Speaker Chris Welch’s office hires law firm to assess Illinois House culture after sexual harassment scandal

Outgoing Illinois House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch, D-Hillside, has enlisted a Loop law firm to evaluate workplace culture in his chamber, following intra-caucus outrage over his delayed response to sexual harassment allegations that will soon force him to relinquish the gavel.

The Prinz Law Firm received a $450,000 contract that began Sept. 21 to help assess and address Springfield’s entrenched culture of harassment, state records show.

A spokesperson for Welch’s office said they “retained the Prinz Law Firm in September to assess culture within the office and make recommendations for improvements. Their process is ongoing."

Attorney Kristen Prinz noted her firm was “not engaged to investigate any particular issue but rather to help the Office of the Speaker and the Clerk assess and improve the workplace culture.”

“We will be gathering feedback from staff and recommending policy and process changes to further trust, engagement and productivity,” Prinz said in an email. “We are grateful to be a part of this effort towards making work better for the people who serve our state.”

Welch came under fire over the summer after a legislative inspector general’s report confirmed the three-term speaker was aware of a complaint against ex-state Rep. Harry Benton almost three years before additional accusations prompted the Plainfield Democrat to resign.

In between, Welch put $1.4 million behind Benton’s reelection campaign, later claiming he had no choice but to support a member because the initial complainant declined to file a formal complaint.

Welch — who has faced allegations of misconduct himself over the years — has since expressed regret over the way he handled the case, and he apologized for social media interactions with the complainant that made her uncomfortable.

Welch established a House culture and accountability working group to tackle the broader issue, but that wasn’t enough for an insurmountable bloc of Democrats who publicly announced last week they wouldn’t support him for a fourth term as speaker. He soon announced he’d step aside from the post while remaining a rank-and-file lawmaker.

Welch’s predecessor, Michael Madigan, was ousted from the speaker’s office amid complaints over his inaction on sexual harassment allegations, too, before the longtime ex-speaker’s ultimate downfall on a federal corruption conviction.

In a message sent to Democratic lawmakers and staffers, Welch’s office said the outside firm’s review is “intended to be as independent as possible” and that he “will not be directing it or otherwise managing it.”

“We believe a strong, inclusive, and respectful workplace culture is essential for everyone’s success and long-term growth. And we understand that is an ongoing process that needs to be regularly evaluated and updated,” Welch’s office told members.

Several Democrats are jockeying to succeed Welch as speaker, with maneuvering expected to intensify next week as lawmakers return to the Capitol for the fall veto session.