CHICAGO (WBBM-STNG) - Palatine Township Republican Committeeman--and former Cook County GOP Chairman--Gary Skoien is denying a police report that said his wife found him at home with two prostitutes and beat him with her fists and a toy guitar.
The report filled out by Barrington-Inverness police says that’s what Eni Skoien told them — and that Gary Skoien confirmed the account, said Deputy Chief Jerry Libit.
“That’s how it was reported to us,” Libit said.
A police report on the incident said he told responding officers there were prostitutes with him in the play room when his wife caught him.
But Skoien tells Newsradio 780 the police report is wrong - and he says he did not have prostitutes at the house.
Skoien says he wants to set the record straight.
"The police report says my wife came home and found me with women. That is absolutely not the case.
"In fact, my wife was driven home by somebody. I talked to that person and I was alone and there was nobody at the house. I'm not sure why the police report characterizes the people that were at the house later on the way they do. It was an allegation my wife made, but it was an allegation made in anger."
Skoien says his wife was intoxicated when she was driven home.
He says he now has a 21-day restraining order against his wife.
Asked about his physical injuries, Skoien says, "My wife is the mother of my kids and I really don't want to say anything about that because my kids love my wife and there are obviously issues but I don't want to say anything that's not positive about anything, frankly."
He says his biggest concern now is for his three young children - and he says they are "dealing with a very tense situation."
Police said Skoien suffered cuts and had blood on his hands after his wife attacked him when she walked in on him at about 1:15 a.m. Sunday.
Eni Skoien spent two nights in the lock-up before her court hearing Monday morning, Libit said.
She was charged with misdemeanor domestic battery and released on a $10,000 personal recognizance bond, said Andy Conklin, spokesman for the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office.
Gary Skoien was not charged with any offense and no prostitution charges were filed against anyone.
Allies of Mayor Daley in both parties had been upset with Skoien since he offered a $10,000 “bounty” four years ago for information leading to the conviction on corruption charges of the Chicago mayor.
The remark got Skoien fired from his real estate job, cost him a seat on the Metra board and resulted in calls for his ouster as county Republican chairman.
But he survived a re-election vote, serving from 2004-to-2007 as the head of Cook County’s Republican party, which has not succeeded in electing a Republican to countywide office in 17 years.
Current Republican Party Chairman Lee Roupas said, “It’s an extremely disappointing and unfortunate situation, if the allegations prove to be true.”
Skoien was an aide to former Gov. Jim Thompson and serves as Palatine Township Republican Committeeman.
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