The sexual harassment allegations which got a top aide to House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) fired hit the news long after a panel discussion on harassment was scheduled, but you can be sure that story got at least a little mention.
House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie (D-Chicago) defended Madigan’s handling of the Kevin Quinn matter.
“What I know of the facts … is that the issue was handled by the Speaker’s office appropriately, with a lawyer who has actually been involved in these issues for a long time, who did the kind of investigation that we all want to see happen,” said Currie. “My sense is that the Speaker responded appropriately and in a timely manner.”
The panel, organized by the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, also included a Springfield-area state representative who formerly worked as a government staffer and a statehouse television reporter. State Rep. Sara Wojcicki Jimenez (R-Leland Grove) shared her own #MeToo stories.
“Even for me, as a person who, as a young reporter, was pulled in for a kiss in the press box,” she said. “In another situation, there was a felony stalking charge against someone. This has happened my whole career. How do we change this and make this better not only for everyone in this room, but for future generations? We have a process that is broken.”
Jimenez said the fact that victims are more comfortable telling their tales to a tee vee camera than to, say, their superiors or their human resources department, illustrates how broken the system is.
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