Ives Renews Call For Madigan To Step Down, End ‘Mad Men’ Era in IL Politics

Ives Renews Call For Madigan To Step Down, End ‘Mad Men’ Era in IL Politics
“While slow to get here, it seems the #MeToo reckoning has finally arrived in Springfield. The bipartisan protection racket left over from the ‘Mad Men’ era in politics must be brought to a definitive end.”

February 20, 2018 – A second operative in Speaker Michael Madigan’s office has “no current assignments” following sexual harassment charges. This follows last week’s firing of longtime Madgian field lieutenant Kevin Quinn for sexual harassment, and was subsequently arrested for violating a protective order against another woman after his termination.

Evidence of systemic sexual harassment in the Speaker’s Office capitol is clear and concerning.

This comes after some 300 women signed a letter last year detailing the culture of sexual harassment in the state capitol.

Today, State Representative Jeanne Ives, the conservative reform Republican candidate for Governor, renewed her call for Speaker Madigan to step down over these allegations.

Several Republicans and Democrats echoed Ives’ call last week.

“This predatory behavior cannot be tolerated,” said Ives. “It is clear Speaker Madigan is more interested in damage control than addressing the sexual harassment culture in his office and in state government. The #MeToo reckoning requires Madigan's departure. It's time to bring the bipartisan protection racket to a definitive end."

Ives commended whistleblower Denise Rotheimer for her courage which has encouraged others to come forward.

In January, Ives stood publicly with Rotheimer, the victim of inappropriate conduct by State Senator Ira Silverstein, to call on leaders in both parties to take complaints of sexual harassment seriously.

At that time, Ives also called for the release (with accuser’s names redacted) of the complaints against legislators that went uninvestigated because of the three-year absence of a Legislative Inspector General, another failure of the leadership of both political parties in Illinois. Ives has since filed HB 4840, which deals with victims rights in cases of ethics complaints in the state legislature.

“We should have a system that checks the abuses of those in power,” said Ives. “Under Speaker Madigan, however, we have a system where those in power abuse and protect each other from accountability.

 “Governor Rauner promised that he would clean up that culture by standing up to Speaker Madigan. Instead he became an accessory to Springfield’s ‘Mad Men’ culture. It turns out that Rauner has been Madigan’s favorite Republican when it comes to covering up sexual harassment,” said Ives, noting that Rauner has yet to call on Madigan to resign his post.

“If the culture in Springfield is ever going to change, Rauner, Madigan and the men and women of always who are complicit in this illegal harassment culture must be removed in favor of those who take such serious breaches of the law seriously,” said Ives.

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For more information or to book Jeanne Ives, contact Kathleen Murphy at 630-329-4680 orkathleenemurphy26@gmail.com.