West Cook News

House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Westchester) is accused of breaking campaign laws a second time in the past 38 days by using a public park to promote himself and other candidates, including Gov. J.B. Pritzker. 

A group of Hillside residents, including Roger Romanelli, Dan Adams, Keegan Goss, and Westchester resident Tom Wiener, called Welch out on the alleged lapse. According to them the House Speaker violated Illinois statute (10 ILCS 5/9-25.1) which states that  "No public funds shall be used to urge any elector to vote for or against any candidate or be appropriated for political or campaign purposes to any candidate or political organization." 

“Welch violated his park district permit to only use a 'limited party area,'" the group of residents said in a press release. "Instead, Welch overran the entire western section of the park by illegally installing political signs promoting himself, JB Pritzker and others. This means, Welch - - one of the highest government officials in Illinois - - can't use taxpayer-funded government buildings, employees or resources for his political activities. Welch knows it and tried to hide it in his YouTube ads. In breaking the law yesterday, Welch didn't hide it at all.” 

The statute, the group insisted, "prohibits Election Interference by government entities and political candidates."  

Welch was called to resign in mid-May after it was revealed that the police officers used in a campaign video were on duty at the time, West Cook News reported.

“This past winter, Welch ran ads on YouTube promoting his political candidacy," the group said. "Welch was shown standing inside Hillside Village Hall aside two Hillside police officers wearing official gear and on duty. By Illinois law, this is fully illegal, and Welch should be prosecuted. With the COVID-19 crisis still pressing, public parks are for the people, not illegal domination by Welch and his illegal political schemes. For Welch's rampant misconduct, Cook County voters want Foxx to prosecute Welch immediately - - and prosecute any government officials in Hillside or Memorial Park District who may have assisted Welch's law-breaking. Welch is a lawyer, so voters asked the Illinois Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission to investigate Welch. ARDC is authorized by the Illinois Supreme Court to discipline lawyers for misconduct.”

“In Hillside and Cook County, extreme crime problems abound: carjackings, shootings, gang violence, thefts and dangerous speeders. Besides fighting crime in Hillside, these police officers are often needed by other village's police departments. Hillside police officers - - and all police officers across Illinois - - are prohibited from participating in illegal political schemes, and Welch knows this.” 

The residents urged Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx to bring charges against Welch, which some see as unlikely. Tom Hogan, a former federal prosecutor, recently claimed that Foxx is among the five worst prosecutors in the nation because she failed to pursue even the worst crimes. In an essay, he mentioned a notorious gang shooting in which one person died. Foxx first contested all accusations, but subsequently agreed to limit them to one count of aggravated unauthorized use of a weapon against a gang member.

Before succeeding Michael Madigan as speaker of the house, Welch was a trusted confidante of Madigan. After a probe into the ComEd bribery affair was closed, he is suspected of shielding Madigan in 2020. The committee looking into Madigan's actions was led by Welch.