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Let this one play itself out

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* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…

Pointing out the holes in Maryann Loncar’s allegations against Rep. Lou Lang, D-Skokie, is like shooting fish in a barrel. But it doesn’t necessarily mean that absolutely everything she said was untrue.

Loncar, a longtime medical marijuana activist, made her allegations last week during a much-anticipated press conference on the final day of the General Assembly’s spring session.

Let’s start with her alleged $170 million “bribery” scheme by a medical marijuana company, which Loncar claimed she helped expose. She claimed her “meddling” caused Lang to retaliate against her. This is not a new allegation. Loncar e-mailed me in 2015 to allege a $168 million “pay to play” scheme involving the company. The “bribe” turned out to be an alleged offer of a state payment by a company named Medponics for all medical marijuana licenses during a stakeholder meeting.

Loncar said she had an eyewitness at the 2012 meeting, who has worked with her on medical marijuana issues for years. But he told me the Medponics proposal was immediately shouted down by everyone in the room, including Lang. A former lobbyist for the company flatly denied that any such offer was ever made.

In 2014, Loncar and her business partners told the Tribune that their Plainfield company wanted to open three for-profit grow centers and five dispensaries. They claimed credit for convincing then-House Republican Leader Tom Cross to support medical marijuana. Cross’ district included Plainfield. But the medical marijuana bill written by Lang and others in 2013 barred for-profit companies like Loncar’s from the industry.

She also told me in 2015 she was “being bullied” by Lang and a female medical marijuana activist. Lang did indeed tell several people last year that he wouldn’t support the bill to legalize hemp if Loncar was involved. But Loncar also claimed that Lang killed the hemp bill last year because of her involvement. Lobbyists involved with the hemp bill flatly denied that to me, and said the same to the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune.

Loncar claimed that Lang had contacted her ex-husband and allegedly said he could “help you bury her if you want.” She said that conversation led her to fear for her life. But her ex told the Tribune that Lang never reached out to him.

Denise Rotheimer, a Loncar surrogate who accused Sen. Ira Silverstein, D-Chicago, of sexual harassment last year, told the Sun-Times last Tuesday that Loncar was not going to allege sexual harassment against a legislator.

But then Loncar appeared on conservative activist Dan Proft’s Chicago radio show the Thursday morning before her press conference. Proft asked her whether the still-unnamed legislator had said if she wouldn’t “play ball, and play ball means of a sexual nature, then you’re not going to get what you want.”

“In every nature,” Loncar replied. “It all starts in Springfield of a sexual nature if you’re female. All of it.”

However, when her statement to Proft was read back to her later that day by my associate Hannah Meisel, Loncar admitted Lang had made no such demand.

So, what do we make of Loncar’s other claims, including that Lang inappropriately touched her once and made some suggestive comments?

I think we should leave that for the inspector general to decide, not us.

Lang’s resignation of his deputy majority leader post as well as from two important committees after “consulting” with Madigan clearly means he has been punished. Whether he’s been punished enough will, again, be up to the inspector general.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jun 4, 18 @ 9:16 am

Comments

In light of the contradictions and doubling-back in Ms. Loncar’s story, this reiteration of the facts was very useful.

– MrJM

Comment by @misterjayem Monday, Jun 4, 18 @ 9:29 am
If I had a nickle for everytime a stoner claimed I made a suggestive pass at them, I’d be Lou Lang, right?

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Jun 4, 18 @ 9:30 am
Well written article. I learned a great deal about the accuser. I am not sure anything she alleged happened, but the I.G should look into it for truth or vindication.

Comment by Retired Educator Monday, Jun 4, 18 @ 9:46 am
==Reporter: And they didn’t accept the bribe?
Loncar: This is Illinois. Do I have to bring it back to that we’re the most corrupt state of all of the states?==

and then this: “In every nature,” Loncar replied. “It all starts in Springfield of a sexual nature if you’re female. All of it.”

These are nonanswers to people’s direct questions in generalities that imply guilt without saying so. This isn’t the behavior of someone who is perhaps mistaken, or naive, or even delusional. This is the behavior a person who purposefully sets out to deceive.

Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Monday, Jun 4, 18 @ 9:47 am
Thanks so much for the summary.

I really take these issues seriously, but I think this individual really set back the METOO movement here in Illinois.

Allegations of rampant corruption which have been debunked… Specific quotes which have been debunked.

Future METOO activists… Please be better.

Comment by Cookie Monster Monday, Jun 4, 18 @ 9:49 am
==== … clearly means he has been punished… ===

My only question is,punished for what exactly?

Comment by Try-4-Truth Monday, Jun 4, 18 @ 10:04 am
Longcar might not have been the best example with specifics, but her insistence that all the reporters in the room “know exactly what I’m talking about” referred to the generally harassing environment for women she experienced in Springfield. Better examples of #MeToo issues will probably be forthcoming.

O’Connor’s AP piece about her presser, had the right balance of general and specific.

Comment by walker Monday, Jun 4, 18 @ 10:11 am
–Lang did indeed tell several people last year that he wouldn’t support the bill to legalize hemp if Loncar was involved. –

This seems like it could be an admission of blackballing to me, which in most cases is illegal, maybe not in the General Assembly, but in most places, there are legal consequences for this. That said, there are certainly legitimate reasons for avoiding people (their ethics). I think we can all agree that certain legislators have way too much power and there is not a good system for handling abuse. Additionally, media stunts like this are not the best thing for the cause.

Comment by Ahoy! Monday, Jun 4, 18 @ 10:15 am
If I saw Ms Locar a block away, I would turn around and run as fast as I could. I am not a politician.

Comment by Barrington Monday, Jun 4, 18 @ 10:32 am
I don’t think that meets the definition of blacklisting/blackballing. and I am pretty sure Lang has a right to refuse to associate with anyone and refuse to support any legislation he wishes for any reason he wishes.

I am still trying to figure out how she spent so much time in Springfield lobbying for her for-profit company without ever registering to lobby. Anyone?

Comment by Thomas Paine Monday, Jun 4, 18 @ 10:43 am
This is win-win for conservatives, it undercuts Lou Lang AND undermines the “metoo” movement all in one allegation.

Comment by Not Me Too? (Blocked yet?) Monday, Jun 4, 18 @ 10:43 am
== This is win-win for conservatives, it undercuts Lou Lang AND undermines the “metoo” movement all in one allegation.

Yup. It also has the effect of anyone who questions the allegations is guilty of victim blaming, and the arguments which ensue. It is likely no accident that Proft is involved.

Comment by Anon2018 Monday, Jun 4, 18 @ 11:13 am
I do not know but I would think that to be fair to all parties there should be a time limit of some type in an I G investigation. On one hand you don’t want things to drag out on the other you would not want someone to be able to stonewall something.

Comment by DuPage Saint Monday, Jun 4, 18 @ 11:37 am
Agree with Wolf. IG investigation not necessary, Loncar has shredded her own credibility. I am sure there are many cases of sexual assault, abuse and harrassment at the Legislature, but this and DR ain’t it.

Comment by Molly Maguire Monday, Jun 4, 18 @ 11:39 am
What most interested me in all this is Madigan punishing Lang for being the subject of questionable allegations. The Speaker is obviously running scared about what might be coming next.

Comment by Skirmisher Monday, Jun 4, 18 @ 12:01 pm
I hope Lang gets his leadership position back if the LIG clears him. That will send a clear signal that unsubstantiated claims of harassment will not be used for political purposes.

I don’t think Madigan had much of a choice here. And anyway with it being summer recess, this becomes a non-issue until after the LIG investigation and the fall election.

Comment by A Jack Monday, Jun 4, 18 @ 12:28 pm
–In 2014, Loncar and her business partners told the Tribune that their Plainfield company wanted to open three for-profit grow centers and five dispensaries.–

Quite ambitious.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Jun 4, 18 @ 12:51 pm
curious as to why my post was taken down?

Comment by Education First Monday, Jun 4, 18 @ 1:30 pm
Problematic as a number of the accusations have already been disproven by reporters, but I’ll reserve judgement for the I.G. findings.

Comment by Veil of Ignorance Monday, Jun 4, 18 @ 1:44 pm
Not surprised in the least that there is a connection to plainfield.

It’s like a town full of little Jeanne Ives’s

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Monday, Jun 4, 18 @ 2:38 pm
TheInvisibleMan - you are so right about Plainfield.

Comment by Anon Monday, Jun 4, 18 @ 3:45 pm
==It’s like a town full of little Jeanne Ives==

It sounds like this could be a good horror movie plot.

Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Monday, Jun 4, 18 @ 6:25 pm