Speaker Welch's Promise Rings Hollow

When Speaker Welch first took the gavel, he promised a "new day" in the Illinois House following the downfall of his mentor and predecessor, Michael Madigan. Yet despite those promises of reform, it is becoming increasingly clear that they are ringing hollow.

Those promises didn't come out of nowhere. Years earlier, Speaker Welch publicly acknowledged exactly how sexual harassment allegations should be handled. In a 2017 interview with WTTW, he said:

• "I think when people have the courage to speak up, they should be heard. We should listen to them."
• "Those types of things should be taken seriously."
• "We need to change that culture, change that environment, and do something about it."

And now to make matters worse, Speaker Welch is trying to blame the victim in all of this rather than take accountability. According to the Tribune, Welch told members of his caucus that delays in taking action against former Rep. Harry Benton "stemmed from the wishes of a now-former Benton staffer who first reported the allegations three years ago."

The Tribune also reported that the former staffer disputes that characterization.

As Speaker Welch continues to face scrutiny over his handling of the Benton scandal, House Republicans are once again calling for stronger ethics reforms, including HB 1382, which would strengthen the authority of the Legislative Inspector General to conduct independent investigations and root out corruption at the Capitol.