Tracy Smodilla, Republican candidate for the State Senate District 22 seat, weighed in on the State Board of Elections' denial of Auditor General Frank Mautino's request for another extension earlier this month to turn over his amended campaign spending records.
Mautino is facing two probes into irregularities in his campaign spending stemming from his years as a representative in the Illinois House. The State Board of Elections and the U.S. Attorney General's Office launched investigations after he was appointed to the 10-year auditor general position.
“The State Board of Elections did the right thing by denying yet another extension for Auditor General Mautino," Smodilla said. "They, too, must be committed to public trust, and as the auditor general, it is not unreasonable to expect that Mr. Mautino would have his campaign financial house in order. Regrettably, he has breached that trust, previously filed for multiple extensions, and is now under investigation."
Tracy Smodilla
While the elections board denied Mautino's extension request, it gave him and his attorneys two weeks to present the amended reports. If he does not submit the reports by the election board's deadline, the board will select a hearing officer and schedule a public hearing, during which the board would have subpoena power.
In addition to the state and federal investigations, 20 Republican lawmakers filed a joint House resolution to remove Mautino from office. The resolution was spurred by Mautino's refusal to answer the lawmakers' questions and his refusal to take an unpaid leave of absence or step down from office.
"How can we believe that he is capable of the fidelity required to effectively serve the people of Illinois?" Smodilla said. "As such, the right thing for him to do is to step down and concentrate on his defense. If he is incapable of making that rightly decision, the people should compel the General Assembly to have him removed. Elected leadership is not just held to a higher standard; it must faithfully demonstrate that it is not above the law.”
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