CHICAGO (AP) - The Latest on Democratic campaign worker’s complaint of sexual harassment by a supervisor (all times local):
3:40 p.m.
House Speaker Michael Madigan denies that a long-time campaign worker wouldn’t have been fired for sexual harassment had his accuser not gone public.
The Chicago Democrat spoke to reporters Tuesday in Springfield. He announced Monday that he dismissed political aide Kevin Quinn for sending inappropriate messages to campaign subordinate Alaina Hampton.
The statement came the day after the Chicago Tribune published Hampton’s account.
Madigan first learned of Hampton’s complaint in a letter sent to his home in November 2017.
Heather Wier Vaught (WYR’ VAWT) is attorney for Madigan’s campaign committee. She says Madigan asked her to investigate. Vaught says it took nearly three months because investigations need to be “fair and balanced.”
Madigan dismissed calls for him to step down as state Democratic Party Chairman or as the nation’s longest-serving state House speaker.
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12:35
A campaign worker for Illinois Democrats says it took party officials too long to respond after she reported sexual harassment by a male supervisor last year.
Alaina Hampton addressed reporters Tuesday, a day after House Speaker Michael Madigan dismissed political consultant Kevin Quinn after an investigation found Quinn sent inappropriate text messages. Madigan is state Democratic Party leader. Quinn is Chicago Alderman Marty Quinn’s brother.
Text logs shared with the Chicago Tribune show Hampton asked Kevin Quinn several times to stop asking her out and sending suggestive texts, which started in 2016. She reported the behavior in February 2017 to Quinn’s supervisor. In November, she wrote Madigan who had an attorney investigate.
Hampton feels her harasser was protected as months passed without follow-up. She’s filed an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint.
Calls to Quinn’s number went unanswered Tuesday.
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