Rep. Lou Lang Resigns Leadership Roles Amid Misconduct Probe

SPRINGFIELD, IL — The third-ranking Democrat in the Illinois House resigned his leadership positions Thursday following allegations of harassment, threats and inappropriate behavior from a medical marijuana advocate. Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie) announced he was stepping down as Deputy Majority Leader in a statement released during a press conference where Maryann Loncar accused him of threats and abusive behavior.

Loncar said the misconduct took place while she was lobbying for a medical marijuana bill that Lang sponsored.

"It started with flirty, cute comments. I cut those cute little comments off, because that's not who I am, I've never been here for that reason. That's not what I entertain," Loncar said.

Loncar said she was made "very uncomfortable" when Lang put his hand on her lower back below the underwear line and asked if her husband knew "how lucky he is to have a wife like you." She said she rebuffed his advances, which eventually stopped.

Lang, 68, suggested his accuser is disgruntled because she did not receive a license for a cannabis dispensary, but she claimed he turned on her after she witnessed an offer of a $170 million "bribe," which she said was not accepted. ("If I have $170 million somewhere help me find it," Lang responded.)

After that, Loncar said, Lang retaliated against her, at one point calling her ex-husband and offering to help "bury" her.

"That’s not politics. That’s not hardball. That’s direct retaliation,” Loncar said, also claiming she had been threatened ahead of speaking publicly. "I fear for my life. This is not a joke. This isn't a woman thing. I fear for my life, I really do."

Loncar, 51, of Plainfield, spoke to reporters with state representatives Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) and Margo McDermed (R-Mokena) and victims rights advocate Denise Rotheimer, whose allegations against Lang's fellow Niles Township Democratic committeeman Sen. Ira Silverstein led to him being stripped of his Senate leadership position and a loss in his first primary challenge.

Later Thursday afternoon, Lang read his announcement and took questions from reporters while flanked by a group of supportive women legislators and a lobbyist who vouched for his character. He said the "absurd" allegations were completely false and he trusts the process to investigate the allegations.

"I can't speculate on the motives of people who come with absurdities to a press conference and spill it out to you," Lang said. "This is a person that did not get what she wanted out of state government. She apparently blames me for that."

Lang's announcement came the day after he helped pass the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment.

The 31-year veteran of the Illinois House said he was also resigning from the Legislative Ethics Commission and the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules. In those roles, he has been accused of sitting on 27 ethics complaints against Illinois lawmakers and neglecting to appoint a permanent legislative inspector general in Springfield.

Rotheimer said there was no reason to believe Special Legislative Inspector General Julie Porter would give Loncar's case a fair hearing.

"Of course he wants it because he knows what the outcome is going to be," Rotheimer said. "She works at their leisure not ours. When we get an independent investigator outside of this legislature then she will go through the process he is requesting."

Porter's investigation into her allegations found that Silverstein's behavior had violated state ethics law but did not qualify as sexual harassment.

Rotheimer told Patch she had invited more state lawmakers to the event but none of Lang's fellow Democrats showed up. She said Lang's rapid resignation from his leadership positions was significant, and she hoped that a female legislator that she said Lang abused last week would also speak publicly about his conduct.

"Hopefully she'll come forward, hopefully others will come forward and then hopefully we can start demanding the reforms that are necessary in order to prevent women from having to come forward, because there's too much risk of losing everything," Rotheimer said. "Once you're out there and called a 'whistleblower' it has negative ramifications on your professional and personal life regardless."

After consulting with Speaker Mike Madigan, Lang said he decided to step down from his leadership positions to avoid hurting the Democratic party's agenda.

“I appreciate the courage it takes for individuals to come forward to share their experiences, and in doing so urge us all to do better," Madigan said in a press release. “Lang has already requested that the legislative inspector general immediately conduct a full investigation of these allegations and I’m hopeful she will conduct this investigation quickly and thoroughly.”

Lang is running unopposed on the November ballot unless an independent candidate musters the thousands of necessary signatures before June 25. He assured reporters he will not be dropping out.

"This is nothing, the allegations are absurd. I'm running in November."

Rep. Lou Lang's complete statement:

Let me say this. My original sponsorship of medical marijuana legislation in 2013 was focused on the patients who came to my office, some in wheel chairs. Some were too ill to come. The sick children, the ill men and women were my priority. And the patients remain my priority with each new iteration of the law.

My priority was not helping those seeking to profit off medical marijuana, like, Ms. Loncar, who wanted a cannabis dispensary license for her company, Patient’s Health Center, but, apparently failed at her money-making effort to secure a dispensary license. Because I refused to let the medical marijuana profiteers trump the interests of patients, I made some people mad. So be it.

Therefore, I have submitted a formal request to the Special Legislative Inspector General to begin an immediate investigation. Additionally, after consultation with Speaker Madigan, I have decided, in order to maintain the integrity of the Legislative Ethics Commission and the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules as well as to avoid distraction from the agenda of the House Democratic Caucus, to submit my resignation from the Commission, JCAR, and from my post as House Deputy Majority Leader.

Related:

• Sen. Silverstein Resigns From Chair Amid Sexual Harassment Claims
• 'Teasing And Flirtatious' Sen. Silverstein Didn't Harass: Report
• Mike Madigan Fires Longtime Staffer Over 'Unwanted Advances'
• 2nd Senior Madigan Aide Out Over Alleged 'Inappropriate Behavior'