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March 28, 2024

Atlanta Library Board Chairman Randy Brooks runs afoul of State Ethics Law –

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen

On November 10, 2017

Atlanta, IL. (ECWd) –

ECWd has discovered that Randy Brooks, the Chairman of the Atlanta Public Library’s Board of Library Trustees (and City of Atlanta employee) has filed false statements of economic interest (“SEI”).

In his 2017 and 2016 SEIs, Randy Brooks marked “Not Applicable” to question number 7, which asks “List the name of any unit of local government that employed the person making the statement during the preceding calendar year, other than the unit or units of local government in relation to which the person is required to file.”

Brooks works for the City of Atlanta at its Golf Course as you can see in the below documents. He should have annotated that on his SEI. He has worked there for years.

He then signed the false documents, declaring that “I declare that this Statement of Economic Interest (including any accompanying schedules and statements) has been examined by me and to the best of my knowledge and belief is a true, correct and complete statement of my economic interests as required by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act. I understand that the penalty for willfully filing a false or incomplete statement shall be a fine not to exceed $1000 or imprisonment in a penal institution other than a penitentiary not to exceed one year, or both fine and imprisonment.”

This brings into question any other documents he has signed, and the truthfulness of them. Can he honestly say he didn’t know he worked for the City of Atlanta, another unit of local government, thru his employment at the city-owned Golf Course?

We don’t think so.

It is our opinion Brooks has violated state Ethics law, and as a result, has deprived the public their right to know of any and all economic interests of their elected public officials.

State Law, the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act,  indicates violations of the Act are Class A Misdemeanors:

“Any person required to file a statement of economic interests under this Article who willfully files a false or incomplete statement shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.”

Rabdy-Brooks-SEI

Watch this short interaction and discussion of his statements.

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7 Comments
  • A. Lincoln
    Posted at 12:34h, 10 November

    Oh, oh!

    Is it time to call the Illinois State Police Flying Squad, the Illinois Auditor General’s Special Happy Service Unit or the Illinois Attorney General’s Corrupt Politician Response Team?

    • Tony
      Posted at 22:36h, 10 November

      Something stinks in Atlanta besides the arsenic in the water.

    • Anonymous
      Posted at 02:36h, 15 November

      These articles make me laugh. Seeing how the states attorney decided after investigating bill that no charges would be filed. So then you decided to go after the Palms, and now Randy. Y’all must really be linning your pockets with those “donations” your getting off of all this huh? Especially with the petty and shit your spreading about the Grill

      • jmkraft
        Posted at 06:52h, 15 November

        Keep laughing, it’s not over yet. Just an FYI: Your State’s Attorney does not have the last call on any prosecutions, and what he decided against prosecuting was the Open Meetings Act complaint.

        • Anonymous
          Posted at 10:11h, 15 November

          Oh really? Then who has the final say then? Atlanta cops would not file charges nor the States Attorney. So… Who are you going to next? And maybe you should stay on top of your drama fest you created a little better. Because, once again you are wrong. The way I hear it is he is not picking up charges on Bill for anything. Also, I thought you ditched to take a stand against corrupt politicians. Remind me again how a little diner plays into that? Ohh..thats right because you are now grasping at any straw you can to take someone down. Let’s see… You went after Bill. Couldn’t get anything to come out of it. So you then went after our diner in town. First with the drain, nothing came out of it. So then the storage shed, again nothing came out of it. And now onto their records. Nevermind while your lining your pockets with donations you are messing with alot of people’s lives. Good hearted people who deserve none of this. I love how instead of moving in and taking down actual corrupt politicians your wasting your time at a restaurant. Which reminds me. I came across some great articles on you guys the other day. Articles about things like bullying, plenty of false.. proved false accusations, even one where you do not check facts or investigate things before you start your drama in towns. I love the one where the guy wrote up a completely made up article and y’all published it anyway. I also love how it seems you choose to cine after small towns such as Atlanta, instead of bigger cities that are completely corrupt. But hey, guess you have to keep those donations coming in somehow right?

          • jmkraft
            Posted at 10:25h, 15 November

            First of all, “lining our pockets” is not something we do. If you would watch the video posted from last week I thoroughly explain the process we are using. Everything we look at has its purpose and for you to call the Grill a tiny little restaurant is amusing. It is a public building and a public restaurant that has been using public funds improperly.

            Please provide links to those article about us you say you came across – they don’t exist unless you are talking about the one freak-job’s website, who will soon find his wrists in handcuffs for his threats. You talk about this and that, “proved false allegations” (I will call B.S. on that one), “wrote a made-up article (never happened), we always check facts – but you cannot back up anything you are saying.

  • suntzu
    Posted at 09:36h, 15 November

    Will Bill be repaying the taxpayers with his daughters salary? Seems the library is his own personal play thing. Maybe they can pay it back with that link card…

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