Man asks for time to respond in Rutherford suit

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- The former state employee who accused Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford of harassment is asking a federal judge for more time to respond to a motion to throw out the case.

Edmund Michalowski (mik-oh-LOW'-skee) accused Rutherford in January of sexual harassment and making him do political work while on state time.

Rutherford denies the claims. The lawsuit came in the midst of Rutherford's failed bid for the Republican nomination for Illinois governor.

The Pantagraph in Bloomington reports that in a filing Wednesday, Michalowski told U.S. District Judge Joan Lefkow he has hired new attorneys to help him in the case and they needed more time to craft a response to Rutherford's motion for a dismissal.

Rutherford's attorneys say Michalowski's allegations don't detail how he was harassed or discriminated against.