State Rep. Brad Halbrook has introduced House Joint Resolution 83 calling for the removal of Auditor General Frank Mautino.
“The Auditor General is a critical check on the executive branch of Illinois Government. With Illinois’ long history of corruption, it’s imperative that the person be above reproach and ideally drawn from outside the political process,” said Halbrook.
Last month, the 4th Appellate Court (Cooke v. State Board of Elections) ruled that Mautino’s campaign committee from his time as a state legislator illegally expended money for Mautino’s personal benefit.
“The court has determined that over a fifteen year period, Frank Mautino’s campaign committee repeatedly violated state election codes regarding the use of funds in his campaign account. He is under investigation by the IRS and now potentially faces fines and other consequences on the state level. Only in Illinois would someone with this record be in charge of the financial oversight of a $40 billion budget,” said Halbrook.
Halbrook noted that Mautino was put in office with a bipartisan vote in 2015. “Republicans and Democrats alike installed Mr. Mautino. Just 10 House Republicans opposed his appointment. But now we can right this wrong and get a unanimous bipartisan group to remove him.”
The 4th District Appellate Court on August 19 overturned the State Board of Elections 4-4 indecision on campaign finance law violations regarding Mautino’s personal use of campaign funds. In the ensuing weeks, very few news articles have appeared about it.
“Corruption at the highest levels of Illinois government is so commonplace now that it is barely noticed by the media,” said Halbrook. “The second highest court in the state has determined that our Auditor General is in gross violation of campaign finance law and the public isn’t even told about it.”
The Auditor General’s office is a constitutionally mandated position and the appointment and removal of the Auditor General is done by General Assembly vote.