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Tchen joins Anti-Harassment, Equality, and Access Panel

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Illinois

Tina Tchen, Michelle Obama’s former chief of staff and co-founder of the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund, is taking on a key role in Illinois’ #MeToo movement, organizers tell POLITICO.

Tchen will act as legal counsel to an anti-harassment panel in Illinois that’s about to launch six sessions across the state to engage women on their political workplace experiences. The sessions are private, intended to give women a protected outlet to share their experiences. The sessions are targeted to those who have worked on campaigns and political committees. The Anti-Harassment, Equality and Access panel is now a 501 (c) (4), nonpartisan and one of the committee’s goals is to draw women across party lines.

Tchen, a partner with Buckley Sandler LLP, helped launch the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund, which has raised more than $21 million from more than 20,000 people since January. The fund aims to help subsidize legal costs to victims of harassment or workplace retaliation who cannot afford a lawyer. […]

Given the lack of chumminess between most Obama alums and the Chicago machine, Tchen provides the committee some distance from Democratic Party Chair and Speaker Mike Madigan, whose powerful reach is always in question.

* Press release…

Today, the non-partisan Anti-Harassment, Equality, and Access Panel (AHEA) announced its plans to host six listening sessions throughout Illinois.

These sessions are designed for women who have worked on campaigns at all levels, in any party in Illinois, to provide guidance for the Panel’s final report on guidelines to improve workplace culture. For those women who can’t participate in these panels, a website has been created where feedback can be provided either by name or anonymously at www.aheapanel.org.

The Panel schedule is:

Champaign: Sunday, July 1
Chicago and Rockford: Sunday, July 8
Metro East: Sunday, July 15
Springfield: Monday, July 23
Carbondale: Thursday, July 26

The Panel is led by Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza, State Senator Melinda Bush (Grayslake) and State Representative Carol Ammons (Urbana).

“We are thrilled to start engaging women across the state around this incredibly important work,” said Illinois State Comptroller, Susana Mendoza. “It’s a unique opportunity to help shape the future of Illinois politics and the kind of culture we want to build that ultimately gives everyone the opportunity to thrive and succeed.”

State Representative Carol Ammons says the Panel is being very intentional to ensure listening sessions include the voices of all women. “As part of our work, it’s critical that women of color, who have been traditionally disenfranchised, are heard,” she said. “It is crucial the Panel is considering the intersection of race and gender and how it impacts the overall landscape of politics in Illinois. Women of color are missing from the discussion, from the table, and from our elected offices.”

“It’s important that we visit every corner of the state and engage multiple partners in this work so that all voices are heard regardless of where they serve,” said State Senator Melinda Bush. “We want to engage women from all parties, across all levels of experience working on campaigns and within party organizations so we can build recommendations that can create the strongest and most supportive environments where women can succeed.”

The goals of the AHEA Panel are as follows:

* Promote and support a culture of equality, safety, and respect in Illinois politics and government free of sexual harassment.
* Improve the process for combating and reporting sexual harassment in Illinois political campaigns.
* Increase the number of women in leadership positions and those on track to leadership positions at all levels of Illinois politics and government by expanding access and tools for professional and leadership development.
* Facilitate more women running for office in Illinois by identifying and reducing structural obstacles that prevent them from doing so.

Supporting the work of the Panel is Tina Tchen, Partner, Buckley Sandler LLP; Becky Carroll, President, C-Strategies, and co-founder of Illinois Say No More; Katelynd Duncan, President of KJD Strategies and co-founder of Illinois Say No More; and Christie Lacey, Panel Coordinator.

The AHEA is a 501(c)(4) non-partisan organization. This Panel does not have investigatory authority or oversight around sexual harassment allegations. The Panel plans to complete its report by August 16.

* From the website…

As co-founders of the Anti-Harassment, Equality, and Access Panel, we are working together to develop a comprehensive set of guidelines that can be adopted by any campaign in any political party, so women can work in safe and supportive working environments where they can thrive. However, developing guidelines is only one part of the work. To ensure lasting and effective change, more women must be given a seat at the table. We will facilitate conversations on how parties and campaigns can support the professional development of women and elevate them into positions of leadership throughout Illinois.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 9:40 am

Comments

Good to see that women will have an opportunity to shape these guidelines. It’s time for campaigns and political parties to walk the walk with women.

Comment by Shytown Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 10:03 am
Very excited that Tina Tchen is on board with this work locally. These ladies have the opportunity to establish best practices that currently don’t exist for combating the culture of sexual harassment in politics and government for the rest of the country. It would be great if other states could look to the work of women in Illinois as a guiding light on this issue.

Comment by f*cktrump Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 11:01 am
It’s nice to see totally independent Melinda Bush on there. Will she return the money she took from Kasper’s law firm or stop pretending she’s independent from Madigan?

Comment by Anon Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 11:33 am
Tina Tchen is the total goods. She’s wonderful B.Carroll is a Pritzker person.

Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 11:34 am
@Anon11:33 is right about Melinda Bush apparently. Multiple donations, including this year, from Fletcher, O’Brien, Kasper & Nottage. She doesn’t mention Mike Kasper’s money anywhere while criticizing others for being too close to Madigan.

Comment by Wowza Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 11:54 am
== “B.Carroll is a Pritzker person.”

Plus Daley, Blagojevich, Fritchey, and others. She’s not exactly an outsider.

Comment by Highlands Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 12:13 pm
@Wowza Yep–she’s a phony. Kicked off an African American woman for being tied to Madigan. Fine with taking his money though.

Comment by Anon Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 12:14 pm
“…and Christie Lacey, Panel Coordinator.”

Wait, who??

Comment by Who? Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 12:26 pm
@Anon 12:14 Melinda Bush wants other people to answer for ties to Madigan while not so much as returning the money she gets from Madigan’s lawyer. I’m sure that will end well for her and her “independent” persona.

Comment by Wowza Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 12:28 pm
===returning the money she gets from Madigan’s lawyer===

Which lawyer?

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 12:33 pm
Anon 12:14 and Wowza - Melinda Bush has been one of Madigan’s most outspoken critics around MeToo and his position as both party chair and speaker. It’s called Google. Check it out and learn.

Comment by Shytown Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 12:42 pm
“…Fletcher, O’Brien, Kasper & Nottage.”

The definitely not close to Madigan Mike Kasper.

Comment by Wowza Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 1:22 pm
Fletcher (longtime Republican with ties to Pate), O’Brien (retired, but a Thompson guy), Kasper (MJM) & Nottage (Emil Jones). Firm also includes David Dring, a former HGOP spokesman under Tom Cross.

So, your connection is way off. If it came directly from Kasper, that’s one thing.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 1:34 pm
Rich, come on–you’re suggesting it’s on behalf of a Republican interest at the, um, government relations law firm? That’s a connection that’s way off. It’s fine for her to take it from Kasper’s firm but she shouldn’t attack other politicians for being tied to MJM too. There’s nothing wrong with some CYA and self-promotion but she’s creeping into Drury territory with her so-called “independent” attitude.

Comment by Wowza Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 1:48 pm
===you’re suggesting it’s on behalf of a Republican interest===

Nope, I’m saying you’re a hyperpartisan moron.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 1:53 pm
I guess Melinda Bush is making some people in politics nervous. Good for her.

Comment by Shytown Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 4:11 pm
@Shytown LOL. She should issue a press release bragging about the donation from Kasper’s firm. Something tells me she’s too afraid to do that. The fact is a politician can do good things and be a hypocrite. She shouldn’t be a hypocrite, that’s all. Not a big thing to ask. That’s not being nervous–it’s actually probably a pretty common plea from legislators at all levels and from both parties.

Comment by Wowza Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 5:21 pm
Wowza, I think Rich already said what the rest of us are thinking about you…

Comment by Shytown Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 7:57 pm
Shytown, it’s clear you don’t want to address what Bush did and would rather attack me. Here’s a question: Do you think someone who takes political donations from Mike Madigan’s top lawyer is independent from Mike Madigan? Let’s see if you can answer that without dismissing me personally. And here’s a second question: Isn’t it hypocritical of someone who wants to get rid of Democrats for being tied to Madigan when she also has ties to him? Again, if you’re fine with that, just say so, but attacking me instead speaks volumes.

Comment by Wowza Wednesday, Jun 27, 18 @ 12:12 am
Wowza, I’m not the one who called you a hyperpartisan moron; I just agreed with the description. If you don’t like attacks, then perhaps you shouldn’t be lobbing so many at others? I still don’t understand what Bush “did” other than take a a donation from that firm which has both repub and dem ties. What she “did” do though is shine a bright light on some of the conflicts inherent with having a party chair who also serves as speaker of the house and called out his organization’s handling of Metoo issues. Seems pretty straightforward to me. And good for her.

Comment by Shytown Wednesday, Jun 27, 18 @ 3:04 pm
Passing it off as somebody else at Kasper’s firm is beyond cynical. Bush has called other people conflicted but she–and you–don’t want to admit her own ties. The focus should be on the women, not on me (sad you’d do that, honestly), not on one politician trying to outmaneuver other politicians. Asking for consistency shouldn’t be too much. You can cheer lead all you want but Bush herself has made the messenger/elected official part of the story when calling out others. When she is scrutinized the same way she treats others, she is too important.

Comment by Wowza Thursday, Jun 28, 18 @ 11:25 am