MADIGAN’S # METOO MESS DEEPENS
Speaker’s right- hand man, Timothy Mapes, is out after aide alleges speaker’s office is a ‘ locker room.’ But can Madigan stay in the game?
‘‘ THEY BEHAVE LIKE THEY ARE ABOVE REPROACH, AND THE SPEAKER’S OFFICE IS A LOCKER ROOM.” SHERRI GARRETT, a longtime speaker’s office employee
The latest string of damning harassment allegations on Wednesday struck at the heart of House Speaker Mike Madigan and his organizations.
And it led to an obvious question: Will the longest- serving statehouse speaker in the U. S. survive the # MeToo movement?
Tim Mapes, the speaker’s chief of staff, the clerk of the Illinois House of Representatives and the executive director of the Democratic Party of Illinois found himself ousted from all positions just hours after a longtime speaker’s office employee, Sherri Garrett, went public with what she called “harassment” and “bullying” allegations.
The quick response to cast out one of Madigan’s closest advisers is a surefire sign the powerful speaker and chairman of the state’s Democratic Party is worried that a hurricane of # MeToo allegations will impact not only his governmental operations but also the party just months before a general election.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate J. B. Pritzker was the first to launch a preemptive strike at Mapes after the allegations surfaced, calling on him to resign from all posts if an investigation confirmed the claims. That was a necessary first step for Pritzker to distance himself from the scandal, and there’s little doubt that there wasn’t communication between the party and the billionaire philanthropist who last week contributed $ 5 million to the party to help Democrats in down- ballot state races.
The governor’s office applauded women who have come forward to tell their stories in recent months, while also blaming the culture on Madigan.
“In recent months, women have stepped forward to share their stories involving the legislature — we applaud their bravery,” spokeswoman Rachel Bold said. “To the women who haven’t stepped forward, who have their own stories to tell, know that we plan to act swiftly to ensure an independent process is in place to investigate future allegations and the culture Speaker Madigan has created.”
The claims against Mapes come less than a week after Deputy Majority Leader Lou Lang found himself stripped of his leadership post and from his role with the Legislative Ethics Commission amid Maryann Loncar’s claims that he repeatedly harassed, intimidated and retaliated against her — all allegations Lang dismissed.
On Wednesday, Garrett, an account technician and minutes clerk for the speaker’s office, detailed several incidents that she said are indicative of a “serious and pervasive problem in our state government.”
“Over the course of the last several years, I have endured and have personally witnessed bullying and repeated harassment that was often sexual and sexist in nature in my workplace,” she said, noting Mapes had made “repeated inappropriate comments to me, both in the office and on the House floor.”
Her voice faltering at times, Garrett described how difficult it has been to come forward.
“I’m loyal to [ Madigan]. This is very hard for me, but I’ve just suffered one disappointment after another with how things are handled,” she said.
Garrett spoke of brash conversations either overheard or had with Mapes regarding a wave of sexual harassment problems in Springfield.
In one instance in April, Garrett claims she heard Mapes tell a colleague, “Are you going to sex training today?” That was in reference to mandatory sexual harassment training which state employees, members of the Illinois General Assembly and their staff and lobbyists had to undergo as part of Madigan’s response to a harassment problem under the dome.
Other examples included a December 2014 conversation in which Mapes allegedly told her not to show her “pink bra” at an inauguration event. In two other incidents, Garrett claims Mapes swept harassment allegations under the rug when women came to her with allegations of sexual harassment.
In one, Garrett said she was approached by a young woman in September 2015 who had worked in the clerk’s office. She alleged sexual harassment allegations against a member of the House Democratic Caucus and came to Garrett.
When Garrett told Mapes about the situation, Mapes allegedly told Garrett; “Are you reporting the situation because you are upset the representative isn’t paying attention to you?”
Garrett said there is no “safe path” in Springfield for women to report harassment. She said she hasn’t gone directly to Madigan because she’d have to make an appointment through Mapes.
She said the speaker’s office should be held to the “highest standard.”
“Instead, they behave like they are above reproach, and the speaker’s office is a locker room,” Garrett said.
In a statement, Madigan said he did not know of Garrett’s complaints against Mapes, while also naming Jessica Basham as his