Welch won’t say if Benton should resign
Thursday, Apr 23, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Background is here if you need it. You really gotta hand it to Isabel. Check out this exchange with House Speaker Chris Welch during his victory press conference last night…
Isabel: Speaker, should Harry Benton resign?
Welch: We’re not going to have that topic of conversation today. We’re going to talk about what happened here today.
Isabel: I mean, he was here today.
[Cross talk.]
Jerry Nowicki: Isn’t it time to address it?
Jeremy Gorner: He’s an elected official. We just want to know what’s going on.
Reporter: He’s got an election coming up.
Rich: Should he resign?
Isabel: Should he resign?
Welch: At the proper time.
Isabel: When is that?
Welch: At the proper time that information will come out.
Reporter: Is that after May 31?
Welch: So there is a process in place. You’ve heard me say this before. People are entitled to due process. 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. And I think part of that is not coming out and speaking to the press about something and folks are entitled to due process. But also want to underscore something very important, and we shared this with the caucus, we also have to talk about victims and what they’re entitled to. 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. We’re going to respect people’s rights. It’s not to disrespect all of you. I respect what all of you do to the nth degree. As a former member of the media, thank you for what you do. But we have let this process play out.
[Crosstalk]
Reporter: Two members of Congress just resigned.
[Crosstalk. Welch walks back into his office suite.]
* Tribune…
Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch reluctantly broke his silence Wednesday on his decision to strip a Democratic lawmaker of key caucus duties two months ago, acknowledging for the first time that the rights of “victims” were involved, while declining to discuss specifics.
Welch’s comments came while he spoke with reporters outside his state Capitol office following a lengthy House session. Welch made it clear he hoped to focus on the day’s legislative victories, including the House’s passage of a bill aiding the Chicago Bears’ proposed move to Arlington Heights. When asked whether state Rep. Harry Benton of Plainfield should resign, Welch initially tried to sidestep the question.
- River Heights PI - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 11:14 am:
Love that question — “Is that after May 31?”
- Candy Dogood - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 11:27 am:
===We’re going to respect victims===
So, what the Speaker is saying is that there are victims?
There are victims that he gets to know about that other members of the public don’t get to know about?
I think I am ready for a new Speaker that doesn’t shield law makers who are facing allegations that have victims that are serious enough for them to be stripped of committee assignments from public information.
A regular member of the public gets due process too. That comes after public charges are filed against them. The public gets to know what the chargers are when the charges are filed.
So what’s the allegation?
What abuse is the Speaker protecting?
How does this respect victims?
===It’s not to disrespect all of you. ===
This isn’t about the journalists being respected, this is about the public being kept in the dark by the Speaker of the House.
The public has made it very clear over the years that they’re tired of secrecy.
Speaker Welch has failed to provide the leadership the people of Illinois deserve. He should be replaced.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 11:33 am:
===doesn’t shield law makers who are facing allegations that have victims===
Look, I’m frustrated as all get-out by this, but no way should a victim be outed without that person’s consent.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 12:06 pm:
=This isn’t about the journalists being respected, this is about the public being kept in the dark by the Speaker of the House.=
Pattern of malfeasance by this speaker. Keep everything in the dark. Keep the public and his constituents in the dark and without effective representation. Do they not deserve that? Craft bills in secretive work groups that aren’t subject to the open meetings act, then act if and only if 60 Ds support.
Might as well call him Speaker Emanuel “Mike Johnson” Welch
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 12:15 pm:
===that aren’t subject to the open meetings act===
lol
Did you just get here?
The GA is not subject to that statute.
- twowaystreet - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 1:00 pm:
Benton has been stripped of committee membership and kicked out of the caucus.
Now, Welch is saying there are victims. Not alleged, actual victims. Based on what? A criminal investigation? An investigation by the LIG’s office? Allegations that are serious enough to kick him out of caucus but not call for his resignation?
This is utter nonsense by the Speaker. I just don’t understand why the Speaker cannot provide a bit more clarity.
He could easily say, “There are allegations being vetted through the LIG’s office and statutory process to hold elected officials accountable. The LIG has not reached a determination, but out of an abundance of caution and due to the serious nature of the allegations, we decided it would be best to act quickly and remove him from the caucus. If he is found not to violate any code of ethics or state laws, he may be reinstated in the future.”
Am I missing something about how that would put the victims at any risk?
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 1:03 pm:
===Am I missing something about how that would put the victims at any risk? ===
No, you are not.
- Friendly Bob Adams - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 1:36 pm:
I think Welch is doing what he has to do here. He’s absolutely right that due process needs to be followed.
- twowaystreet - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 1:50 pm:
==I think Welch is doing what he has to do here. He’s absolutely right that due process needs to be followed.==
Please explain. What is Welch doing exactly? What due process is being followed?
- Moist von Lipwig - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 1:55 pm:
He should resign, and give the Democrats a chance to appoint someone to the ballot who actually has a shot at winning. That’s the pure politics of it.
That being said, it’s hard when all we know about the allegations are rumor. Should people call on Benton to resign if they have no real information? That’s hard to do. Welch is doing the appropriate thing here, even if it is very awkward.
Still - At this point, Shanahan is winning.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 2:02 pm:
==He’s absolutely right that due process needs to be followed==
This isn’t a court of law. There are no due process rights here when it comes to how a Speaker manages his members. Something obviously has happened to generate this response. The Speaker should say what has happened.
- Think Again - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 2:16 pm:
=Welch: So there is a process in place=
Yes, threaten Benton with House Rule 89- the initial special investigating committee could be held in executive session - the very threat of this process would likely get Benton to resign.
- twowaystreet - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 2:21 pm:
==That being said, it’s hard when all we know about the allegations are rumor. Should people call on Benton to resign if they have no real information? That’s hard to do. Welch is doing the appropriate thing here, even if it is very awkward.==
Welch is the one who said there are victims. Not allegedly, not possible. He said, “We’re going to respect victims.” Also, Welch has to know enough to remove him from caucus. Why has he not called for his resignation?
As Speaker, a person who knows more than rumors, he should be able to explain why he thought it was appropriate to remove him from caucus but not call for his resignation.
I don’t understand why people here are pretending like his hands are tied. The only person making this awkward is Speaker Welch.
- Dotnonymous x - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 3:12 pm:
Speaker, should Harry Benton resign?
Get over it?
- Dotnonymous x - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 3:23 pm:
I want to see…transparently.
- JS Mill - Thursday, Apr 23, 26 @ 4:16 pm:
Welch is starting to resemble House Speaker Mike Johnson. Even a little bit is too much.