Democratic Sen. Ira Silverstein of Chicago “will no longer serve” as Senate Democratic majority caucus chair, according to Senate President John Cullerton. The move came a day after Denise Rotheimer, an activist for victims of violent crime, told lawmakers at a public hearing that Silverstein made unwanted comments about her appearance, sent her hundreds of Facebook messages and placed midnight phone calls as she was working with him to pass legislation for nearly 18 months.
Silverstein has disputed the allegations and said he apologized “if I made her uncomfortable.” Losing his leadership spot will cost him an $20,649 annual stipend on top of the $67,836 base salary lawmakers get for what’s considered a part-time job. Reached by phone Wednesday evening, Silverstein said he was in the middle of grocery shopping at Mariano’s and would have to call back.
Cullerton, the Senate president, was largely silent Tuesday, but on Wednesday responded to the growing scandal by announcing that lawmakers will be required to take a sexual harassment awareness training seminar when they return to the Capitol next week.
Cullerton also said he “anticipates” an interim legislative inspector general will be named as soon as next week.
That announcement came as a Republican senator questioned why no one has acted on more than two dozen ethics complaints filed at the legislative inspector general’s office since 2015. Sen. Karen McConnaughay, who sits on the panel of lawmakers that oversees such complaints, also wanted to know why she was only just now learning that those unresolved complaints existed.