'Pattern' Of Sexual Harassment: Newly Released Ethics Report Says Ex-State Rep. Benton Violated State Law

PLAINFIELD, IL — The Legislative Ethics Commission released Friday the report into allegations against disgraced former State Rep. Harry Benton, which indicates a pattern of sexual harassment throughout his tenure in Springfield.

Sworn into office in 2023, Benton (D-Plainfield) "violated state law by committing two separate acts of sexual harassment," according to the report, which came a week after the bipartisan commission unanimously voted for its release.

In one instance, Benton sexually harassed a female lobbyist earlier in 2026, telling her, "You know, I might be a 5, but I f--- like a 10," the report alleges. When the woman turned to another nearby state representative to ask, "What are you going to do about your boy?," he responded, "What do you want me to do about it? He is always like this."

When asked about the conversation in a May interview with Legislative Inspector General Michael McCuskey, the report said Benton denied it, saying he doesn't "hit on lobbyists."

In the second confirmed claim listed in the report, Benton sexually harassed a district director in a bar in Springfield following Latino Unity Day Festivities. The report said he spoke to her while keeping his hand on her back and standing too close. Benton denied the incident, documents state.

"I found the district director to be credible," McCuskey wrote in the report. "Both leaning over someone and leaning in too close are considered sexual harassment when it is unwelcome conduct."

The legislative inspector general continued, "This example of unwanted behavior is clearly taught in sexual harassment training and was ignored by Rep. Benton. I find this claim of sexual harassment to be founded."

Benton's "pattern and practice" extended to a woman he employed in his office beginning in 2023, according to the report.

During the victim's first week of employment, the report alleges Benton told her, "The reason I ran for office was to get away from my wife." During a three-hour interview, he also asked her to "be vulnerable."

The report said Benton also sent the employee a picture from OnlyFans, a social media platform for pornographic content, and remarked that he was doing her "a good service" by "keeping you off the pole with this job."

The employee sent an email to House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch in April 2023 detailing acts of sexual harassment, stating, "I do want this documented as several women work for him if something were to happen in the future," according to the report.

"The victim never filed a complaint with me as the [legislative inspector general], but she stated in writing that she didn't want anything further to do with Rep. Benton after she resigned his district office employment in June 2023," the report reads.

Benton was removed from all eight of his committee assignments, including the House Democratic Caucus, and stripped of support from the speaker's office in February, Patch reported. On July 2, Welch pushed for his resignation, calling his conduct "outrageous, unethical, and unbecoming."

Benton submitted his formal resignation letter the following day. All the while, the House did not share an official reason for Benton's ousting or details of the allegations.

Gov. JB Pritzker called on Welch to be "completely transparent" about the allegations against Benton and how his office handled the investigation. The following day, the Legislative Ethics Commission voted to publish the report.

"I thank the Legislative Ethics Commission for releasing this report and the Legislative Inspector General for conducting a thorough, independent investigation," Welch said in a statement Friday. "The report reaffirms confidence that our office acted responsibly—following legal guidance, respecting the wishes of those who came forward, and taking decisive action as additional information established a pattern of misconduct."

REPORTING:

• Plainfield State Rep. Pushed To Resign Over 'Outrageous, Unethical, Unbecoming' Conduct: IL House Speaker
• Pritzker Urges IL House Speaker To Be 'Completely Transparent' About Harry Benton Investigation: Report
• Harry Benton Investigation Will Be Published: Legislative Ethics Commission