Rock Island Today

Edgar County Watchdogs recently leveled their sites on Illinois Auditor General Frank Mautino, claiming that as he approaches five years in that office, there is still no accountability.

The Edgar County Watchdogs claim they broke a story in 2016 in which Mautino was accused of illegal campaign expenditures, leading to a U.S. Attorney's Office investigation, though the watchdogs do not proceed to discuss how the investigation progressed.

The story also cites a State Board of Elections complaint toward Mautino’s campaign leading to a multi-year fight “and multiple rulings from the Court instructing the State Board of Elections to do their job,” according to The Edgar County Watchdogs. Ultimately Mautino invoked his Fifth Amendment rights, according to the article.

Linking back to their own story, the Edgar County Watchdogs also allege Mautino admitted violating the Freedom of Information Act in a lawsuit the Edgar County Watchdogs filed claiming he was withholding “key communications with the Legislature.” In the legal opinion from the Appellate Court hosted on the Edgar County Watchdogs website, the court both affirms in part and reverses in part the decisions by the State Board of Elections. 

The Edgar County Watchdogs assert the court validated their claims against Mautino.

“The 16-page opinion is a worthy read to grasp the magnitude of this case as well as to see the failures of the State Board of Elections,” the Edgar County Watchdogs said. “While Mautino has not been criminally charged for any of these improper expenditures, we must assume our system of justice is either terribly broken or, in the alternative, question the possibility that Mautino, a (House Speaker) Mike Madigan supporter for many years, may have cut a deal to expose Madigan and others in exchange for immunity in his use of campaign funds for personal use.”