Metro East Sun

Dwight Kay views the sexual harassment scandal rocking the office of longtime House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) as just the latest example of how he’s long overstayed his usefulness.

“It’s time for Mike Madigan to go,” Kay told the Metro East Sun. “It’s bad enough Madigan is the kingpin of the corruption in Springfield, which has hurt our families with higher property taxes and fewer jobs. Now we learn he has been protecting sexual predators for years.”

Former political staffer Alaina Hampton recently stepped forward to allege harassment at the hands of longtime Madigan operative Kevin Quinn, her supervisor and the brother of Chicago alderman and fellow Madigan ally Marty Quinn.

Hampton further alleged that her complaint was ignored by Madigan and other high-powered members of his organization.

“I was disgusted to hear that Speaker-for-life Mike Madigan has allowed a culture of sexual harassment and intimidation and the abuse of women perpetuate in his office year after year,” Kay, the Glen Carbon Republican running for the seat held by Rep. Katie Stuart (D-Edwardsville) in the 112th House District, said. “He’s been in office since the early 1970s and I wonder how long this culture of abuse has been tolerated. As a single father, I had a large responsibility in raising my children. In the world we now live in, we constantly worry about the safety and the future of our daughters, sisters, grand-daughters, and all women. Will they be able to grow up in a world free of the predatory behavior so common and ignored by today’s leaders?”

According to the Chicago Tribune, Hampton alleges her issues with Quinn date back to 2016, when he started sending her inappropriate text messages and asking her out on dates.

She said in February 2017, she formally filed a complaint with Marty Quinn, one of Madigan’s top lieutenants.

By April of that year, Hampton had walked away from her job after coming to believe her persistent complaints were largely being ignored.

She said she feels there was a coverup because she sent a letter to Madigan’s home in late 2017, but again no action was taken against Kevin Quinn until a day after she went public with her story.

Hampton has also filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and she and her attorneys are now planning to file suit against the Illinois Democratic Party and Friends of Mike Madigan.

The ruckus in Madigan’s office comes as legislative leaders in Springfield grapple with the fallout of the office of the legislative inspector general having gone unfilled for roughly three years. The inspector general is responsible for investigating all ethics complaints, including allegations of sexual harassment.

During the time the position went unfilled, at least 27 complaints alleging harassment were filed, including one against Sen. Ira Silverstein (D-Chicago), who has since been found to have engaged in behavior “unbecoming a legislator” in his dealings with local activist Denise Rotheimer.

 “I also call upon state Rep. Katie Stuart to join me in condemning his despicable actions,” Kay added. “Madigan’s actions are so horrendous one female Democrat lawmaker said the way his office treats women is ‘an abuse of power.’”