Madigan defends handling of sex harassment in 2015, 2016

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan says he was not told about two incidents of alleged sexual harassment by a staff member in 2015 and 2016.

Madigan's office issued a statement Tuesday evening after documents filed in a federal lawsuit claimed that "nothing was done in response" to complaints by two women that Travis Shea harassed or assaulted them.

The lawsuit was filed last year by campaign consultant Alaina Hampton . She says her harassment complaint against her supervisor hindered her career. She cited the Shea incidents as examples of other harassment that was not punished.

Madigan's statement says Shea was reprimanded and that if Madigan had been informed, he would have fired Shea.

A call to Shea at his lobbying firm was directed to a spokeswoman who did not immediately respond.