McCuskey Addresses Benton, Welch, Ammons
Legislative Inspector General Michael McCuskey in a radio interview at WMAY Radio in Springfield Tuesday. (Photo: The Illinoize)
Legislative Inspector General Michael McCuskey defended his handling of the investigation into sexual harassment claims against former Rep. Harry Benton and confirmed he is not currently investigating House Speaker Chris Welch or indicted Rep. Carol Ammons (D-Urbana).
McCuskey sat with me for a lengthy interview on the radio yesterday and discussed his handling of the high-profile Benton investigation. He defended himself against allegations made by a lobbyist allegedly harassed by Benton that McCuskey didn’t accurately quote her in his final report. McCuskey defended his decision not to tape or take notes during the interview with the victim.
“I like to look the victim in the eye to get the feeling of anger, to get the feeling of being distraught. And sometimes they cry, and I want to be sympathetic. I don’t want my head down writing, which to me is ‘he’s just taking notes. He doesn’t really care about what I’m saying.” McCuskey said. “You have to understand when you’ve done as many trials as I have, you watch people’s eyes when they’re testifying. This is just my style after 51 years of being a lawyer, and 32 is a judge. And I’m not going to do that to people who have been victims. And these people were all victims.”
McCuskey confirmed he did not have the authority to investigate House Speaker Chris Welch’s interactions on social media with the Benton employee who reported harassment to Welch’s staff in 2023 and that a one year statute of limitations has expired anyway. He said there are no current investigations into the Speaker.
McCuskey said the is also no formal investigation occurring into indicted Rep. Carol Ammons (D-Urbana), who is accused of directing state grant money to organizations that employed her daughter. Ammons is also accused of pocketing some of those grant dollars and misusing campaign dollars.
A House Investigative Committee has been formed into Ammons, and is currently working with the U.S. Attorney to see if they can continue looking into Ammons, a move McCuskey, a former federal judge, says is wise.
“The committee that has been put together in the House is asking the U.S. Attorney’s office whether they should proceed. That’s the proper way to do it. Under discovery in state and federal court, all statements can be used and have to be turned over to the prosecutor,” he said. “The last thing they want me to do is botch some interview like I’ve been accused of doing. So I would not interview people until the U.S. Attorney’s office in the Northern District or the Central District said [we could.]”
McCuskey insinuated House Republican Leader Tony McCombie filed a complaint with his office about Ammons, but asked for the incident not to be investigated immediately. He did not say why.
A spokesperson for McCombie disputed the statement.
“The Leader did not file a complaint, did not ask to delay investigating any complaints, and is confused by the deflection,” the spokesperson said.
