* The Illinois Legislative Ethics Commission…
This morning, the members of the Illinois General Assembly’s bipartisan Legislative Ethics Commission (LEC) voted unanimously to publish the report concerning the complaint against former State Representative Harry Benton (D).
Following the vote, Commission Chair State Representative Jeff Keicher released the following statement:
“After considering the matter before us for case number 26-005 concerning the complaint against former Rep. Harry Benton, we voted to publish the report pursuant to our statutory obligations. To protect the privacy of those involved in this case, the respondent and complainant will be given the opportunity to review the report for potential redactions, which the Commission will review.”
As Keicher stated, now that the LEC has voted to make the report public, the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act requires the respondent and complainant to be permitted to review the report, offer redaction suggestions, and provide a response to be published with the report, if they wish. The LEC intends to have this process completed by July 31st.
…Adding… House Minority Leader Tony McCombie…
After the bipartisan Legislative Ethics Commission (LEC) voted unanimously to release a report detailing the sexual harassment complaint regarding former State Representative Harry Benton, House Minority Leader Tony McCombie issued the following statement:
“Thank you to the members of the Legislative Ethics Commission for doing the right thing: transparency is key for us to move forward, understand how we can improve, and to demand accountability for those who failed to uphold the integrity of our chamber. Unfortunately, we may never know what happened before this report due to the silence of leaders who have repeatedly chosen politics over principles.”
…Adding… Rep. Kelly Cassidy…
Today, the Legislative Ethics Commission voted unanimously to release the report of the Inspector General’s investigation into the allegations against former Representative Harry Benton. As noted in the statement from Chair Keicher, we now begin a five day period allowing the complainant and respondent to request redactions and provide any statements to be included with the published report. At the end of that period, the LEC will reconvene to complete our work and move to publish as quickly as is practical. Until publication is complete, members are still bound by confidentiality requirements as it relates to the contents of the report.
There has been a fair bit of discussion of the process related to the Legislative Inspector General and the Legislative Ethics Commission and possible changes to the law governing their work. I welcome those discussions in the months ahead. It’s important to note that the last major changes to the laws governing the LIG process were under former Speaker Madigan, who consistently fought efforts to allow the LIG to operate with true independence and left the role vacant for years. While important improvements were made in 2019, there is a great deal more that should have been done then to ensure that victims are able to safely seek justice. I urge my colleagues to be bold in their proposals to improve our response to misconduct, and take this opportunity to embrace best practices informed by the need to create a safe and equitable working environment for everyone who comes to our Capitol.
- twowaystreet - Thursday, Jul 23, 26 @ 12:44 pm:
Here’s a novel idea. How about requiring reports to be made public if wrongdoing is found?
- Blazzzer - Thursday, Jul 23, 26 @ 1:09 pm:
While they are at it, please give us the other previous 4 LIG reports. (This report is 26-005.) What other reported complaints do we not know about?
- Candy Dogood - Thursday, Jul 23, 26 @ 1:33 pm:
===What other reported complaints do we not know about? ===
And where the folks reporting those complaints invited out to a private dinner by the Speaker of the House?
- anon - Thursday, Jul 23, 26 @ 1:52 pm:
The Legislative Ethics Commission regularly reports a whole lot of zero activity and points the reader to the LIG quarterly reports (https://ilga.gov/documents/commission/LEC/LEC%20Quarterly%20Reports/LEC_Activity_Report_033126.pdf)but, oops, server error (https://lig.ilga.gov/QuarterlyReports.asp).
- Quids pro Quo - Thursday, Jul 23, 26 @ 2:02 pm:
The threat of releasing the report is what compelled Benton to resign, which he did. But now the house decides to release it anyway?
When you go back on your word, you lose that kind of leverage. How will future speakers remove anyone?
Accused legislators are well advised to dig in their heels, a la Ammons.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jul 23, 26 @ 2:05 pm:
===The threat of releasing the report is what compelled Benton to resign===
LOLOL
No.
- Quids pro Quo - Thursday, Jul 23, 26 @ 2:08 pm:
Okay, Rich. Don’t be coy. How was Harry “persuaded”?
- twowaystreet - Thursday, Jul 23, 26 @ 2:17 pm:
==How will future speakers remove anyone?==
Um… the Chamber can expel members.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jul 23, 26 @ 2:26 pm:
===Don’t be coy===
I wasn’t being coy. He would’ve likely been expelled. And, besides, the Speaker couldn’t have stopped the LEC from voting to release the report. No way, no how.
Don’t be dumb
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jul 23, 26 @ 2:27 pm:
===When you go back on your word===
Please show us where Welch promised this. Evidence in your head doesn’t count.
- The apologist - Thursday, Jul 23, 26 @ 2:28 pm:
I wonder if this makes Gabby Shannahan think she actually has a snowballs chance in hell of winning. Hmmm
- Bagger Vance - Thursday, Jul 23, 26 @ 3:11 pm:
There seems to be some confusion here about the process.
The IG completed its investigation and created a Summary Report. The summary report was shared with Benton and Welch, who have 20 days to respond. After that, it is shared with the Commission.
Think of that as parallel to the “impeachment” process in the House.
Had Benton not resigned,the Commission would have gone through the “Removal” process similar to the US Senate. It would have been adjudicated, Benton would have responded, etc. If disciplined, the Report automatically becomes public.
But because he resigned, the Commission can still vote to release the Summary Report, as a matter of public interest. Both the summary report and welch’s response will be redacted to address victim and witness privacy.
No big surprise, but noticable that McCombie made a point of the fact the vote was unanimous.
- twowaystreet - Thursday, Jul 23, 26 @ 4:39 pm:
==It’s important to note that the last major changes to the laws governing the LIG process were under former Speaker Madigan, who consistently fought efforts to allow the LIG to operate with true independence and left the role vacant for years.==
It’s also important to note that during Madigan and after Madigan, proposals to strengthen the LIG have been introduced, and lawmakers refused to act on those bills.
Inaction on better ethics laws isn’t a speaker problem; it is an unwillingness to act from the legislature until one of these problems inevitably (Illinois being Illinois) comes up again.
It’s also important to mention that almost every subject matter hearing by the House Election and Ethics committee in the past session was inexplicably canceled at the last minute.
- Juvenal - Thursday, Jul 23, 26 @ 6:07 pm:
To the Update:
Are we to infer from Cassidy’s statement that Welch is the one killing the ethics reforms, is that an educated guess, or can anyone offer more specifics?
I assume if Welch wanted to pass it, he can.