Complaint deemed unfounded against state lawmaker surfaces in downstate legislative race

SPRINGFIELD — A former staffer for a Democratic downstate legislator went public Thursday with salacious allegations of harassment and misconduct against her former boss that were deemed unfounded last year by a top legislative watchdog. Republicans say self-described progressive Laura Jackson “felt ignored by Springfield” after she filed formal complaints against state Rep. Amy “Murri” Briel, D-Ottawa, but Democrats dismissed the charges as “a misleading political attack” in a district that’s…