Chicago City Wire

Republican state House candidate Ammie Kessem is urging Rep. Robert Martwick (D-Chicago) to call on Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) to resign amid a widening sexual harassment scandal.

"Where are you Robert Martwick?" Kessem, who is running against Martwick for the 19th House District seat in November's general election, said in a post on her Facebook account on June 7. "This is now the third time a woman has come forward to reveal the pervasive sexual harassment that has plagued your guy... . Yet you have continually chosen to remain silent."

Tim Mapes, Madigan's longtime chief of staff, was forced to resign earlier this week after one of Madigan's staffers accused Mapes of "multiple instances of bullying and harassment." Mapes' resignation is among the latest developments in the sexual harassment scandal in Springfield that likely caused state Sen. Ira Silverstein (D-Chicago) to lose his re-election bid during the March primaries after sexual harassment allegations emerged against him.

Illinois State House Rep. Robert Martwick (D-Chicago), left, with Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx during the women's march in Chicago in January. | Martwick's Facebook page

In another recent development, Deputy Democratic Majority Leader Lou Lang resigned as deputy Illinois House majority leader last week amid harassment and retaliation allegations.

In February, Madigan took responsibility for not doing enough in the sexual harassment scandal that first erupted in Springfield last fall. 

"I would never condone, sweep under the rug or refuse to take any step to ensure we did not eradicate any behavior of this kind," Madigan said at the time. "I understand the ‘knock it off’ mentality is not enough, and we must, and will, do better moving forward. We must do better. We will do better."

That same month, Kessem challenged Martwick to join with her in demanding that Madigan step down from his decades-long position as House speaker "in light of the allegations of sexual harassment which sat unaddressed on his watch."

Martwick, who was first elected to the House in 2012, describes himself on his website as "a staunch advocate of marriage equality [and] women's reproductive rights," and he was a House sponsor of the Equal Rights Amendment, which was ratified by state lawmakers last month. He also participated in the Women's March in Chicago in January.

In her latest call for Martwick to urge Madigan to resign, Kessem referred to Martwick's record on so-called women's issues. 

"You claim to be supportive of women, attending the women's rally with your wife and son along with your friends, John & Jill Arena, and donning a 'I’m with Her' poster on your personal Facebook page, but yet you have refused to actually step up and denounce this disgusting behavior within Speaker Madigan’s office," Kessem said in her Facebook post. "Where are your little Facebook Live videos talking about this?"

Kessem said in her post that she "and many others think it is shameful that you have chosen to remain silent as usual. Is it because he [Madigan] promised to line your campaign war chest even more than the $30,400 he has already given you?"

Kessem ended her open post to Martwick by repeating, "I’m calling on you to denounce this pervasive and reprehensible behavior and call for Speaker Madigan to step down."