Guest says Speaker Welch should step down amid questions over handling of staff complaint

During a public-affairs interview, guest Elizabeth Grisunzio urged that Speaker Welch be removed from leadership over the handling of a staff harassment complaint originally reported in January 2023. When asked what should happen to the speaker, Grisunzio said plainly: "I would force him to resign."

Griszunio and host Jeff questioned why the complaint, they said, was not promptly escalated to the inspector general and discussed whether the speaker’s office followed its own procedures. The guest said the supervisor—referred to on-air as Miss Moy—hesitated to contact the inspector general because the staffer initially asked for a delay out of fear of retaliation.

The guest framed the problem as a personnel and leadership issue rather than a legislation gap, calling for hearings and swift action: "We should have a hearing tomorrow," the host suggested; Grisunzio urged that leaders "not put people who have allegations of domestic violence in a position to have power." The interview did not include an on-air statement from Speaker Welch or Representative Benton during the segment.

Why it matters: Calls for a speaker’s resignation and for hearings raise immediate questions about oversight and internal enforcement of workplace policies in the Illinois House. The guest urged that the legislature and party leaders hold hearings and that the inspector general’s forthcoming report be examined for whether procedures were followed.

The segment closed with no formal announcement of an investigation outcome; the guest and host urged public officials to act on the inspector general’s forthcoming findings.