Illinois House Speaker Calls for Rep. Harry Benton to Resign, Threatens Expulsion
Welch said the inspector general found clear patterns of unethical conduct and warned House leaders will move to expel Benton if he does not resign.
- On Wednesday, Illinois House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch called on Rep. Harry Benton to resign after an ethics investigation revealed "clear patterns of conduct" that are "outrageous, unethical, and unbecoming of a member of the Illinois House of Representatives."
- Sexual harassment allegations against Benton prompted the Legislative Inspector General to investigate earlier this year; he was removed from the House Democratic Caucus and stripped of committee assignments in February.
- Welch stated, "If he does not resign, we will initiate the process of expelling him from the House." Previous disciplinary actions, including loss of caucus support, will remain permanent at the inspector general's recommendation.
- Gov. JB Pritzker expressed trust in the speaker's actions, while the House Republican Organization labeled Benton a "disgrace," asserting he will not be a state representative come January.
- Pending a November rematch against Republican Gabby Shanahan, a resignation before August 21 would allow for a ballot replacement, as Benton previously won the seat by 4.4%.
15 Articles
15 Articles
Chicago Sun Times
Illinois House Speaker Welch calls on state Rep. Harry Benton to quit over undisclosed misconduct allegations
Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, is calling on a southwest suburban state representative to resign over unspecified misconduct allegations or else face expulsion from their chamber.Welch cited the findings of a sealed watchdog report as revealing “outrageous, unethical, and unbecoming” patterns of behavior by state Rep. Harry Benton, the Plainfield Democrat whom the speaker barred from their party’s caucus meetings in Fe…
Pritzker, Benton’s GOP challenger weigh in calls for resignation - Regional Media News
(The Center Square) - Less than a day after top Democrats in Springfield called on an embattled state lawmaker to resign, Gov. J.B. Pritzker shared his thoughts on removing the two-term representative from his role. Late Wednesday, a spokesperson for House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch released a statement that the investigation, conducted by the Legislative Inspector General, had concluded into Rep. Harry Benton, D-Plainfield. The findings, "re…
Illinois House Speaker calls for Rep. Harry Benton to resign, threatens expulsion
Speaker Chris Welch is calling on Rep. Harry Benton to resign after an ethics investigation found what Welch called "outrageous" and "unethical" conduct. He says if Benton refuses, the Illinois House will begin the process to expel him.
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