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

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.”

Watch this short interaction and discussion of his statements.

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