DELAY OF BLAME
As three Dem gov hopefuls tell state Sen. Ira Silverstein it’s time to go, Denise Rotheimer, the woman who accused him of inappropriate conduct, urges resolution of her complaint from nearly a year ago
SPRINGFIELD— Plenty has happened since victim rights advocate Denise Rotheimer unleashed her explosive allegations against state Sen. Ira Silverstein.
Silverstein has been stripped of his leadership post and urged to resign. Legislators scrambled to fill a longvacant inspector general post. New legislation was passed to define and prohibit sexual harassment for state officials and other state employees. A new task force was created to deal with sexual harassment. And legislators voted to extend the statute of limitations on such complaints. But one thing has not happened. Seven days after she named Silverstein at a public hearing — and about a year after she first tried to report his behavior — Rotheimer said she still has not been contacted by anyone about her complaint.
“Iwant it over,” Rotheimer told the Chicago Sun- Times. “There’s no winners coming out of this. It’s like every day there’s something different.
“This is something I tried to remedy. This is something that I got silenced on and shut out.”
While Rotheimer’s public naming of Silverstein last week sent reverberations through the Capitol, should the leaders, legislators or members of the ethics commission who have hailed her for speaking out have offered words of confidence? Or an assurance her case will be heard?
Julie Porter, the newly appointed interim legislative inspector general, on Tuesday told the Sun- Times she’s still not able to view complaints; her contract is still being finalized, she said.
When asked whether someone should have reached out to Rotheimer, Porter said “without someone sitting in that chair [ of the legislative inspector general], it’s hard for me to see how that could happen.’’
When asked the same question, Steve Brown, spokesman for Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, said the speaker took the “appropriate” actions in quickly calling for legislative changes. Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin’s office declined to comment on pending complaints but said he looked forward to Porter “acting on all 27 complaints quickly.” And a spokesman for Illinois Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady said it would be “inappropriate” to comment.
But Illinois Senate President John Cullerton’s office noted the Legislative Ethics Commission should be responsible for notifying victims since the panel has the responsibility to take in complaints and followthrough with victims.
Silverstein made his first public appearance Tuesday since Rotheimer made her allegations public last week. And while he said little to reporters, others were more vocal.
The three leading Democratic candidates for governor urged him to take a hike.
“This behavior is unacceptable for a lawmaker, and he should resign,’’ said state Sen. Daniel Biss.
Chris Kennedy said: “Sen. Ira Silverstein absolutely should resign. ... We’ll never get other Democrats, Independents or Republicans to believe government is an ally when we have elected officials abusing their positions of power.”
The calls by Biss, Kennedy and fellow gubernatorial hopeful J. B. Pritzker came as Silverstein added to the tense atmosphere by approaching reporters— but essentially declining to address the explosive charges.
“I’d love to talk with you about this, but my first conversation will be with the inspector general, which I hope to have as soon as possible,” Silverstein said after he voted for both a resolution creating a Senate task force to look into sexual harassment and a bill that would remove the statute of limitations on 27 pending cases before the Legislative Ethics Commission.
Last week, Rotheimer testified before a House committee that Silverstein used “power” and “mind games” with her as she tried to advance legislation to help crime victims pay for legal care. Rotheimer said Silverstein would call her frequently at all times of the day, while also making comments about her appearance.
Silverstein has apologized for making Rotheimer “uncomfortable” but categorically denied doing anything that would rise to the level of sexual harassment.
Reached on Tuesday, Rotheimer urged the new legislative inspector general to move quickly to resolve her complaint, which she filed nearly a year ago.
As for Silverstein, she said he has no one to blame but himself.
“I’m not going to apologize for how things are coming out on him,” Rotheimer said. “That’s on him. That’s on the people in Springfield who decided to sweep my complaint under the rug. That’s on them, not me.”
She said she hopes the new efforts in Springfield are meaningful and not just to “save face.”
“I’M NOT GOING TO APOLOGIZE FOR HOW THINGS ARE COMING OUT ON HIM. THAT’S ON HIM. THAT’S ON THE PEOPLE IN SPRINGFIELD WHO DECIDED TO SWEEP MY COMPLAINT UNDER THE RUG. THAT’S ON THEM, NOT ME.” DENISE ROTHEIMER, on her allegations against state Sen. Ira Silverstein