Report on investigation into former Rep. Harry Benton to be unsealed Friday

A report on an investigation into former state Representative Harry Benton (D-Chicago) will be made public on Friday. 

The Illinois Legislative Ethics Commission voted to release the report that prompted Benton to resign earlier this month.

Documents that have been kept under wraps for months will be made public by July 31, after Benton and his accuser both are given a chance to review it, suggest redactions to protect privacy, and provide a response to be published with the report.

The case is one of the rare times in Springfield when leaders of both parties wanted this report by the state's legislative inspector general released publicly. In recent weeks, there had been questions over whether it could be released under state law.

Gov. JB Pritzker had been among those pushing for it to be made public.

"I am outraged at the behavior of former Representative Harry Benton," Pritzker said.

Benton resigned his position earlier this month after the inspector general's report called his behavior "outrageous, unethical, and unprofessional."

His accuser, a former Benton staffer, has told the Chicago Tribune that Benton sexually harassed her, and that she told Illinois Speaker of the House Emanuel "Chris" Welch about it three years ago.

The staffer used to be Welch's intern, and she said Welch waited three months to interview Benton, waited years to discipline him, and, in between, helped fund his re-election in 2024.

Pritzker has called on Welch to offer full transparency on what he knew and when. The governor would not say on Wednesday whether he thinks this should cost Welch his title as speaker.

Benton and Welch did not immediately respond to requests for comment last week.