Madison Ald. Brian Solomon Under Investigation For Sexual Assault Complaint

This story popped off the news page today. 

I find it sad as I knew and liked  Brian Solomon’s wife Lynn, who I worked with for a couple of years.  For her sake one can only hope the allegations are not true. 

The state Department of Justice is investigating a sexual assault complaint by a female city employee against Madison Ald. Brian Solomon.

Solomon, a state employee who has represented the 10th District on the Southwest Side since 2007, said he was good friends with the woman and strongly denied the allegation.

The woman initially filed a complaint with the Madison Police Department in September about an April incident, but the police determined they lacked jurisdiction because the alleged incident happened outside the city and referred the complaint to the Department of Justice.

Solomon said that he, the woman and four council members were at a Downtown bar after an April council meeting, and that he drove the woman home that night.

Solomon said he stayed at the woman’s apartment for a while at her request and that “nothing happened that wasn’t completely consensual.” He said he was unaware of any objections to his conduct that night until he was contacted by investigators several weeks ago.

Solomon said he and the woman became friends around February. He had surgery in May, he said, and she greeted him warmly when they saw each other again in July. But after that they drifted apart, he said.

City Council President Mark Clear and Alds. Tim Bruer, Marsha Rummel and Chris Schmidt, who were with Solomon and the woman at the bar in April, said they have been interviewed by state investigators related to the complaint.