Scott Cohen Seeking An "Honorable Way" To Drop Out

By Anna Deem in News on Feb 6, 2010 8:00PM

As we previously reported, embattled Democratic lieutenant governor nominee, Scott Cohen, ran into some trouble (okay, a lot of trouble) earlier this week when it was revealed that he had been arrested in 2005 after his ex-girlfriend--who had been convicted of prostitution--claimed he held a knife to her neck. Now a Cohen campaign source is saying that Cohen is seeking an "honorable way" out after Democrats across the state have urged him to re-think his decision to stay in the race.

Although the 2005 charges against Cohen were dropped when his ex-girlfriend, Amanda J. Eneman, didn't show up in court, details also surfaced about Cohen's recent missing child-support payments--in excess of $54,000 according to his ex-wife, Debra York-Cohen--and his admitted steroid use. Close advisers have been trying to persuade Cohen to "do the right thing" and step down, warning him that he could be blamed for "bringing down the party," the campaign source said to the Chicago Sun-Times on Friday.

Top Illinois Democrats, including U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and Attorney General Lisa Madigan, have also called on Cohen to step down. "I don't know the man. I didn't vote for him," Durbin said. "I've heard enough. And if there's more--I don't know what it might be--but I've heard enough to suggest that he should have not run for office."

The campaign source told the Chicago Sun-Times that Cohen is looking for a way out "to give him a little dignity." Some of the options Cohen is considering include a press conference with Gov. Pat Quinn or fund-raisers to help him recoup his campaign expenditures, which exceeded $2 million.