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Treasurer Employee Resigns, Citing Sexual Harassment

Dan Rutherford
Chicago Tribune via YouTube

A man who says he was a victim of sexual harassment by Treasurer Dan Rutherford has submitted a letter of resignation.

The man, who does not want to be identified, submitted the letter Monday, but did not release a copy of it.

The alleged victim describes unwanted advances by Treasurer Rutherford, and accuses him of trying to force state employees to work on behalf of his campaign for governor.

Rutherford denies the allegations. Here he is at a Chicago Tribune editorial board meeting Monday: "I've managed hundreds of people, both in my government office, and my private sector office — 22 years. Not one time, ever, has there ever been an allegation against me. And we are now six weeks before an election. We are six weeks out, and now for the first time in over two decades something like this comes up."

Rutherford has maintained a political rival in the race for Governor, Republican Bruce Rauner, is somehow behind the allegations. Rauner denies that.

It follows a bizarre news conference Friday in which Treasurer Rutherford denied allegations, without revealing just what he was denying.

Amanda Vinicky moved to Chicago Tonight on WTTW-TV PBS in 2017.
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