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By Hannah Meisel
* Sen. Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) and a coalition of female lawmakers plan to call for Legislative Inspector General Julie Porter to investigate Rep. Kelly Cassidy’s allegations that Speaker Madigan interfered with her employment with Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart.
“I’m asking other members to call for an investigation, to call for our Legislative Inspector General to immediately investigate Representative Kelly Cassidy’s allegations,” Bush told me this afternoon. “We really believe that there should be an immediate investigation by our Legislative Inspector General. Part of our responsibility as Senators if we hear or or know of something that we believe is an ethics violation, we are also required to report.”
I also showed Sen. Bush the letter that Speaker Madigan wrote to Cassidy this morning on my phone (read the letter here) and she said it’s all the more reason for Porter to step in.
“If what the Speaker is saying is true, then that’s what an investigation would find,” Bush said.
Bush said she didn’t yet know which of her fellow lawmakers would officially be in on the statement, but said it’s currently being drafted.
* I had been looking to speak with Sen. Bush because she’s one of the three women heading up the sexual harassment panel that’s supposed to provide independent oversight for allegations of sexual harassment in the Democratic Party of Illinois.
Bush said the panel won’t weigh in. I also spoke with Rep. Carol Ammons (D-Urbana) and Comptroller Mendoza’s spokesman, who said the same. The panel, which hasn’t been terribly active yet but has events planned this summer, is focused on campaign-related issues, not government.
This post will be updated when the letter is distributed.
*** UPDATE *** Here it is…
Members of the Illinois State Senate Women’s Caucus stand in support of an immediate independent investigation by the Legislative Inspector General into the public allegations of retaliation leveled by Rep. Kelly Cassidy.
Rep. Cassidy had the courage to come forward and discuss her experiences. We stand in support of Cassidy. The Capitol must not be a place for retaliation, harassment or intimidation of any kind.
It is important that an independent investigation by the Legislative Inspector General be carried out in order to restore public confidence in the system. It’s time to stand together to address any culture of fear and intimidation that may exist.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, May 22, 18 @ 1:25 pm
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Are male legislators smart enough to get on this train? This is not a “woman’s issue,” boys.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, May 22, 18 @ 1:28 pm
It’s officially too late to get out ahead of this.
– MrJM
Comment by @misterjayem Tuesday, May 22, 18 @ 1:28 pm
The trail will suddenly go cold before it leads to Madigan.
Comment by Generic Drone Tuesday, May 22, 18 @ 1:29 pm
Cue Comptroller Mendoza the head of the sexual harassment, for the Democratic Party of Illinois, to release a scathing press statement. Oh wait sorry.
Congresswoman Bustos dodged a huge bullet leaving that group, it would only cause more problems. Smart forward thinking.
Comment by Almost the Weekend Tuesday, May 22, 18 @ 1:29 pm
@wordslinger
You would think.
Comment by anon35 Tuesday, May 22, 18 @ 1:37 pm
There’s not much to investigate I imagine…this machine knows how to cover its tracks…
Comment by NIU Grad Tuesday, May 22, 18 @ 1:41 pm
As of today, with the make-up of this current Democrat majority, it would only take 9 members, female and/or male to put the Speaker in the dustbin of history. Now, granted, this could change in November and probably will. But the past practices won’t work in this current environment.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, May 22, 18 @ 1:42 pm
–The trail will suddenly go cold before it leads to Madigan.–
–..this machine knows how to cover its tracks…–
Hilarious. The fact that this is even happening should be enough to convince you that these are not double-ought spies at work.
Who calculated the risk/reward? What was the potential upside here? Petty retribution? The potential downside is very severe.
Today’s revelations have already swamped any possible upside.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, May 22, 18 @ 1:52 pm
When did this become a “sexual harassment” issue ?
Somebody please enlighten me.
Comment by MOON Tuesday, May 22, 18 @ 1:53 pm
Can someone please explain what it is that anyone actually did to Cassidy?
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, May 22, 18 @ 1:54 pm
Note: Anonymous @1:54 has the same IP address as the goof who claimed yesterday that Cassidy was “auditioning for an appointment to the MWRD.”
https://capitolfax.com/2018/05/21/rep-cassidy-claims-retaliation-for-speaking-out-on-metoo/#comment-12958597
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, May 22, 18 @ 1:58 pm
One big reason is better than many little reasons. I think this is finally going to be the undoing. It doesn’t even matter if Madigan or his crew put pressure on Cassidy; the point is that there is now sufficient cover for members to take direct action against him, like this letter, without fear of retribution - I mean, imagine what would happen now if Cassidy did lose committee assignments. JB will want his guy (or gal) without the baggage. Next GA will bring a new speaker.
Comment by Put the fun in unfunded Tuesday, May 22, 18 @ 2:09 pm
I thought it was the Democrats that were unified and only the Republicans who were divided.
Comment by Lucky Pierre Tuesday, May 22, 18 @ 2:57 pm
I have checked out the links that Rich posted, so I am now more familiar with the proposed legislation, which may well be going nowhere this session. I am still unclear as to why Cassidy opposed the bill. State Senator Heather Steans (who shares a legislative office with Cassidy in Chicago) was listed as a sponsor.
Many of the comments have focused on the intimidation aspect. I am interested in learning what Cassidy’s objections to the proposal are? It seems like something that she would ordinarily support.
Comment by Practical Politics Tuesday, May 22, 18 @ 3:13 pm
If something unpleasant that has nothing to do with sex happens to a female legislator, does that automatically make it sexual harassment?
Comment by anon2 Tuesday, May 22, 18 @ 5:48 pm