Illinois – Was candidate Jeannie Ives right?

Illinois – (ECWd) –

During the Chicago Tribune Editorial interview with Gubernatorial candidates Jeannie Ives and Governor Rauner, Ives stated that the Rauner Staff had told her the reason the Governor has been silent on the Illinois Auditor General Frank Mautino scandal was that the auditor was getting ready to investigate some of their agencies so they did not want to say anything.

You can see that discussion at the 50-second mark of the video below.

So while our Governor has not spoken out against an Auditor General who invoked the 5th during his State Board of Elections complaint, we find Ives’ statement a nice breadcrumb for investigative journalism.

What state agencies did our 5th Amendment invoking Auditor General look into recently that may have been of concern to Governor Rauner? Let’s start with his own office.

Governors Compliance Examination

FINDINGS (STATE COMPLIANCE)

• 2015-001 –Page 10 Inadequate controls over State property -Noncompliance and significant deficiency
• 2015-002 –Page 14 Appointments of members to boards, commissions, councils, and committees -Non-compliance and significant deficiency
• 2015-003 –Page 19 Non-compliance with statutorily mandated responsibilities -Noncompliance and significant deficiency
• 2015-004 –Page 24 Inadequate monitoring of interagency agreements – Noncompliance and significant deficiency
• 2015-005 –Page 27 Inadequate maintenance of records – Noncompliance and significant deficiency

Of interest in that audit report was the fact there are 7 Desktop Computers missing from that office yet no mention of any criminal investigation into the missing property?

From pdf page 14: “…Office is unable to provide information on the other errors in the C-15 Forms, missing computer equipment, asset purchased and surplus assets because these activities relate to the prior administration.

So while the Governors Office is unable to provide applicable information, are they not capable of demanding a criminal investigation into the missing computers, assets purchased, and surplus assets?  Reading the audit for his office it’s no wonder he has not spoken out on Frank Mautino.

Department of Natural Resources

• 2016-001 Page 15 Inadequate Controls over the World Shooting and Recreational Complex’s Operations – Material Weakness and Material Noncompliance
• 2016-002 Page 19 Inadequate Controls over Accounts Receivable – Material Weakness and Material Noncompliance
• 2016-003 Page 25 Untimely Voucher Approvals – Material Weakness and Material Noncompliance
• 2016-004 Page 27 Failure to Issue Off-Highway Vehicle Usage Stamps -Significant Deficiency and Noncompliance
• 2016-005 Page 28 Failure to Enforce Concessionaire Lease Agreements – Significant Deficiency and Noncompliance
• 2016-006 Page 31 Lack of Contingency Planning or Testing to Ensure Recovery of Computer Systems Significant Deficiency and Noncompliance
• 2016-007 Page 33 Weaknesses with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards Significant Deficiency and Noncompliance
• 2016-008 Page 35 Weaknesses Regarding the Security and Control of Confidential Information Significant Deficiency and Noncompliance
• 2016-009 Page 37 Inadequate Controls over Receipts Significant Deficiency and Noncompliance
• 2016-010 Page 40 Internal Audit Deficiencies Significant Deficiency and Noncompliance 2016-011 43 Inaccurate and Incomplete Agency Workforce Reports Significant Deficiency and Noncompliance
• 2016-012 Page 45 Inadequate Control over Overtime Significant Deficiency and Noncompliance
• 2016-013 Page 48 Inadequate Controls over Fuel Reconciliations Significant Deficiency and Noncompliance
• 2016-014 Page 50 Inaccurate Financial Reporting Significant Deficiency and Noncompliance
• 2016-015 Page 52 Noncompliance with Mandated Duties Significant Deficiency and Noncompliance
• 2016-016 Page 54 Inadequate Controls over Property and Fixed Asset Records and Related Functions and Reporting Significant Deficiency and Noncompliance
• 2016-017 Page 57 Inadequate Controls over Expenditure Records Significant Deficiency and Noncompliance

“The Department paid overtime, totaling $1,646,584, and $1,368,235, during Fiscal Years 2015 and 2016, respectively.”

• 63% employees tested did not receive approval prior to working overtime.
• 38% employees tested did not receive proper approval for the use of accumulated holiday time or compensatory time.
• 13% employees tested, overtime was not properly recorded on the employee’s timesheets.

The DNR audit is so concerning that we don’t even know where to begin.  From millions in uncollected fines and fees to unapproved overtime, heads would roll in the private sector with a report like this one.  The current DNR Director Wayne Rosenthal is a Governor Rauner appointee and former State Representative.  Pages 18-63 of the audit highlights the “Findings” and tells a very concerning story.

Although we only highlighted the Governor’s Office and one state agency in this report, looking at dozens of others was enough to help us understand why the State of Illinois is in the mess it’s in.  You can select audit reports for every state agency by going to this link.  Look for the “FINDINGS” and you will see for yourself how bad things really are.

Even though there are numerous audits pointing to potential criminal acts, we have yet to find a referral to the Attorney General or Illinois State Police for an investigation into those matters.

With reports like these, there appears to be some validity to what Ive’s stated during the interview, of which we noted the Governor never disputed!

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