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Some Call for Speaker Mike Madigan to Step Down in Light of Political Aide's Firing

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Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago)

Powerful Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan says he has no plans to resign.

That’s after a campaign worker accused him of not acting quickly when she revealed sexual harassment by a top Madigan aide.
Alaina Hampton says she told her mentor, Chicago Alderman Marty Quinn about the harassment. Quinn’s brother Kevin was texting her unwanted sexual advances.The Quinn brothers are highly ranked in Madigan’s political operation.

Hampton says the alderman didn’t act quickly.

"I know you didn’t choose for this to happen, but you made the choice to protect Kevin instead of me."

In a statement - Alderman Quinn says Hampton asked him to be discreet with the accusation, so he didn’t tell the speaker.

Kevin Quinn has been fired.

Hampton is pursuing legal action.

 

Another call for Madigan's resignation came from state Rep. Scott Drury, a longtime critic of the speaker, who’s running for attorney general. But Madigan says this is just another case of Drury doing the bidding of Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.

“For Drury to say that I should step aside, that’s the same thing as Rauner saying I should step aside, which I don’t plan to do."

Chris Kennedy, who’s running for governor, says the speaker should at least temporarily relinquish his role as head of the Democratic Party of Illinois. To which Madigan says …

“Same answer.”

 

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