By John Dempsey, WLS-AM News
(CHICAGO) Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan is cutting loose one of his political operatives for the second time in the past week, because of what Madigan calls “inappropriate behavior by a volunteer toward a candidate and staff” during a 2016 campaign.
Madigan is not naming the individual but numerous media outlets report the man is Shaw Decremer, a Madigan lieutenant who also works as a Springfield lobbyist.
The Chicago Tribune is quoting sources who say Villa Park Democratic State Rep. Deb Conroy and several other staffers approached Madigan within the last week with complaints about Decremer’s behavior.
Conroy spoke to the Tribune and would not detail the behavior. She did say it “was not sexual harassment per se”, but called it “an abuse of power.” Decremer could not be reached for comment.
Last week Madigan, the powerful Democratic State House Speaker and State Democratic Party Chairman, ousted his political operative Kevin Quinn, after campaign worker Alaina Hampton, showed the Tribune several text messages that showed Quinn was pressuring Hampton for a romantic relationship while he was her supervisor.
In the wake of the latest incident involving Decremer, Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Daniel Biss is calling on Madigan to immediately resign as Democratic Party chairman. His fellow Democratic candidate Chris Kennedy has called on Madigan to step down temporarily.
Democratic candidate J.B. Pritzker, who is aligned with Madigan, has not issued any such call for Madigan to step down.
@ 2018 WLS-AM News
