Dupage Policy Journal

Illinois state Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst) is not happy that Auditor General Frank Mautino has been found innocent of mishandling campaign funds and condemned the state’s ethics reform bill.

After Mautino became auditor general in 2016, the Edgar County Watchdogs published a history of Mautino’s campaign spending, which stated that Mautino had reported that he spent a quarter of a million dollars at a gas station in his hometown, Happy’s Super Service Station. NPR Illinois reported that the Watchdogs' information led to the Board of Elections getting involved after a citizen reported wrongdoing in campaign spending. 

However, the State Board of Elections found that Mautino did not “knowingly” violate campaign finance law.

Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst)

“I am often saying that Springfield only really works for those that are politically connected and this is exactly the kind of thing I mean. The state’s Auditor General, a position known as the state’s financial watchdog, was cleared of the misuse of funds while he was a state legislator, despite clear evidence of wrongdoing. The law was recently rewritten to retroactively make his actions legal. This was done in a large bill that Democrats touted as “ethics reform.” Additionally, Gov. Pritzker signed a separate elections-related law that will effectively make it impossible for the Board of Elections to fine campaign committees for violations more than a year in the past,” Mazzochi wrote in a Facebook post.

Mazzochi referred to SB 0536, which does prevent campaigns from being penalized for mismanaging funds a year after the misuse, along with a bill that also allows for campaign assets to be used for child care or retirement community expenses.

Existing Legislative Inspector General Carol Pope announced her resignation in July, which will be effective Dec. 15 unless a replacement is found sooner due to passage of the bill hindering her ability to do her job, according to WBEZ. “This last legislative session demonstrated true ethics reform is not a priority,” she said.