State Sen. Michael Hastings’ campaign denies attempt to mislead with letter from sister who shares his ex-wife’s name

A campaign mailer that appears to have been written by the former wife of state Sen. Michael Hastings, D-Frankfort, and supports his reelection was written by one of the senator’s sister, a spokesman said Tuesday.

The letter, sent to homes in the 19th District, is written by Kate Hastings and describes the senator as an “extraordinary father and husband,” but does not specify the writer is the senator’s sister.

The name at the top and signature at the bottom of the letter says Kate Hastings, and a spokesman for Sen. Hastings said Tuesday the letter was written by one of the senator’s three sisters, who goes by the nickname Kate.

“This was not intentional to make it sound like it was coming from his ex-wife,” spokesman Ray Hanania said.

While the letter doesn’t specify the family relationship to the senator, Hanania said Michael Hastings had previously said on social media the letter came from one of his sisters.

Kathleen Hastings, whose divorce from the senator, was recently completed, said in text messages Tuesday that while she cannot comment on the outcome of the divorce, she did not know the letter was being written and had no hand in it.

“I did not have anything to do with writing it, that is not my signature,” she said.

She said that along with Kathleen Hastings she goes by Kate Hastings.

She had alleged physical and verbal abuse by her husband in court filings in the couple’s divorce, which were recently unsealed in Will County court. Michael Hastings has court actions pending alleging that Frankfort police or Will County employees released a “fabricated” police report in which his now former wife alleges he abused her.

The senator has denied any allegations of abuse against his former wife.

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Hastings has been urged by Gov. J.B. Pritzker to leave the Senate and Illinois Senate Republican leader Dan McConchie, in a statement Tuesday, questioned the recent mailer and renewed the call for Hastings to quit his legislative job.

“Both Governor Pritzker and I have called for Senator Hastings to resign due to his disturbing past record of violence and abuse of women. This latest, twisted, last-ditch effort to save his campaign is reprehensible, and his continued presence in the Senate should not be tolerated by anyone in the General Assembly.”

The mailer sent out by Hastings’ campaign from “Kate Hastings” notes that he and his family have “been subjected to some of the most despicable lies and false allegations” by Republicans in a campaign for reelection.

Hastings, who resigned from his leadership position in the Illinois Senate, is being challenged by Republican Patrick Sheehan.

The return address for the recent campaign mailing shows states it is from the Hastings family, and gives the address that is shared by the senator’s father, Orland Hills Mayor Kyle Hastings, as well as one of the senators’ sisters.

Michael Hastings has “been trying to keep the divorce separate from his election,” Hanania said, but that “people are trying to twist his divorce into some kind of political weapon.”

mnolan@tribpub.com