For Immediate Release:
Monday February 26, 2018
Contact:
Toby Trimmer, Communications Director
(217) 622-7547 | toby@ildcca.org

COUNTY DEMOCRATS CALL ON GOP TO PARTNER IN ANTI-HARASSMENT PLEDGE

IDCCA President: “There’s no reason we can’t agree on proactive steps to address harassment.”

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois – A week after releasing it, Democratic candidates throughout Illinois are signing on to the zero-tolerance sexual harassment pledge developed by the Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association. Today, IDCCA President Doug House offered the framework to Illinois Republicans, saying no one in Illinois politics should remain inactive or silent in working to protect campaign workers, interns, volunteers and activists.

“No wall has been built to keep sexual harassment and intimidation out of any political party,” House said. “We’re asking the Illinois Republican Party to acknowledge and embrace the policy framework and pledge we’ve developed for Democrats. It’s a unifying step to show a bipartisan commitment to reveal how serious we all are in addressing a widespread problem.”

The IDCCA’s internal Sexual Harassment Task Force began developing the policy and pledge in 2017 when the committee was formed. Last week, the association approved and distributed the policy and pledge to all Democratic candidates. Beyond electronic distribution, social media promotion and media outreach, a mailing was issued to Democratic candidates and is expected to be received early this week.

House says that Republican leaders shouldn’t be shy in adopting the policy or the pledge that the Democratic Chairs’ Association worked so diligently on.

“We’ve done the hard work of creating a solid policy framework and we’re sharing it with our colleagues in the Republican Party with the hope that they will adopt or improve upon it,” House said. “As the leader of his Party, we hope Governor Rauner recognizes that sexual harassment is an issue that impacts everyone and that a bipartisan effort to address it sorely needed. We stand ready to work with anyone so that women can feel welcomed and valued in all campaign organizations.”

The IDCCA today emailed the attached letter, policy and pledge to Tim Schneider, Chairman of the Illinois Republican Party. A hard copy was also mailed today.

The IDCCA’s zero-tolerance sexual harassment policy and pledge available for download at the association’s website, www.idcca.org – a direct link to the pledge is available at https://ildcca.org/2018/02/sexual-harassment-policy-and-pledge/.

Letter from President Doug House to GOP Chairman

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About the IDCCA…

The Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association (IDCCA) is a statewide, grassroots Democratic Party organization comprised of the elected Democratic County Chairs in all 102 counties in Illinois. The mission of the IDCCA is to help elect Democrats in every county and region of Illinois while continuing to grow the Democratic Party throughout the state. Rock Island County Chairman Doug House is the President of the IDCCA.

Learn more at www.ildcca.orgwww.facebook.com/ILDCCA and www.twitter.com/ILDCCA