State Treasurer Dan Rutherford took a severe hit in the polls during the GOP gubernatorial primary as allegations surfaced of sexual harrassment and politcal coercion. (WJBC file photo)
By Joe Ragusa
SPRINGFIELD – State Treasurer Dan Rutherford was one of four Republicans running for their party's nomination in the race for governor in 2014, and he was a serious contender. One of his primary selling points was that he was the only one of the four candidates who had won an election for statewide office before.
Rutherford's candidacy went downhill once allegations surfaced that while as state treasurer, Rutherford sexually harassed an employee of his, Edmund Michalowski. There were also accusations Rutherford forced employees to do campaign work on state time.
Rutherford wouldn't address the allegations or Michalowski directly when reports first started to surface in January, but that didn't stop him from accusing eventual governor-elect Bruce Rauner of being behind the accusations.
"Illinois politics is hardball. It's tough in this state. This is not a sport for the faint of heart, and I've been through it, I know," Rutherford said in January. "And the one thing I know, we've seen another person enter the race, with millions and millions and millions of dollars, who has specifically noted to say that he's going to 'destroy his opponents.' Nice try. Rutherford is staying in this race."
But Rutherford took a severe hit in the polls and finished a distant fourth behind Rauner and State Senators Kirk Dillard and Bill Brady in the primary.
"These last six weeks have truthfully been the most challenging in my entire life, there's no question about it," Rutherford said after the primary. "It's been horrible. It's been horrible for my family. It's been horrible for my staff. It's been horrible for the family of my staff, and it's been horrible for my staff."
But the accusations didn't go away after the primary. After a lawsuit was dismissed by a federal judge in June, Michalowski filed a revised lawsuit that also named the Mitt Romney 2012 Presidential Campaign, of which Rutherford served as Illinois Chairman.
The new lawsuit makes accusations of Rutherford forcing state employees to do campaign work for Romney or risk being fired. The original sexual harassment claims are still in the new lawsuit.
The lawsuit does not directly name Romney and one of Michalowski's attorneys said when the lawsuit was amended in June they aren't sure if Romney had any knowledge of the alleged violation.
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has asked a federal judge to dismiss the lawsuit and take action against Kurtz for filing a frivolous lawsuit and talking to the media, but the lawsuit is still currently active.
One of Rutherford's aides named in the lawsuit, Kyle Ham, was recently named the chief executive officer for the Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council.
Joe Ragusa can be reached at joe.ragusa@cumulus.com.
