GENERAL ASSEMBLY
STATE OF ILLINOIS
MICHAEL J. MADIGAN 00M 200
SPEAKER STATE HOUSE.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SPRINGFIELD, LUNOS 2708,
May 22, 2018
Julie B. Porter, Special Legislative Inspector General
1010 Davis Street
Evanston, IL 60201
Dear Special Inspector General Porter
| am writing to ask that you investigate recent allegations of possible sexual harassment and
retaliation made by State Representative Kelly Cassidy (see attached news articles)
The allegations center around two events: (1) an inquiry about her outside employment made by
my Chief of Staff, Tim Mapes, and (2) Representative Bob Rita's sponsorship of legislation and
his comments to her and Sheriff Dart
Myself and my staff will cooperate with any investigation into this matter.
With kindest personal regards, | remain
Sincerely yours,
MICHAEL J. MADIGAN
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State Rep. Says She’s Facing Retaliation for Speaking Out Against Madigan
By Mary Ann Ahern
Published at 244 PM COT on May
1, 2018| Updated at 748 PM CDT an May 21,2018
Democratic State Representative Kelly Cassidy says she was forced to resign from her job in Sheriff Tom Darts office after
speaking out critically about House Speaker Mike Madigan’s plans to deal with sexual harassment at the State Capitol, NBC 3's
Mary Ann Ahern has the details
(Published Monday, May 21, 2018)
‘What to Know
«# Rep. Kelly Cassidy was the lead voice calling for an investigation into sexual harassment allegations in Madigan's
political office
*+ She worked part-time as a program manager for the Cook County Sheriff's Justice Initiative working on ja
related issues
‘+ Cassidy said she believes she is facing retaliation for speaking out, and had no choice but to resign from her
position
An Illinois lawmaker said Monday she was forced out of her job with the Cook County Sherif?s office, given no choice other
than to resign from her parttime position after speaking publicly against powerful House Speaker Michacl Madigan.
State Rep, Kelly Cassidy, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago's North Side, was the lead voice ealling for an
independent investigation after allegations of sexual harassment frst surfaced within Madigan’ poitial staff.
Cassidy was one of few state lawmakers to speak publicly, questioning the steps the longtime speaker took after a firestorm
‘erupted when a former Madigan staffer, Alaina Hampton, alleged she had been sexually harassed by key Madigan operative
Kevin Quinn,
Days after she publicly called fora review of harassment policies and past responses to complaints, Cassidy said she was told by
Sheriff Tom Dan's spokeswoman Cara Smith that Madigan’s chief of staf Tim Mapes had called "to confirm that | was still
mployed," adding, "that call from Mapes felt like a warning, it was alittle chilling"
‘Cassidy said she had also reached out to meet with Madigan about a cannabis bill currently under consideration but has not
received a response - a deviation from the norm, she said, because traditionally when House members request @ meeting with
Madigan, “anyone who asks to speak to him gets into speak to him.”
‘But most recently, on Monday, Cassidy said her decision to speak out cost her her part-time job.
Cassidy was a program manager for the sheriff's Justice Initiative for three years, working part-time on jailtelated issues. She
said before necepting the job, she received approval from the speaker's attorney and has listed it on her ethics disclosures,
estimating that she earned between $20,000 and $35,000 per year, depending on how much she worked,
‘This year in Springfield, Dart is advocating fora bill that would place inmates on the sex offender registy ifthey expose
‘themselves or masturbate infront of female staffers two or more times, a measure 9 protect staff after 22? detainees were
charged with indecent exposuire in 2017.
Cassidy did not support the bill, as she said she does not believe a registry of sex offenders isa deterrent to crime,
5/22/2018, 2:04 PMState Rep. Says She's Facing Retaliation for Speaking Out Against... httpy/wwwiprintthis.clickability.com/ptept?expir
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Last week, Cassidy said state Rep. Bob Rita "summoned" her over to discuss Dan's bill and said, "I realy just can’t get over the
fact that you're opposed to your boss” bill.”
Rita, a south suburban Democrat and close Madigan aly, faced allegations of domestic battery more than a dozen years ago -
claims that resurfaced in March during his contentious primary race. He easily won re-election
‘That conversation with Rita led Cassidy to speak to Smith once again, Cassidy said Smith told her that Rita had reached out 10
tell her, “when | worked for a politician, when I opposed him, I expect to be fired.”
“My blood ran cold at that,” Cassidy said. "It was very, very clear at that point, the combination of the call in February and this
action by Rep. Rita, that this job was their point of leverage to use against me.”
Cassidy said she did not link Dart to the retaliation and chose to resign from her position
‘Rather than put him in the position of being dragged into this petty nonsense, | offered my resignation because I didn’t sce any
other way," Cassidy said
"This is retribution, there is zero doubt in my mind," she added. "Ths is about me having the gall to speak out."
‘The Sheriffs office proposed legislation this session designed to strengthen our response to detainees who expose themselves
and engage in sexual misconduct towards staff," Smith said ina statemer
Rep. Kelly Cassidy, who worked parttime for our ollie and who co-chairs the committee the bill was assigned to, opposed the
bill and the legislative solution our office was seeking to protect the over 1000 female staff that work inthe Cook County jail,"
the statement continued, "Based on this philosophical difference, she submitted her resignation which we accepted.”
When reached, Madigan’s spokesman said it was the “fist I have heard ofthis" and Rita did not respond to multiple requests for
comment.
Cassidy said she is speaking out about how she’s been treated to shine a "spotlight on it," adding its the “only way it's going to
stop.”
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9/22/2018, 2:04 PM.Politics
05/22/2018, 08:5Sam
‘Retaliation’? — State rep says questioning
Madigan on harassment cost her job
State Rep. Kelly Cassidy and House Speaker Michael Madigan | Sun-Times file photosSubscribe for unlimited digital access.
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‘Tina Sfondeles
A North Side Democrat says she was foreed to resign from a part-time job in the Cook County
Sheriff's office as political payback for her criticism of Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan’
handling of sexual harassment allegations — a claim the sheriff's office vehemently denies.
State Rep. Kelly Cassidy — who has worked part-time in the sheriff's office since January 2015
— said Madigan’s chief of staff Tim Mapes called the sheriff's office in February to check on
her employment, within days of her vocal opposition of Madigan’s handling of harassment
claims.
“It was very chilling, ... It felt like a waming, very clearly,” Cassidy said of the employment
check-in,
And last week, Cassidy said state Rep. Bob Rita, a Madigan ally, questioned how she could
‘oppose a bill supported by her “boss,” Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart.
“It was clear to me that this would be the first of an unlimited number of shots at me, and I
respect the sheriff [Tom Dart] too much and the work they do. But I felt like the only way that I
could bring an end to this is to come out,” Cassidy said.
Cassidy said she resigned, but believes what happened is a clear form of “retaliation.”
“My speaking out is about wanting to be safe from retaliation in this workplace, and I believe
that the only way to do it is to take this public,” Cassidy said. “What kind of an example am I
setting for my kids if | allow myself to be silenced in this way?”
“You don't get to get to sit on the executive committee without being loyal,” Cassidy said of
Rita’s allegiance to the speaker.
Cassidy was among the first to call for an independent investigation into how Madigan’ s political
operation had handled sexual harassment claims.
“The slow and steady drip of accusations and dismissals has tured into an endless cycle of
lather, rinse, repeat, highlighting the culture of harassment in the legislature and political
campaigns,” Cassidy said in a statement in February. “I am calling for an independent
investigation into this culture that appears to pervade the organizations led by Speaker Madigan.”
On Monday, Cassidy said she endured retaliation by the speaker because of her vocal opposition,
Jeading to her resignation in the Cook County Sheriff's office. Cassidy had worked partsthe sheriff's office since January 2015, working with a small group on jail-related and other
criminal justice issues, the sheriff's office said.
Cara Smith, spokeswoman for the sheriff's office, said Cassidy resigned from her part-time post
because she opposed a bill the sheriff's office had been strongly pushing — a measure that
would place inmates on the sex offender registry upon release if they expose themselves or
masturbate in front of female staffers more than two times
‘The measure cleared the Senate last month, but has stalled in the Illinois House. Cassidy co-
chairs the Judiciary-Criminal committee, which the bill was assigned to.
Ina statement, Smith said Cassidy opposed the bill, leading to her resignation,
“Based on this philosophical difference, she submitted her resignation which we accepted,”
‘Smith said in the statement.
Smith acknowledged she spoke with Rita to “discuss the bill and strategies to advance it
“He raised a concem of Kelly not supporting the bill and shared that he had worked for other
lected officials and that if he didn’t support their priorities, he wouldn't have a job,” Smith said.
“Tt was just a statement of fact from him, his position. I didn’t interpret it as anything other than
his surprise that Kelly did not support the sheriff's bill
Smith confirmed that Mapes called, but said: “It seemed to me just a routine question,” asking to
‘onfitm whether Cassidy worked for us.”
Asked about possible retaliation against Cassidy, Madigan spokesman Steve Brown said “it
would be normal for a number of us to talk to the sheriff's office.”
Rita did not immediately respond to a call for comment Monday afternoon,
Rita has also figured in the criticism Madigan has faced on harassment issues.
The powerful House speaker backed Rita when the Blue Island Democrat was first elected to the
state House in 2002, after an ex-girlfriend had accused Rita of attacking her in her Evergreen
Park home. Rita was acquitted the following year of domestic violence and criminal trespassing
charges,
But the 16-year-old ease resurfaced earlier this vear when Rita's Democratic primary challenger
held a news conference with the ex-girliriend, Liz Hogan, who accused Madigan of deliberately
ignoring the domestic violence complaint
Madigan’s spokesman said the speaker had no memory of a meeting Hogan said her father had
with Madigan in 2002. And Rita stood by the jury verdict, saying Hogan’s accusations were
“false then and are false today