Chief Of Staff Sues State Sen. Michael Hastings For Harassment

TINLEY PARK, IL — An Olympia Fields trustee and former chief of staff for state Sen. Michael Hastings is suing Hastings and the Illinois State Senate for harassment. Hastings, in turn, has filed an ethics complaint against her.

The Chicago Tribune reported that Cassandra Matz filed the suit in June and has filed other complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Illinois Department of Human Rights.

Matz, who had been a close political ally of Hastings, claimed he harassed her and that he filed his own complaint against her with the legislative inspector general after she confronted him about his behavior.

Hastings's lawyer, the Tribune reported, called the suits "frivolous." The secretary of the Illinois Senate, Tim Anderson, declined to comment, citing pending litigation, according to the newspaper.

Matz, who is black, worked for the senator from 2015 until 2018, when Hastings fired her.

The troubles began after she alleged that Hastings paid her less than other staffers who held her position. She also said he treated her differently from other employees and criticized her writing and speaking. He turned the complaints over to the legislative inspector general.

The Office of the Senate President then investigated her claims but were not able to corroborate them in part because it said it could not reach Matz, the Tribune said. Matz, through an attorney, said she was never contacted to talk to investigators.

Hastings then reported Matz to the legislative inspector general, alleging she misused state resources to conduct private real estate business on state time. She has denied those allegations.

After Matz declined to return to work for Hastings, he fired her, the Tribune said.

Matz then filed her complaints, including the suit filed in June in Cook County Circuit Court, alleging harassment, retaliation and discrimination based on sex, race, disability and politics. She is asking for "compensatory and punitive damages and a permanent injunction requiring that Hastings and the Illinois Senate adopt policies and practices that conform to the Illinois State Officials and Employees Ethics Act," according to the Tribune.

Read more about the suits and the relationship between Matz and Hastings in the Chicago Tribune.