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Sanguinetti calls Madigan “harasser-in-chief”

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By Hannah Meisel

* Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti appeared on a Bloomington-Normal radio station this morning to talk about Speaker Madigan and Kelly Cassidy. In case you haven’t been paying attention, Rep. Kelly Cassidy went public Monday with her story of being forced to resign from her part-time job in the Cook County Sheriff’s Office due to pressure from Madigan allies after she called for an independent investigation of sexual harassment within the state’s Democratic party organization, which Madigan also heads.

But either Sanguinetti has her signals crossed on who is doing the harassing, or perhaps she misspoke and meant something else, but she ended up calling Madigan the “harasser-in-chief”…

Host: Well, Madigan has a way of going after folks who make him look a little less than comfortable. I guess he feels that since he’s Illinois’ candy man, he can do it.

Sanguinetti: Absolutely, absolutely. And I have a daughter who just turned 18 and I’m always telling her to stand up for her rights and if you see something, you’ve got to say something. Look at what happened to Kelly Cassidy. What message does this send to our young ladies out there? You see something, you say something and what — you get fired? You get retaliated against? By the top harasser-in-chief. So we shouldn’t stand up for this. This should give you pause, this should give everyone pause.

For whatever reason, Sanguinetti’s “harasser-in-chief” comment was clipped out of the highlight reel distributed by the Rauner campaign this morning.

* Sanguinetti also echoed calls today for an independent investigator — other than Legislative Inspector General Julie Porter — to look into the Cassidy matter. As you’ll remember from yesterday, Sen. Melinda Bush told me that she and other female senators were planning on asking IG Porter to investigate the situation, but Speaker Madigan beat the senators to the punch and asked Porter to investigate the matter himself.

Sen. Karen McConnaughay (R-St. Charles) has been the loudest voice on this topic since yesterday. She sits on the Legislative Ethics Commission and chatted with reporters earlier…

@kmcconnaughay33 responds to @StateRepLouLang saying he doesn't see the conflict in Porter investigating Madigan when Madigan's attorney interviewed Porter for the job. pic.twitter.com/PyU6ShJ6BD

— Bishop On Air (@BishopOnAir) May 23, 2018

.@kmcconnaughay33 says the current legislative investigative process is like the “fox watching the henhouse.” She says Madigan’s call to investigate Rep. Cassidy’s claims is an inherent conflict of interest. pic.twitter.com/2JqKAKWEkd

— Raquel Martin (@WCIA3Raquel) May 23, 2018

* Transcript…

“You can’t say with a straight face that you have an independent process until you take the politics out of it, you take the political entities out of the equation and you give that independent individual the power to do the investigation. Remember, the way it works in Illinois is no Inspector General can go and do an investigation without asking the General Assembly to do so. It’s the fox guarding the henhouse problem that we have in Illinois…”

“As good as Julie Porter might be, if the person who’s responsible for hiring her is the person about to be investigated, then that is a clear conflict of interest. I don’t know how that could be at all complicated or confusing for anyone.”

Thoughts?

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, May 23, 18 @ 1:38 pm

Comments

I’m sorry, who is she again? /s

Comment by Stark Wednesday, May 23, 18 @ 1:41 pm
I think you mean Sen Melinda Bush

Comment by Rail giy Wednesday, May 23, 18 @ 1:43 pm
She knew exactly what she was saying. Rauner getting his #2 to be an attack dog before the election. She has been hidden for the last 4 years and she has to do something to earn her #2 spot.

Comment by Honeybadger Wednesday, May 23, 18 @ 1:43 pm
Wait — Sanguinetti is still around?

Comment by Macbeth Wednesday, May 23, 18 @ 1:44 pm
Like you said, Sanguinetti is either confused or just doesn’t care about the truth when a smear will do. And I’ll say it again on this post, does McConnaughay want the LIG’s office disbanded? Because this is the job, and if she truly believes the office can’t get it done then get rid of it. If you don’t truly believe it can’t get it done, stop grand standing.

Comment by Perrid Wednesday, May 23, 18 @ 1:46 pm
Is McConnaughay going to suggest a name or a process she thinks will be valid, or is she slow walking her own complaint so she can later say no one did anything?

Because for someone saying so much lately, she’s not saying much that shows she has a plan.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, May 23, 18 @ 1:50 pm
McConnaugghay appears to be saying that the Inspector General system — anywhere, legislative or executive –is inherently conflicted and compromised.

What’s her solution?

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, May 23, 18 @ 1:50 pm
Pardon my ignorance here, but all these folks calling for an independent investigation… who decides on the person investigating? Who in their mind makes the decision on who is acceptable to do it?

Comment by Fixer Wednesday, May 23, 18 @ 1:51 pm
1 in 100 people couldn’t tell you who the it. Governor is. How is this significant?

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, May 23, 18 @ 1:53 pm
Slip and Sue continues to show… she got hired… and that’s about it.

The confusion and Slip and Sue speaking… That’s really her.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 23, 18 @ 2:03 pm
Word Slinger and anonymous - read earlier cap fax post - she is working with Bush trying to change the system
It’s ‘gut-check time’ for lawmakers on legislation to curb sexual harassment: The sexual harassment omnibus legislation Bush introduced expands the definition of harassment and extends discrimination protections to independent contractors. It would give workers two years, rather than six months, to file charges and sue. It would require reporting of settlements from large public contractors and employers, and prohibit non-disclosure agreements unless the victim wants one. Among other things, it also requires a panic-button system for hotel workers and mandates that anyone who works in youth sports be required to report abuse suspicions to the Department of Children and Family Services.

Comment by Southern Wednesday, May 23, 18 @ 2:06 pm
===How is this significant?===

Because either a politician who is collecting a six-figure government salary can’t be bothered to pay attention to state news, or she’s willing to politicize the Me Too movement to help re-elect a man who threatened a bury a woman a woman who dared to question him. Either way, it’s vile and there ain’t no clean hands here.

Comment by One hand //ing Wednesday, May 23, 18 @ 2:07 pm
===I guess he feels that since he’s Illinois’ candy man, he can do it.===

Pretty unbiased question there. Who was this interviewer?

Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, May 23, 18 @ 2:07 pm
Muller works for Rosenstien who works for Trump. No one seems to think he’s not capable of being independent. I don’t think Porter is doing this because she needs the money. She has a reputation and a law license to protect, so I don’t know why there is an automatic assumption that she can’t or won’t be objective

Comment by Butters Wednesday, May 23, 18 @ 2:09 pm
Awww somebody in the Rauner press shop came up with a new nickname for their obsession: Mike Madigan.

Way to go guys, go cash those checks quickly

Comment by FDB Wednesday, May 23, 18 @ 2:13 pm
–Word Slinger and anonymous - read earlier cap fax post - she is working with Bush trying to change the system–

Someone who’s “outside and independent?” Who appoints them? If it’s the GA, isn’t it the same conflict as LIG?

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, May 23, 18 @ 2:19 pm
:erhas Hannah can drop an FOI on Slp&Sue/ GovJunk and DOC for all the stuff on the former State Rep. who got the 6 figure “good conduct” award?

Comment by Annonin' Wednesday, May 23, 18 @ 2:22 pm
Maybe Rauner’s inspector General should not be investigating fraud, waste, abuse and sexual harassment within the executive branch? Didn’t his oieg do just the same?

Comment by Claud Peppers Wednesday, May 23, 18 @ 2:23 pm
Didn’t McConnaughay vote twice for Porter? Once at the Ethics Commission, and once on the floor?

Comment by Contract Disputin' Wednesday, May 23, 18 @ 2:51 pm
I think it’s fascinating that a female senator who voted to appoint a female legislative inspector general is claiming that female inspector general isn’t independent because Madigan’s female lawyer interviewed her. That same female senator’s caucus also has a female lawyer who could have easily interviewed the female inspector general.

Remember when the female legislators were saying their version of #metoo was about empowering women and helping to improve their role in the political process? They forgot the disclaimer - female empowerment only applies if it’s in their own person political interest.

Comment by driver Wednesday, May 23, 18 @ 2:53 pm
“You see something, you say something and what — you get fired?”

That’s exactly what happened to those 3 Rutherford staffers a few years ago. This isn’t anything new.

Comment by Lost in Chicago Wednesday, May 23, 18 @ 3:10 pm
Ultimately it will be up to Julie Porter to decide which complaint or complaints she will accept for investigation, the Speaker’s request does not have greater weight because it was filled first. The Speaker’s May 22, 2018 letter to Porter does not include any explicit request that Speaker Madigan himself be investigated by the LIG only that Mapes and Rita be investigated.

Based on Rep Cassidy’s comments it would appear that she wants any investigation to include how the Speaker may have motivated Mapes and Rita in this matter, be it directly or somehow indirectly. Showing indirect influence will not be easy to do by the way.

Cassidy clearly needs to file for an investigation herself, because she claims to be the aggrieved party. Others can join her or support her request, but really the ball is in her court. The Speaker as always is decisive and he is trying to frame the investigation like any good attorney would want to do.

Comment by Rod Wednesday, May 23, 18 @ 3:22 pm
lots of talking…

Comment by Saluki Wednesday, May 23, 18 @ 3:24 pm
The Legislative Ethics Commission’s enabling law authorizes non-GA members to be appointed to the Commission. Stacking it with legislators undermines its independence, and screening IG candidates with interviews by staffers further undercuts its appearance of propriety.

Comment by She is Right Wednesday, May 23, 18 @ 3:37 pm
In case Porter exonerates the Speaker, McConnaugghay can say the process was conflicted and the conclusion is therefore not definitive.

Comment by anon2 Wednesday, May 23, 18 @ 3:49 pm
==if the person who’s responsible for hiring her is the person about to be investigated, then that is a clear conflict==

True of the OEIG, also?

Comment by Sugar Corn Wednesday, May 23, 18 @ 4:01 pm
McConnaughay had a say in the appointment. In a previous Bishop release from 11/4/17 she said, “We determined to appoint Julie Porter as special inspector general…” https://www.ilnews.org/news/justice/illinois-lawmakers-appoint-inspector-general-amid-ethics-sexual-harassment-scandal/article_4217f936-c1b7-11e7-817d-b3358253c360.amp.html

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, May 23, 18 @ 4:05 pm

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Sanguinetti calls Madigan “harasser-in-chief”

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