State Rep. Marti Deuter has not responded to two requests for comment on the sexual harassment scandal surrounding House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch — the man whose committee spent $1.4 million to put her in office.
Deuter, a Democrat whose District 45 includes parts of both communities, has twice declined to respond to questions about House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch's handling of harassment allegations against former state Rep. Harry Benton, Patch reported Tuesday, Aug. 18. The outlet left two messages with Deuter's office over the preceding week.
She did not respond.
The silence carries a price tag. Welch's Democrats for the Illinois House committee contributed $1.4 million to Deuter's 2024 campaign against Republican Dennis Reboletti. The state Democratic Party added another $300,000. Deuter won with nearly 54 percent of the vote.
That same $1.4 million figure appears elsewhere in the scandal. Welch's committee also spent $1.4 million to reelect Benton in 2024, months after Welch's office learned of a sexual harassment complaint against Benton dating to April 2023, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Benton, a Plainfield Democrat and former ironworker, resigned his House seat July 3 after Legislative Inspector General Michael McCuskey delivered a report finding a "pattern and practice of inappropriate sexual conduct" beginning in 2023. The report, released July 31, revealed a previously undisclosed third victim.
Welch acknowledged missteps on Aug. 5, telling ABC7 Chicago he did not do enough to protect women and calling the episode a "system failure." He announced a working group on workplace culture led by Rep. Dagmara Avelar, D-Romeoville.
"Questions still remain about how these allegations were addressed, and legislators and the public deserve a complete and transparent explanation from those involved," Rep. Mary Beth Canty, D-Arlington Heights, chair of the House Democratic Women's Caucus, said in an Aug. 5 statement.
So far, Rep. Fred Crespo, D-Hoffman Estates, is the only Democratic House member to publicly call for Welch to resign. Gov. JB Pritzker has also declined to weigh in on Welch's leadership.
Deuter's district office is at 1 S. Cass Ave., Suite 104, Westmont. Her office phone number is (630) 413-1080.
What's ahead
The Illinois House fall veto session is scheduled for Nov. 17-19 and Dec. 1-3 in Springfield. The next speaker election is expected in January 2027 when a new General Assembly is sworn in. As of Saturday, Aug. 22, no local constituent meetings or town halls are posted on Deuter's official website (repmartideuter.com). Residents can contact her office directly to ask when she will next hold a public event in District 45.
