Illinois House Speaker Welch Defends Silence on Ousted Caucus Member Harry Benton

Welch cites due process, victim protection as reasons for not discussing Benton's removal

Illinois House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch defended his decision not to discuss the ouster of state Rep. Harry Benton from the House Democratic caucus on Wednesday, citing the need to respect due process and protect victims.

Welch, who has remained tight-lipped about the situation since late February, finally addressed the topic when approached by reporters at the Statehouse. He declined to provide specific details about the allegations that led to Benton's removal, saying information would emerge at the "proper time."

"There is a process in place that guarantees every one of us due process, and we're going to allow that process to play out," Welch said. "And I think part of that is not coming out and speaking to the press about something when folks are entitled to due process."

Welch also emphasized the importance of respecting victims in an ongoing situation.

"We also have to talk about victims and what they're entitled to," Welch said. "Coming out and talking to reporters about a process that's ongoing is not the proper thing to do, and so we're going to respect due process. We're going to respect victims."

Benton, a two-term Democrat representing the 97th District in southwest suburban Plainfield, was barred from caucus meetings and stripped of all eight of his committee assignments in late February with no public explanation at the time.

Since being ousted, Benton has continued to show up for legislative sessions and has voted on bills. He has declined to comment on the situation to reporters.

Republicans demand transparency on caucus member ouster

The House Republican Organization has been critical of Welch's handling of the situation. In a statement released in March, the group said the Benton case represents "the same culture of silence that has long plagued Democratic politics in Illinois."

The statement referenced former House Speaker Michael Madigan, whose final years were marked by a sexual harassment scandal involving a member of his political organization. Madigan himself was not accused of sexual harassment but resigned from the House amid a federal corruption investigation that resulted in prison time.

The House Republican Organization cited a February 25 report from The Illinoize, a newsletter covering Illinois politics, which reported that multiple sources said Benton was removed from his caucus because of sexual harassment allegations.

A source familiar with the situation told the Chicago Tribune the allegations were of a sexual harassment nature.

"The public deserves to know why and how it is being handled," the House Republican Organization said in its news release.

Benton faces re-election challenge in 97th District

Benton won his 2022 election by less than 1,300 votes, making his far southwest suburban district one of the most competitive in the state. In 2024, he defeated a well-funded challenge from Illinois Policy Institute staffer Gabby Shanahan by about 2,300 votes.

Shanahan is challenging Benton again in the upcoming general election, and it was expected to be a "tier one" race. When asked to comment, Shanahan did not directly address Benton's ouster.

"We deserve answers, not silence," Shanahan said in a written statement. "Right now, the people of our district are being let down. I'm offering voters a better alternative: Someone who will show up and work with integrity for them."

Welch has previously removed caucus members

This is not the first time Welch has stripped House members under him of key caucus duties.

In 2023, Welch removed then-state Rep. Mary Flowers of Chicago from her leadership position after it was alleged she repeatedly engaged in inappropriate behavior, including making comments that a Democratic staffer looked like Adolf Hitler. Welch later backed a successful primary challenge to Flowers.

Last year, state Rep. Fred Crespo of Hoffman Estates was stripped of his committee chairmanships and expelled from the caucus for working on a budget plan independently of and without authorization from House Democratic leadership. Unlike Flowers, Welch did not back an opponent against Crespo in the Democratic primary.

Welch did not specify what he meant by "due process" when discussing Benton's situation, but multiple sources have told Capitol News Illinois that a report detailing allegations against Benton was filed with the legislative inspector general's office. The office, which investigates claims of misconduct by legislators and legislative staff, has declined to comment. It is worth noting that legislative inspector general reports are only made public if allegations are sustained.

Benton continues legislative work despite ouster

Despite being ousted from the caucus, Benton has continued to participate in legislative proceedings. He voted in favor of a constitutional amendment intended to protect voting rights and a megaprojects bill that incentivizes entities like the Chicago Bears to stay in Illinois.

Welch recently gathered outside his office with members of his caucus after a busy legislative day when reporters asked if Benton should resign.

"We're not going to have that topic of conversation today," Welch said when a reporter asked him if he thought Benton should resign. "We're going to talk about what happened here today."

Pressed further by reporters, Welch said that at the proper time, that information will come out.

"There is a process in place that guarantees every one of us due process, and we're going to allow that process to play out," Welch said. "And I think part of that is not coming out and speaking to the press about something when folks are entitled to due process."

"But I also want to underscore something very important, and we share this with the caucus: We also have to talk about victims and what they're entitled to," Welch said. "Coming out and talking to reporters about a process that's ongoing is not the proper thing to do, and so we're going to respect due process. We're going to respect victims."

He left as a reporter asked him if he'd given Benton due process before booting him from caucus.

Benton did not respond to a request for comment. He has returned to Springfield in recent weeks and has been voting on legislation.