Madigan Sexual Harassment Investigation Could Cost $1.38 Million

CHICAGO — Legal bills already exceed $570,000 for a continuing probe of sexual harassment complaints in the office of Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, WBEZ reported Monday. Under the terms of a twice-extended contract with the Chicago law firm Schiff Hardin, taxpayers could pay up to about $1.38 million for the independent investigation into how complaints of harassment, bullying and intimidation were handled in the legislative office of the leader of the Illinois Democratic Party, according to records obtained by the station. The firm has not said whether the report will be made public once it has been completed.

In February 2018, Madigan fired longtime staffer Kevin Quinn, brother of Chicago Ald. Marty Quinn, over allegations he made "unwanted advances" toward a staffer. Later that month, Madigan cut ties with another veteran operative, Shaw Decremer, for unspecified "inappropriate behavior." Alaina Hampton, the staffer who received Quinn's "inappropriate text messages," filed a lawsuit in March 2018 against the Democratic Party of Illinois, the 13th Ward Democratic Organization, the Friends of Michael J. Madigan and the Democratic Majority political committees. According to court filings in her suit made public a year later later, "nothing was done" to respond to multiple complaints of "sexual harassment or assault" by another Madigan staffer, Travis Shea.

In June 2018, Madigan also requested and received the resignation of his former chief of staff, Tim Mapes. Later that month, the speaker's office announced it had picked Schiff Hardin partner Maggie Hickey to lead the audit.

Last month, former acting legislative inspector general Julie Porter wrote a commentary in the Chicago Tribune saying lawmakers refused to publish her report that found wrongdoing by a legislator. According to WBEZ, money paid to Schiff Hardin under the state's current contract, which concludes on June 30, has already exceeded the total budget of the watchdog office tasked with investigating complaints against legislators. It could rise to nearly 5 percent of the annual budget of the Illinois House of Representatives.

Read more from WBEZ Chicago

Related:

• Madigan Chief Of Staff Forced Out Following Harassment Claims
• 2nd Senior Madigan Aide Out Over Alleged 'Inappropriate Behavior'
• Mike Madigan Fires Longtime Staffer Over 'Unwanted Advances'