Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford Sued For Sexual Harassment
By Chuck Sudo in News on Feb 10, 2014 11:15PM
Illinois Treasurer and Republican gubernatorial hopeful Dan Rutherford was sued Monday by a former employee who accused Rutherford of sexually harassing him and forcing him to do political work while on state time.
Edmund Michalowski, who resigned last Monday as the Rutherford’s Deputy Director of Community Affairs and Director of Community Affairs, filed the 15-page lawsuit in federal court. (The Sun-Times has a copy of the lawsuit online.) Michalowski alleges Rutherford began making unwanted sexual advances against him beginning in 2011 during an overnight retreat at Rutherford’s home in Chenoa. Michalowski accused Rutherford of entering his bedroom and grabbing at Michalowski’s genitals. Rutherford was accused by Michalowski in another alleged incident during the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa where Rutherford grabbed Michalowski’s arm and invited him to come to Rutherford’s hotel room. When Michalowski refused, Rutherford supposedly said, “you just said ‘no’ to the treasurer.”
Rutherford is also accused of forcing Michalowski to use his network of professional contacts to solicit donations for Rutherford’s campaign and Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign; Rutherford was Romney’s Illinois campaign chair. Michalowski contends he reported the sexual harassment incidents to Kyle Ham, Rutherford’s chief of staff who replied, “at least we have job security” and related a similar incident that happened to him.
Rutherford released a statement and held a news conference Monday afternoon refuting the charges and alleged Michalowski’s allegations are part of a larger plot to discredit Rutherford’s aspirations for the governor’s office.
These false allegations were only brought to light on the eve of a political debate on January 23, 2014, and six weeks before a contested primary election. Attorney Christine Svenson accompanied these allegations with a demand of $300,000 to keep these damaging allegations “under wraps.” Because of the nature of the allegations, the treasurer has been unable to publicly discuss them. The treasurer’s office has taken great care not to reveal the identity of Michalowski.
Rutherford held a news conference late last month where he attempted to connect Svenson to his primary opponent Bruce Rauner and claimed Rauner orchestrated the complaints. Both Svenson and Rauner’s campaign denied Rutherford’s claims.
Rutherford’s travels as Treasurer have also come under heightened scrutiny. The Treasurer has taken trips to Israel, China and Korea while in office, paid for by third parties. But another, salacious narrative is beginning to form in addition to Michalowski’s sexual harassment claims. Last week Gawker, following up on the Sun-Times report of Rutherford’s travels, noted the Treasurer was accompanied on his travels by his assistant Joshua Lanning. (Pictures from those trips can be found on Rutherford’s Facebook page.)
Gawker, without actually stating it, made the case that Rutherford’s sexuality could become an issue with the March primary just around the corner and whether Illinoisans would be comfortable voting for an (alleged, closeted) Log Cabin Republican. The single Rutherford was the sole GOP state Senator to vote in favor of civil unions in 2010 and his sexuality has long been the subject of rumors.
Whether the timing of Michalowski’s lawsuit was calculated or coincidental, Rutherford has some damage control to handle.