Here is a list of sexual harassment complaints in Speaker Madigan’s office in last five years, which was just passed out to reporters. pic.twitter.com/MXiRQ5e5y5
Notice that no “unresolved” complaints are listed above. Also, lots of exclusions.
…Adding… Speaker Madigan said he sent the document to the other legislative leaders and constitutional officers and recommended that they do the same.
Reporters were told there are only a small number of unresolved complaints.
Madigan could not say when the above incidents occurred.
“What does this say about your office?” Madigan was asked about the volume of complaints. “Is there a culture within your office?” Madigan replied, “There’s no culture with me… (The report shows) we don’t tolerate this behavior.”
Madigan was asked if any new allegations had emerged against his leadership team or members of his caucus. “Not to my knowledge.”
According to Heather Wier-Vaught, the first allegation occurred in 2013, the last one on the list was “more recent.”
Speaker Madigan also reiterated that he would not resign.
More than 20 pastors from throughout Chicago endorsed Chris Kennedy for Governor today at Quinn Chapel AME Church.
“Illinois needs someone who will not bow to the party bosses. I’ve listened attentively to Chris Kennedy, and this man has made a believer out of me,” said Rev. Ira Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church on Chicago’s west side. “He’s not going to Springfield to be anybody’s pawn, but he’s going there to lead the system overhaul that’s needed in Illinois.”
The pastors cited Kennedy’s character and contrasted it with JB Pritzker, referencing his comments on FBI tapes and his ties to the political establishment in Springfield.
“Chris Kennedy is a man of passion and compassion. Chris Kennedy has a passion to serve and a compassionate heart for the people,” said Rev. Alvin Love Lilydale First Baptist Church in Chicago. “He is not afraid to make radical change. I stand with Chris Kennedy because I trust his character.”
During the endorsement Kennedy reinforced his commitment to justice.
“We believe in the separation of church and state,” Kennedy said. “But what we don’t believe in is the separation of morality and politics. What we don’t believe in is the separation of ethics and government.”
* Meanwhile, put another zero behind that and we’re talking…
Democratic Gov. candidate Chris Kennedy receives $245k in contributions, including $100k from nephew Joe Kennedy's Congressional campaign committee #twill#ilgovhttps://t.co/urDwuHjzkg
To me, uh, the discussion should be about why do we have a generation of kids who are, you know, is it a, is it, is it the family, is it the decline in, in, in the family unit, do we have broken homes that these kids are coming from?
[Raising his voice] Why do we have a government bureaucracy of social workers that aren’t doing their jobs?
In fiscal year 2016, more than 20,000 Illinois youth — many of them elementary and high school students — were treated by a mental health agency, according to the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The agency reported that children from birth through age 17 made up 28 percent of the 72,826 people statewide who received treatment in the last fiscal year at a mental health agency.
Due to their overwhelming caseloads, school social workers, in some cases, will not see a student unless the individual is suicidal or an immediate danger to others. Students with mental issues deemed non-life-threatening are often given an appointment weeks away.
“If I could clone myself to make five more of me, I think I could be adequately handling my caseload,” said Katie Smiley, a social worker at Larkin High School in Elgin. “The burden becomes heavier and heavier every day. We need more support. We need help.” […]
Susan Hickey, a retired Chicago Public Schools social worker, noted before a hearing of the Mental Health Committee Oct. 2 that CPS has one social worker for every 1,250 students, [one fifth] the recommended ratio put forth by the School Social Work Association of America [of one per 250].
“I still hear from social workers at CPS and they are literally crying their eyes out,” Hickey said. “They can’t handle what they have to deal with.”
Hickey noted that there are more security officers in the Chicago Public Schools than social workers and counselors combined.
“Security officers are not able to handle kids in crisis situations,” Hickey said. “That is not their training.”
…Adding… I forgot to mention that the new school funding reform law sets some targets to get to that 1:250 ratio.
* The ILGOP claims that Comptroller Mendoza won’t be independent of Madigan on the sexual harassment issue…
#IL Comptroller @SusanaMendoza10 says she'll be "independent" of Madigan in combating sexual harassment in the Democratic Party, but her record shows nothing but loyalty to Madigan. Roll the tape. #twillpic.twitter.com/hHSsmWIxjg
* Interviews during an investigation do not equal guilt, but this is an interesting point…
Why has @GovRauner been so silent on criticizing Speaker Madigan after Madigan had to dismiss 2 of inner circle for #sexharassment? Sources say EIOG Maggie Hickey has interviewed women about former Rauner General Counsel Dennis Murashko's behavior, will public see final report?
TUES, 7:30PM: Legislators and members of newly formed Campaign Workers Guild meet to discuss protecting political staff from abuse and harassment
WHO: State Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago), State Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-Chicago), State Rep. Theresa Mah (D-Chicago) State Rep. Christian Mitchell (D-Chicago), other legislators, and the Campaign Workers Guild, a newly formed union representing political campaign workers
WHAT: Four Democratic Chicago State Representatives — Cassidy, Guzzardi, Mah and Mitchell will meet with the Campaign Workers guild on Tuesday to seek guidance to begin to address concerns arising from recent allegations about sexual harassment in the Democratic Party of Illinois. The meeting from 5:30-7:30 will be closed to the press but the legislators as well as a representative from the Campaign Workers Guild will be available for comment immediately after the meeting.
WHERE: Red Roof Inn (formerly State House Inn), 101 E Adams, Springfield, IL, in the Gallery Room
* Democratic candidate invokes a movement against sexual harassment called “Time’s up!” in a campaign press release about petitions…
An expedited decision will be made today by Judge Robert Bertucci in the Circuit Court of Cook County—Room #1704 to determine if Andrea Raila, Candidate for Cook County Assessor will remain on the ballot.
Andrea Raila has been submitted to an unprecedented 73 days of a grueling and often dehumanizing petition challenge process and over $300K in an unchecked mix of taxpayer and private money thrown in every direction to keep her name off the ballot.
The war waged against Andrea Raila is led by self styled progressive Frederick “Fritz” Kaegi. As a result, Kaegi has allowed thousands of taxpayer’s dollars to be spent to fight his war to remove a qualified woman with more than 37 years of experience in property tax assessments and appeals from the ballot.
An examination of Kaegi’s unchallenged petitions reveals identical technical irregularities that he accuses Raila of with the slanderous term “pattern of fraud.” In addition, petitions have surfaced belonging to the Kaegi camp that were circulated and notarized before the legally allowed date for petitions to be circulated along with affidavits from the circulators.
Up to now, the Kaegi camp has gone virtually unchallenged. Raila declares, “If Kaegi wants this office, he will have fight for it tooth and nail and come clean with the voters of Cook County. Time’s up! We are not going to sit idly by while he makes arrogant decisions for the voters of Cook County. Our voices will be heard and our supporters will see their democratic right to vote for me realized.”
…Adding… From Kaegi campaign manager Rebecca Reynolds…
“All the feigned outrage in the world doesn’t change the fact that Andrea Raila personally engaged in an unprecedented level of fraud. The voters see right through this political charade.”
State Sen. Ira Silverstein reports the Illinois Senate Democratic Victory Fund controlled by Senate President John Cullerton paid $50,000 for media production.
* Last year, the GA passed a new law to increase the sentencing range for repeat gun offenders. But Cook County’s bond court is taking an odd turn on accused gun felons.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle on Monday disputed Sheriff Tom Dart’s recent assertion that public safety could be compromised because hundreds more gun suspects have been released from custody on electronic monitoring since bond overhaul measures took effect last fall. […]
“The types of cases addressed by Sheriff Dart (in his letter) are gun cases — but they are gun cases in which nobody was shot or killed,” [Pat Milhizer, a spokesman for Chief Judge Timothy Evans] said. “That means the charge is not an inherently violent charge,” he said. […]
In a letter to Cook County authorities last week, Dart expressed concern that bond changes had led to a dramatic increase in the number of gun offenders released from Cook County Jail on electronic monitors. In response, he said, his office has begun to make changes: shifting staff, conducting a more thorough vetting process and, if necessary, declaring detainees too risky for the anklets altogether.
But Preckwinkle’s letter, citing Dart’s own data, pointed out that out of 195 alleged gun offenders released pretrial since bond changes took effect, just five had picked up a new gun charge as of Feb. 1. And felony gun charges have remained constant, Preckwinkle said, indicating that no increased safety threat can be attributed to bond decisions about gun offenses.
Look, most everybody wants bond reform to work. But the reform was specifically designed for non-violent accused offenders, not alleged gun-carrying felons. Dart’s spokesperson says it’s way too early to make a judgement on recidivism of those offenders. If she’s right, there’s gonna be heck to pay.
Before 9/18/17, D-Bonds [defendant has to post 10 percent] for felony gun charges were administered at a higher rate with higher bond amounts than after 9/18/17. Before 9/18/17, No Bonds, IEM [no cash, but electronic monitoring], and I-Bonds [released on own recognizance] were rarely administered for felony gun charges. After 9/18/17, the use of No Bonds, IEM, and I-Bonds increased dramatically.
And that’s not all. According to the sheriff, the median D-Bond before the change was $75,000. After the change, the median D-Bond dropped to just $10,000.
Sheriff Dart also says he simply doesn’t have the resources to electronically monitor all these alleged gun felons because they require so much extra attention.
…Adding… OneMan is exactly right…
Also concerned that it will have a negative impact on the bond changes overall. If there is an issue with someone, it will be used as a reason to push back on all the changes.
The changes Dart trumpeted made sure that accused non-violent offenders aren’t in jail just because they couldn’t afford to post bond. The pendulum has swung too far and could swing back if something bad happens.
Sneed has learned State Rep. Dan Burke will pay homage to the memory of slain CPD Commander Paul Bauer Tuesday by introducing a major piece of gun legislation named after him.
The Commander Paul Bauer Act, originally introduced in 2017 as House Bill 1469 — a piece of legislation with no substantive language — will include Burke’s amendment banning the sale of body armor and high capacity gun magazines to anyone other than police officers, licensed security guards and members of the armed forces.
Sneed is also told the Bauer Act will have behind it the full weight of powerful House Speaker Mike Madigan. […]
Ald. Ed Burke, the state lawmaker’s brother, said the bill “would be the first time that the legislature in Illinois been able to resist the forces of the NRA opposing any kind of reasonable gun control legislation.”
Unlawful use of body armor. A person commits the offense of unlawful use of body armor when he knowingly wears body armor and is in possession of a dangerous weapon, other than a firearm, in the commission or attempted commission of any offense.
A person commits unlawful use of body armor when he or she knowingly sells, transfers, purchases, possesses, or wears body armor.
Full disclosure: I purchased some body armor before going to Iraq. I think I got rid of it, but I suppose I’d better check around my house and garage just to make sure.
Declaring that America is in the midst of a gun violence crisis, Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Monday urged state lawmakers and Gov. Bruce Rauner to approve a series of gun control bills and called on the public to hold officials’ feet to the fire this week and in the upcoming elections.
Lawmakers could consider a group of bills on Wednesday that would require gun dealers to be licensed, raise penalties for the illegal use of body armor, address waiting periods for gun purchases, and ban “military-style” assault weapons high-capacity magazines and “bump stocks,” Emanuel and Chicago police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said.
Johnson said he will travel to Springfield on Tuesday to testify in favor of the efforts, and Emanuel said he would be working the phones. The mayor on Monday repeatedly called on the public to get engaged in the maneuvering in Springfield and contended that a vote against the gun control bills was a vote against police officers.
“Watch this vote, and if the legislators do not back up the public safety, do not back up the police officers — in the primary and in this general election, you must hold them accountable,” Emanuel said, pounding a podium as he addressed Chicago’s latest class of police recruits. “Trust me, if they think they can get away without having any political pressure, they’re going to do the bare minimum rather than what is the appropriate thing. This is not about their political safety, this is about our public safety. And don’t let them get away with doing the bare minimum to take the issue off the table.”
But the bill that bears Bauer’s name is just one piece of a broad gun control bill that will go before state legislators this week.
“The Gun Dealer licensing Bill, which will allow us to encourage better business practices among gun dealers as well as holding corrupt dealers accountable. It will also require background checks for dealers and their employees, training to prevent straw purchasing, and enforce proper dealer security measures,” Emanuel said.
As the national conversation about gun control has taken on a renewed urgency over the past few weeks, advocates are now hoping their proposal will get a better chance at becoming law.
“We’re seeing more energy from young people than we’ve ever seen before, saying enough is enough,” said Colleen Daly of the Illinois Council on Handgun Violence.
The bill also includes a waiting period for buying assault weapons, and a ban on bump stocks.
* Speaking of guns, Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios has a TV ad bashing his Democratic primary opponent Fritz Kaegi on the issue.
“To stop the NRA, follow the money,” the ad begins, claiming that Kaegi “invested heavily in this NRA donor’s company.” Kaegi “got rich and the NRA got millions to spend blocking gun control.”
Now that I can actually see it, the “NRA donor” in the TV ad is Clayton Williams, who made a reported $1.35 billion last year when he sold his company.
An interesting background piece on Williams and the NRA is here.
