As Rep. Chris Welch’s (D-Hillside) campaign for House Speaker heated up late Tuesday into early Wednesday, disturbing past allegations of violence against and harassment of women were brought back into the public arena.

A 20-year-old police report says an ex-girlfriend told officers Welch slammed her head into a kitchen countertop numerous times in an argument. The woman did not ask prosecutors to file charges.

Welch was also sued in 2010 for sexual harassment and retaliation when another woman alleged she lost her job at Proviso Township High School District because she broke up with him while he was president of the school board. The woman reportedly also received a restraining order against Welch for a time.

Welch told the Chicago Tribune Wednesday he believed Republicans were behind the attacks.

“At no other occasion have these events been brought up and I firmly believe my Republican colleagues are threatened by the potential growth of my profile,” he told the paper.

Republican sources say they believe neither the House Republicans or the Illinois Republican Party were behind the opposition research being released. The 2002 incident was widely known by many political operatives, both Republican and Democrat.

“I think you have to recognize that one incident was over 20 years ago. 20 years ago in my lifetime, that was a long time ago,” Welch told media Wednesday. “People mature, they look back and would do things differently, handle situations differently. I think my life’s work here in the legislature shows my respect of women and how I’ve treated women.”

But the concerns about the incident led at least one House Democrat, Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago), to withhold her vote for Welch and call for a full investigation.

“While I have always had a strong relationship with and a great deal of respect for Speaker Welch and believe him to be a good man, I reserved my vote and recorded myself as ‘present’ in the Speaker’s election,” she said in a statement. “I did so because, at the same time that we’re ending years of scandal over allegations of sexual harassment and corruption, we have also just been made aware of troubling allegations from Speaker Welch’s past. He has denied each allegation, and we certainly have seen plenty of examples of Black men being wrongfully accused. I feel strongly that I have been too outspoken on issues of sexual harassment and domestic violence to simply ignore these questions.”

Madigan’s Chief of Staff and other campaign staff were forced to resign or were fired after multiple allegations of sexual harassment, including from Alaina Hampton, a former Madigan political staffer.

“I have worked with victims for decades. I am a survivor of domestic violence. I trust women. I know the complexities of choosing to pursue charges or other legal action,” Cassidy said. “This isn’t a simple situation--and it should not be dismissed as such by any of us. It is my fervent wish that these allegations will be vigorously reviewed so that we can move forward as a unified caucus embracing this historic moment.”

Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-Chicago), another progressive House member, wrote to constituents he believed Welch’s version of the story.

“I was very concerned to read this, as I’m sure you were. I take these allegations seriously. I always start from a position of believing women who make these accusations,” Guzzardi wrote. “I also know our country's history of using alleged violence against women as a tool to denigrate Black men. Based on the information shared with us privately in the last [few] days, and based on his unflinching record in support of women personally and legislatively since I've known him, I feel comfortable supporting Chris in his new role as Speaker.”

It is unclear how Cassidy’s request for an investigation will be handled, either by a legislative committee or outside body.

Patrick Pfingsten

@pfingsten1 patrick@theillinoize.com