Ill. AG Wants Treasurer’s Office Lawsuit Dismissed

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan wants portions of a lawsuit filed against Treasurer Dan Rutherford's office dropped, and a court to sanction the former staff lawyer who filed it.

Madigan's office asked a federal court on Monday to dismiss claims by Edmund Michalowski against two treasurer's office employees and the Republican state treasurer's office.  Michalowski says the employees were involved in racketeering and retaliated against him for refusing to do political work. He also says Rutherford sexually harassed him.
 
Madigan calls the racketeering changes "baseless,'' and says the harassment allegations of harassment involving the office weren't "sufficiently severe orpervasive.''
 
Madigan wants Michalowski's lawyers to pay her costs to defend racketeering portions of the suit. Rutherford is represented by his own attorneys.

Michalowski's attorney wasn't immediately reached for comment.