Ken Idstein is calling on House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) to step down amid ongoing allegations of sexual harassment and other forms of misconduct in his office.
Idstein, a Grayslake Republican vying for the seat held by Rep. Sam Yingling (D-Grayslake) in the 62nd District, also cited Madigan’s “willful failure" to appoint a legislative inspector general in Springfield for over a three-year period while 27 unanswered complaints of sexual harassment piled up as cause for his ouster.
“Speaker Mike Madigan should resign,” he said in a press release. “It is that simple. Will we get a simple answer from our Rep. Yingling? Will Yingling demand his resignation, will he pledge not to vote for him as speaker? Or will he continue to support someone who allows this kind of behavior to persist? Rep. Yingling, claims to be independent, he claims to be for reform, yet he remains silent in the face of allegations of sexual assault against Speaker Madigan’s political organization.”
A former female member of Madigan’s team stepped forward in February alleging harassment at the hands of Kevin Quinn, who until recently was one of Madigan’s top political aides. The woman further alleged that her claims were ignored by Madigan and other top officials of his organization.
Yingling has political ties to Ald. Marty Quinn, the brother of the man named in the complaint, dating back to 2016.
In his press release, Idstein also notes that since taking office six years ago, Yingling has voted for Madigan as House speaker every session and has taken sizable campaign contributions from his committee.
Idstein also noted the irony in Yingling recently claiming the time has come to turn Illinois into “a national leader in transparency, prevention and inclusion” in terms of dealing with allegations of sexual harassment.
“Democrat state Rep. Scott Drury (D-Highwood) demanded Madigan resign and specifically called out Sam Yingling by name for his silence,” Idstein added in the release. “I, too, call on Rep. Yingling, current legislators, and legislative leaders to do the right thing and demand Madigan resign and pledge not to vote for him as speaker.”
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