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Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle took a lot of heat last year about what — and when — she knew of sexual misconduct allegations against her chief of staff John Keller.

She ended up firing Keller shortly before she announced a bid for Chicago mayor, then lost the election in a stunning defeat.

Now, the results of an investigation into how the county handled those allegations appear to clear Preckwinkle’s name. The report released today by County Inspector General Patrick Blanchard said evidence “fails to support the conclusion that the President knew or should have known about the former Chief of Staff’s alleged behavior towards women outside of Cook County employment prior to being made aware of it in 2018.” […]

In an interview, Keller said he felt vindicated in a way.

“I’m glad that [Blanchard] found out the truth,” Keller said. “I acted appropriately at work. In any work environment where there’s lots of people, there were lots of rumors and those all came out to not be true.”

The inspector general launched an investigation last fall regarding allegations that Keller sexually harassed women outside of work during his tenure working for Preckwinkle.

Vindicated, eh? Yeah, I’m thinking not so much.

Nobody, other than himself, claimed that the alleged groping incident did not occur. The IG investigation was focused on Preckwinkle’s office, not about Keller’s off-payroll behavior…

Scott Cisek, a key political adviser, said he told Preckwinkle days after the March 20 primary election that he’d “heard some very disturbing rumors” that Keller “had been behaving badly towards women.” And he warned Preckwinkle that someday “one of these women is going to come forward.” […]

Of all nights, one of the allegations that led to Keller’s ouster happened Nov. 8, 2016, the night Hillary Clinton, the first woman to be nominated for president by a major party, was unexpectedly defeated by Donald Trump.

Leaving a River North bar filled with pro-Clinton political operatives, Keller, just weeks away from being promoted to Preckwinkle’s chief of staff, piled into a cab with a group of at least five people to head to a nearby tavern.

A woman sitting in the crowded back seat said Keller did something that shocked her.

“Basically, he used his hands to grab my legs and my crotch, and I repeatedly was basically trying to move him away from me,” the woman told the Tribune in a recent interview. “But it became very difficult, and it was, honestly, very awkward.”

The woman, who barely knew Keller, said she immediately told two colleagues what had happened when they emerged from the cab. She said she didn’t take her concerns to authorities.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 11:56 am

Comments

Vindicated? No, it just says he wasn’t a bad boy at work …

Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 12:03 pm
“Of all nights”? Um, we were all hammered. Seems like a very likely night for drunk angry heartsick people to act out.

Comment by Soccermom Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 12:05 pm
He appears to be saying ‘I might be a scumbag on my own time but I keep my behavior in check while I’m on the clock.’ He must be so proud…

Comment by Cubs in '16 Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 12:07 pm
Geez. Somehow I’d missed the timing of the incident. Imagine getting groped the night the dude famous for groping women beats your candidate. How amazing for that woman to get to add that memory to her 2016 election night.

“[A]t work” is doing so much in his statement. Go away, John.

Comment by lakeside Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 12:08 pm
So one creep calling out the behavior of another creep - glad to know this is the bar for the Cook County Presidents’ office.

Comment by MakePoliticsCoolAgain Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 12:09 pm
when I read things like this, it triggers me from the multiple incidents I’ve experienced alone, and in front of others. all of you folks who do this to other people, you are scum. stop. and go away.

Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 12:23 pm
“had been behaving badly towards women.”

Soft language for molestation,eh?

Comment by Dotnonymous Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 12:23 pm
I don’t go rapo at work…so yeah…totally vindicated…wow…amazing what people reveal unwittingly,eh.

Comment by Dotnonymous Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 12:26 pm
Shameless barbarian.

Hoping the panel recommendations from Preckwinkle include how we make sure that unrepentant perps don’t just end up working for a county contractor.

Anyone know what Keller is doing now?

Comment by Charlie Brown Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 12:31 pm
seems like this behavior may be tolerated among the old guard of the Democratic party , Keller, Quinn, Travis Shea, Mapes and now Keller.

Comment by Donnie Elgin Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 12:41 pm
In addition to him making an outrageous $190,000 a year despite being incompetent, incapable and roundly disliked, keep in mind that John Keller was Toni’s hand-picked and groomed teacher’s pet. She empowered and enabled this creep and twit for over a decade during which she made him deputy chief of staff then brought him back at the salary above as her chief of staff. Disgusting.

Comment by Sonny Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 12:45 pm
Grabbing a person by the crotch in a cab seat with (at least) 5 people there???
Wow. That’s a new definition of brazen for me.

Comment by A guy Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 1:07 pm
He’s a creep and has no place working again in this business. If anyone hires him they’re condoning his behavior and the dirty tricks played to undermine those who dared to call him out. It’s too bad that the others who tried to shamelessly attack Emily Miller’s credibility get off scott free as well.

Comment by Shytown Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 1:08 pm
- Amalia - Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 12:23 pm:

when I read things like this, it triggers me from the multiple incidents I’ve experienced alone, and in front of others. all of you folks who do this to other people, you are scum. stop. and go away.

This experience is almost exclusive to Women…it must be disconcerting to terrifying for Women…I suspect the sex is secondary to domination?

Altogether creepy…

Comment by Dotnonymous Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 1:11 pm
No collusion No obstruction

Comment by Joe Procol Haram Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 1:21 pm
Keller’s day in the barrel ain’t over yet. Dan Lipinski will prominently feature the alleged misconduct of Keller in his hit pieces against Marie Newman. Some of the “not-at-work” harassment complaints occurred while Keller was dispatched to the Newman campaign. Might not be fair to Newman, but it’s low hanging fruit in a campaign that’s going to be very ugly.

Comment by Roman Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 1:25 pm
Enough Said.

Comment by Creep County... Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 4:54 pm