Anon2018 - Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 2:50 pm:
It was only a matter of time before Proft began to put DR more front and center. This was in the works some time ago. She seeks attention, and Proft found a way to give it while promoting his agenda in the process.
From the gitgo, this whole episode has been founded on exploitation, and quite sadly that is what will continue to compel it forward.
We have all been exploited too.
- HoneyBadger - Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 3:07 pm:
I agree with Anon2018 @2:50 pm . But, then again it is Dan Proft and he is an opportunist. What happened to DR is horrible, but maybe she will start to work for Proft now.
- DeniseRotheimer - Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 3:19 pm:
I do not expect people to care about what I experienced, not just with Silverstein, but with the LIG and LEC. Not to mention Cullerton and Bush who both knew about my complaint and did nothing. Any one of these LEC members could have informed the public that the LIG was vacant. They made no effort for three years. It took me five minutes and in five days the position was filled. Now Silverstein got $55k from Cullerton to support his re-election. I will keep speaking out until they are all accountable. Both Democrats and Republicans. People should criticize the leaders who deserve it instead of making excuses for them. The leaders exploited us - not me or Proft.
- Pot calling kettle - Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 3:28 pm:
DR: Sorry to break this to you, but Proft has made a living as an opportunist who exploits whatever he can, whenever he can. While your story has had resonance, you are known by the company you keep. Because of his history, keeping company with Proft diminishes your cause.
- Lunchbox - Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 3:28 pm:
===I think once you appear in a partisan advertisement you cease to be a “whistleblower.”===
Yikes, this is a bad take! A lady who accused Donald Trump of kissing her without her consent (Rachel Crooks) is running for state house in Ohio, was just on the front page of the Washington Post this morning. Experiences sometimes make people want to speak up in a political setting, they do not forfeit the right to run for political office.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 3:56 pm:
Lunchbox,
Rothheimer said, in part, “my experience of being sexually harassed,” yet the investigation concluded otherwise, that the incident with Silverstein was not sexual harassment.
Her complaints have been heard and they have led to action. Now she is attempting, in my view, to use this incident for political benefit. That makes her a former whistleblower in my opinion.
- Sigh - Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 4:05 pm:
Maybe DR can be the OEIG when Ives is Governor. {snark}
- Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 5:29 pm:
Strongly concur with 47 here. One can be a whistleblower or a politician. Not both, concurrently.
- Blue Sox - Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 5:34 pm:
That ad will make little sense to people who are not following the #metoo Statehouse narrative. DR just isn’t going to let this go, that is obvious. She has an ax to grind and DP is taking advantage of that.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 6:10 pm:
The investigation of Rotheimer’s allegations did not include a specific finding that harassment occurred.