* Last month, House Speaker Chris Welch said the Legislative Inspector General’s Harry Benton report will provide “a full and accurate account of the steps my office took to support those who came forward.

* Gov. JB Pritzker was asked today if the report changed his opinion of the House Speaker…

Pritzker: That report was not a reflection of, as I understand, answers to questions that he gave. I think that the members of the House have had meetings. I know there have been various caucus meetings with members of the House. I’m unaware exactly what questions or answers were given. I do think that all of that should be transparent to people, whatever those answers are. But right now, I think he’s going through a process of discussing with members what happened, and I would like to see and know more. I called for, as you know, the release of that report. I’m really glad that the commission released that report. I think that was exactly the right thing to do. And now the question is, what actions will ensue?

Q: I guess I’m just I’m not hearing you calling for a change in leadership based on…

Pritzker: There is more to learn here I think before you know anybody’s calling for, and remember, this is a decision ultimately by the members of the House. They’re the ones who elected a speaker. They’re the ones who will re-elect a speaker if they choose to do that. And so, I really think this is a process, we’re separate, as you know, branches of government, and I think that that decision will be made by House members. […]

Q: What questions do you have for Speaker Welch that you think he should answer? You have yet to talk to him.

Pritzker: Yeah, I think I’m going to leave that to the House members. I mean, I at the moment, you know, what I want to know is how are we going to fix the system because it shouldn’t be, in my view, months or years before we have employees who work for state representatives or state senate members who don’t know exactly what the procedure is, exactly who to report to, and how to get justice.

* Candidate Pritzker in 2017…

I also know that if we are going to dismantle the “boys’ clubs” that so often permeate not just in politics and political environments, but across all fields and industries, it’s going to require a willingness in men to own our privilege, accept responsibility, and call out bad behavior by other men whenever and wherever we witness it, whether there are women present or not.

Women should not be forced to accept sexual harassment as the price of admission to a life and career in the political world. They should not have to endure unwanted touching, innuendo, and propositioning from men in positions of power. They should not be told, either expressly or implicitly, that they should keep quiet about the abuse they experience. They should not be shamed into silence and made to feel they did something to deserve it, or that they can’t take a joke. And they should not face retaliation if they choose to speak up.

I’ve tried, in my own life, to speak up when I see harassment occurring. But I want to acknowledge that there are probably situations and instances where I could have done more. I think that’s an acknowledgment that all men need to make. It’s only by looking in the mirror and being brutally honest with ourselves that things are going to get better.

…Adding… Mayor Brandon Johnson was asked about Speaker Welch today…

Q: Now that the Legislative Inspector General report is out, do you think Speaker Welch has done enough to explain how he handled those sexual harassment allegations and dismissal of the former representative, and his own interactions with the same staffer. And do you continue to support him as speaker?

Johnson: Oh, look, I’ve known Speaker Welch for some time, and you know watching his maturation, you know, has been just a remarkable testament to what’s possible in this country to serve as the first Black Speaker of the House. Look, I trust that the Speaker is going to do what’s right for his constituents in the state of Illinois. I’m grateful, you know that more transparency has been brought to light of not just this incident, but I think of of of any elected leader that has to be held to a righteous standard. Quite frankly, in how we interact with staff, how we interact with constituents, how we do our jobs, and I think it’s important that that we hold ourselves to that. But in terms of you know him in his particular position, that’s a decision that I trust that he will make in the best interest for the people that he represents.