In fall 2018, longtime state Rep. Lou Lang, a Skokie Democrat, received a phone call from Mike McClain, who had spent decades lobbying for electric utility ComEd after 10 years in the General Assembly.
But McClain called Lang with some bad news: Another woman was threatening to come forward with harassment allegations if Lang was reinstated to a leadership position. What's more, Madigan wanted Lang to resign from office to become a lobbyist. "You know, I think the guy's going to be a continuing problem, that's my expectation," Madigan said of Lang."And I mean, you can understand my position, right? I have to sit and think ... do I appoint him to the leadership or not?"
But Lang declined to acknowledge he was facing harassment claims at the time, employing the line"just because someone says there was an allegation does not make it true." He especially chafed at Cotter's later use of the word"charges." Lang eventually resigned from the House in January 2019, shortly before taking the oath of office in what would have been his 17th term in the legislature. He immediately began lobbying his former colleagues -- a common practice in Springfield.
"Do you call your friends for advice?" Cotter asked the jury Wednesday."Do you call your friends at work? When you do that, are you entering a conspiracy or is that friendship? I'd argue it's the very nature of friendship."