Story thread · 4 reports / 2 sources

Questions remain as Welch discusses Benton harassment case

suntimes.com · 3dShare

Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch sat down for interviews with selected reporters last week. He told most of them that his office had conducted an “informal investigation” into sexual harassment allegations against former Rep. Harry Benton, D-Plainfield, in 2023. Welch’s staff has not responded to our request for an interview (same goes for the Chicago Tribune). But nobody asked whether he and his staff spoke to anyone other than Benton and the 22-year-old district office staffer who accused Benton of sexual harassment during that informal investigation after she’d resigned to avoid more harassment. Benton resigned last month. Jessica Dixon Heitman also worked in Benton’s office at the time and has said she left because of the treatment of the young woman. But as far as I can tell, nobody talked to her in 2023. Heitman was recently appointed to replace the disgraced Benton. Columnists bug Columnists In-depth political coverage, sports analysis, entertainment reviews and cult

First report: Candidates file for office in Benton and Washington counties — arkansasonline.com, 6d