A former state treasurer’s reputation still hangs in the balance after he is cleared of some charges against him. Dan Rutherford of Chenoa was charged with firing three former employees for cooperating in a sexual harassment investigation against him. Those charges have now been dropped. News partner WMBD spoke with Rutherford about the claims against him and where he’ll go next.

“The emotional scale goes everything from I was really upset to I was really depressed,” Rutherford said.

The investigation began when another former employee, Edmund Michalowksi, said he was sexually harassed while Rutherford was campaigning for governor in 2014.

“I’m a mature man. I’m not like I was back when I first ran for office for State Representative and was elected for ten years with no allegations,” Rutherford said.

A Cook County judge dropped the case, but the sexual harassment lawsuit is still pending in federal court.

This story was submitted to us by WJBC’s Maria Henneberry.