The Latest: Accuser of House Speaker's aide relieved he quit
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - The Latest on allegations of sexual harassment against Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan's chief of staff (all times local):
5 p.m.
A state employee who accused the chief of staff to Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan of sexual harassment is relieved at his resignation.
Sherri Garrett issued a statement Wednesday after Madigan announced he had accepted Timothy Mapes' resignation.
Garrett says, "I am hopeful that more individuals will now feel safe coming forward, knowing that their words can make a difference and force change."
The announcement came hours after Garrett accused Mapes at a Chicago news conference of failing to deal with her complaints of harassment by lawmakers against her and other women. She also said Mapes had made untoward comments to her and others.
Garrett says the resignation is an "important symbolic and substantive change." But she says conditions that led to the mistreatment must change.
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3:15 p.m.
The chief of staff to Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan has resigned over allegations of mishandling complaints of sexual harassment and making inappropriate comments.
Madigan issued a statement Wednesday saying that he had requested the resignation of Timothy Mapes.
The action came after House staff member Sherri Garrett told a news conference in Chicago that Mapes had been dismissive of her complaints of sexual harassment by lawmakers and that he had made sexually laced comments to her in incidents from 2013 to just a few weeks ago.
Madigan says neither he nor the House Democrats' ethics officer was aware of Garrett's complaints.
The 63-year-old Mapes makes $208,000. He has been a state employee since 1977. He did not return a call seeking comment.
Mapes also resigned as executive director of the Illinois Democratic Party. Madigan is chairman of the party.
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12:25 p.m.
An employee in House Speaker Michael Madigan's office has accused his chief of staff of mishandling allegations of sexual harassment and making inappropriate comments.
Sherri Garrett is a $42,000-a-year account technician for the House. She said Wednesday that Madigan chief of staff Timothy Mapes was dismissive of harassment complaints on two occasions and made untoward comments to her and others in incidents from 2013 to just a few weeks ago.
Mapes makes $208,000. He did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
Garrett says she complained about sexual harassment involving her and others in 2013 and 2015. She says the second involved a lawmaker and Mapes asked Garrett if she was upset that she wasn't the object of his attention.
Garrett says Mapes also made inappropriate sexual comments to her at least twice.