(The Center Square) – Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson defended Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch’s handling of sexual assault claims against a former state representative.
Some have connected the speaker’s promise to back extra state funding for Chicago Public Schools as a distraction from the speaker’s handling of the reported misconduct.
Johnson on Tuesday said he trusts Welch’s judgement.
“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 any elected leader that has to be held to a righteous standard quite frankly,” Johnson said.
But some don’t think Welch properly handled a complaint in the case against former Rep. Harry Benton.
Rep. John Cabello, R-Machesney Park, explained the perceived mishandling before the Legislative Inspector General’s report on Benton was released.
“When the person came forward [he] didn’t do anything for several weeks,” Cabello said. “Where are the people that were demanding that Speaker Madigan gets thrown out now not doing the same thing with Speaker Welch?”
State Rep. Fred Crespo, D-Streamwood, compared Welch’s handling of Benton to that of President Donald Trump’s handling of the release of the Jeffery Epstein investigation files, and said both were trying to distract from their own alleged misconduct.
“This reminds me of the distraction you know I was talking to someone the other day. I’m like, ‘You know, this is akin to what President Trump has done.’ You know, all these Epstein files, they can’t get out because it really might be harmful to the president,” Crespo said. ‘Oh, okay, let’s create a war. Let’s come up with a distraction.’”
Welch’s office didn’t respond to a request for comment before time of publication.
Crespo, who was removed from the Democrat caucus last year by Welch, pointed to a recent article from the Wednesday Journal of Oak Park and River Forest, which detailed years of what he said were questionable actions in Welch’s past.
He said the speaker’s decision to support CPS without consulting other state leaders makes his chamber look unserious.
“This is not even about the House as legislators, it’s about the safety of potential victims in the house. And not only that, it’s just the image that we portray to the public that we would allow something like this continue – it’s not a good look for us,” Crespo said. “I just don’t see how the governor’s office or the Senate can take the House seriously. And all this happened, especially after he made the statement for CPS without consulting the governor or the Senate.”
