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Drip, drip, drip
Friday, Aug 14, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * You may recall this from yesterday when Rep. Kelly Cassidy countered Speaker Welch’s claim that he had no idea his online behavior could cause someone to be uncomfortable…
The House met at the Springfield convention center during the pandemic, and was there during the transition between Speaker Madigan and Speaker Welch in January of 2021. * Sources have confirmed that those same screen shots which were passed around by House Dem members in early 2021 somehow eventually wound up in the hands of the House Republicans, who used those screen shots in their online ad that we showed you a few weeks ago… I was wondering why all those screen shots predated Welch’s ascension. It finally occurred to me to ask some folks today if those were the same ones passed around at the BoS Center. Yep.
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- Bagger Vance - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 1:32 pm:
I have to wonder what Welch’s response was when Cassidy pointed out that his more recent online behavior was concerning.
- factory worker - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 1:39 pm:
He’s getting quite comfortable with making patently false statements. if he will do it here, how do you know he isn’t doing it when you shake hands to seal a deal on the budget, or for a member looking to move a legislative priority? the only thing we really have in this business is our word, and the value of his word is dropping quickly.
- Irreverent - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 1:40 pm:
Response was likely narcissism and misogyny, given what his camp has shown us thus far.
- Honestly - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 2:03 pm:
I’m not trying to defend the guy about the other stuff. But is there any chance that these were inadvertent social media pocket-likes? When a social media user puts a touchscreen cellphone in their pocket with a social media app open, then these things happen. The algorithm suggests the content, which it always suggests to every male user’s account. And then they inadvertently like the posts while they are walking around with the cellphone in their pocket. I find it very hard to believe that an elected official would intentionally like these posts. Lets be honest people. It might be best if we stick to the fair criticisms.
- Amalia - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 2:07 pm:
“Lets be honest people. It might be best if we stick to the fair criticisms.” ok, this is fair. he’s done a terrible job investigating a sexual harassment complaint, including interactions with the complainant. He continues to do a terrible job. he’s terrible.
- Demoralized - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 2:10 pm:
==And then they inadvertently like the posts while they are walking around with the cellphone in their pocket. ==
Uh huh. You should be on his comms team.
- Politix - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 2:12 pm:
He “pocket-liked” multiple photos of women in swimsuits. Interesting hypothesis. Perhaps his pocket has a type.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 2:14 pm:
Do some women post instagram photos of themselves in bikinis hoping to be ignored online?
Asking for a friend.
- Downstate - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 2:14 pm:
“Lets be honest people. It might be best if we stick to the fair criticisms.”
I suppose his phone may have also inadvertently requested the sexual harassment victim to switch to the Signal App before asking to meet at a bar./s/
If it quacks like a duck…..
- Dotnonymous x - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 2:16 pm:
Using the soft word “uncomfortable” when it is actually harmful, painful, oppressive, or wrong is the softest form of soft language… It turns systemic issues, distress, or injustice into a mild personal inconvenience.
- fs - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 2:21 pm:
== I find it very hard to believe that an elected official would intentionally like these posts.==
Well bless your innocent lil’ heart. You must be new to politics.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 2:22 pm:
===Do some women post instagram photos of themselves in bikinis hoping to be ignored online? ===
It’s not the posts, it’s the lurker
- Shaggy - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 2:25 pm:
=Honestly @2:03=
Excellent theory. Question for you - if the likes came from the pockets, what part of the pants do you think the DMs came from?
- 47th Ward - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 2:29 pm:
===It’s not the posts, it’s the lurker===
100% agree. And his clicks train the algorithm to send him more, similar content. We live in strange times.
- JS Mill - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 2:30 pm:
=I’m not trying to defend the guy about the other stuff. But is there any chance that these were inadvertent social media pocket-likes? =
A friend of mine tried that one with his wife once when she busted him liking a bunch of beach pics posted on her friends fb page. Yada yada yada, she now gets half of his pension.
- Excitable Boy - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 2:33 pm:
- And his clicks train the algorithm -
Maybe the Speaker of the house should have better judgement on clicking.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 2:47 pm:
===It might be best if we stick to the fair criticisms. ===
What this post is intended to do is not to relitigate the heart-eye emoji story, but to offer more evidence that several House Democratic members knew before the speaker vote that this was an issue.
As far as your weird theory, I would suggest that you wait a bit longer to start happy hour on Fridays.
- Dotnonymous x - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 2:55 pm:
- Do some women post instagram photos of themselves in bikinis hoping to be ignored online? -
Women who choose to be proud of their bodies shouldn’t be called on to justify themselves to anyone.
- chi - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 3:04 pm:
There’s nothing inconsistent with him saying he was unaware that the act of “liking” a post or putting an emoji on a post made the poster uncomfortable.
Unless there’s an allegation that the old posts that are the subject of the ad made one of the posters uncomfortable and he was told about it?
Are the hundreds of other people that “liked” those posts also supposed to be aware that the “like” somehow made the poster uncomfortable?
- Rich Miller - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 3:05 pm:
===the act of “liking” a post===
You’re either not quite caught up on this or are being deliberately disingenuous.
- Squeaker Welch - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 3:12 pm:
Perhaps the more important news story of today is that more members are backing out of his newly formed committee and also saying they didnt approve of having their names listed.
As others might say, drip.. drip.. drip..
- Honestly - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 3:14 pm:
“As far as your weird theory, I would suggest that you wait a bit longer to start happy hour on Fridays.”
@Rich Miller
If my theory was so weird then it wouldn’t have provoked such a visceral ad hominim reaction from you. I assume that it got you upset because it has the inconvenient quality of being probably true. Or at least it is alot more plausible than your theory that an elected official would ever have clicked “like” on those social-media posts on purpose.
- Irreverent - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 3:15 pm:
@Honestly
“If what I said was so stupid, why did you get annoyed and point out it was stupid?” That’s certainly a take.
- SAP - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 3:20 pm:
Pocket likes. It wasn’t my fault! I swear to God!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFvujknrBuE
- Excitable Boy - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 3:23 pm:
- it is alot more plausible than your theory that an elected official would ever have clicked “like” on those social-media posts on purpose. -
Honestly, I don’t think you know what the word plausible means.
- SAP - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 3:24 pm:
Plus one on factory worker at 1:39
- @misterjayem - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 3:25 pm:
Rich,
I don’t think we should jump to any conclusions until we’ve ruled out ghosts.
– MrJM
- Rich Miller - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 3:27 pm:
===If my theory was so weird then it wouldn’t have provoked===
Whenever I’m asked at a restaurant if I’m allergic to anything, my reply is always the same: Stupidity.
This is why I replied to your stupid comment.
- Ship of Fools - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 3:38 pm:
Hey Rich,
I think “Honestly” pocket posted his comments by accident. No one would suggest something so laughable on purpose.
- Downstate - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 3:39 pm:
” I assume that it got you upset because it has the inconvenient quality of being probably true.”
Wow! We went from a theory to “being probably true.”
Nice to make your acquaintance, Speaker Welch.
- Just a guy - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 3:43 pm:
Honestly, there are always things that can be explained away. It is possible that the speaker somehow “pocket liked” as you suggested all those posts? It is. It is also possible that if he did so, he could go into his account, see what he did, and quickly unlike those same things. He did not.
But again, to reiterate, it absolutely is possible. Just like it is somehow possible that the F-16 I saw fly overhead was indeed piloted by Marvin the Martian. Possible is one thing. Plausible is another.
- Lurker - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 3:43 pm:
Based on the comments, I think I need to change my name
- Rich Miller - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 3:43 pm:
===Or at least it is alot more plausible than your theory===
I should have explained why your comment is so stupid:
WELCH ACKNOWLEDGED DOING IT, you moron.
- Simon - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 3:57 pm:
This bears repeating again and again: the Speaker was not liking and emoji-ing some random 23 year-old’s pics (which would have been bad enough.) These were pics posted by a young woman who he knew left her job with a House member because she was a victim of sexual harassment. How is it possible that one of the most prominent political figures in the state doesn’t see the inappropriateness of that? The lack of judgment is stunning.
- Blazzzer - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 4:05 pm:
===Asking for a friend===
And do powerful men like Chris Welch GIVE them attention? Let’s not victim blame here. She could have been naked for all I care. HE still DM’ed her, asked her to move their chat to an untraceable app, and proposed meeting to discuss her career at a bar. He wasn’t banking on the screen shots and things not going his way though…
- Blazzzer - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 4:06 pm:
Touché, Shaggy