* As I told subscribers this morning, Rep. Jerry Long (R-Streator) has once again changed his story…

Long initially claimed he was a “demanding boss,” then he claimed he was railroaded for not agreeing with the script of a robo-call, he also claimed he pounded on the desk and possibly frightened the complainant.

Yesterday he said on television that his complainant had a headache and he massaged her neck.

“No, that is not the story that was received from the complainant,” said Eleni Demertzis, spokesperson for House Republican Organization Leader Rep. Jim Durkin (R-Burr Ridge). “The facts brought forward by the complainant were corroborated by a witness and ultimately deemed truthful and founded by the independent investigators. Leader Durkin and his leadership team stand by the independent investigator’s report and subsequent actions rendered to Rep. Long.”

That’s the first time the HGOPs have said on record that they have a corroborating witness. This is not gonna end well.

The only “good” thing about this saga is I’ve had a chance to interact with a couple of very good local reporters. Tamara Abbey wrote the above story. She’s really insightful and top notch.

* Meanwhile, McGlasson’s comments to a Proft paper make him sound like he’s living in an alternate universe…

John McGlasson, central committeeman for Illinois’ 16th Congressional District believes the Republican Party is attempting to torpedo the re-election of Rep. Jerry Long (R-Streator) in a campaign to rid the party of anyone not in lockstep with Gov. Bruce Rauner.

“[The Illinois GOP] targeted me and three others in our run for Central Committee (last spring),” McGlasson told the Illinois Valley Times. “I saw what dirty tricks they can play. Bob Winchester knows this too.” […]

Long doesn’t talk the “same line” as Rauner, who trails Democrat J.B. Pritzker by double digits in the polls, McGlasson said.

“It’s my opinion that Rauner believes the only way he can win this thing is to have everyone talking the same line and get only those targeted votes to come out,” he said.

That’s some weird logic there, campers. Rauner wanted to dump Long so he could… what again? I read it like ten times and I can’t make any sense of it at all. Maybe you can help.

And Rep. Long may say he doesn’t talk the same line as Rauner, but the unions are all going after him for siding with the governor against them.

* More…

McGlasson said Long told the group that the anonymous allegations made against him are “not valid.”

He said HRO is trying to force its conservative members, like Long, into taking “centrist positions” as part of strategy of “uniformity across all state house districts.”

And there he goes changing his story yet again.

Plus, you gotta be more than just a Kool-Aid drinker to believe that kookiness about candidate “uniformity.” I mean, you probably gotta be living in a Kool-Aid ocean to buy into that insane nonsense.

*** UPDATE *** The Ottawa Times (home to another good local reporter named Derek Barichello) has its story up…

“She was at the computer. I’m standing right behind, and I’m looking at it,” Long told The Times Wednesday. “She leans back. She goes, ‘Ah man I’m tense, I’m getting a migraine headache.’ And I grabbed her neck. Not grab. I touched her neck. And I said: ‘You do feel tense.’ And then I said I’m going to grab my stuff and go.” […]

Long didn’t speak to the staff member all weekend and the co-worker didn’t answer her text messages Monday or Tuesday. Long received a call later that Tuesday indicating a complaint had been made to the House Republican Organization and he was being investigated for harassment. Long said initially investigators told him they were looking into “sexual harassment.”

“Once they realized the touch wasn’t sexual harassment, they said it’s a hostile work environment,” Long said.

That last statement was flatly denied by the House Republicans this afternoon.