Champaign, Co. (ECWd) –
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 11, 2024
MAHOMET, IL – Today Mahomet Resident John Bambenek filed the attached demand for a special prosecutor to investigate Champaign County Government is skirting bidding requirements to use public dollars to campaign for a sales tax increase on the November ballot. (demand letter here)
“The County Purchasing policy exists to help ensure that tax dollars aren’t going to cronies and taxpayers are getting the best value for their dollar. There are defined exceptions to waive the policy but merely waiving it doesn’t apply. There is no emergency and the election is the same time every two years. Not obeying the law appears to be an act of Official Misconduct, a felony in state law, and due to the involvement of the state’s attorney in this campaign, we need an outside investigator to take a look at this,” said Bambenek. (Purchase policy here)
The Champaign County purchasing policy requires officials to get three bids for any purchase over $10,000 but below $30,000. The county spent $22,285 for mail pieces to convince voters to give them more money while not following their own financial controls to ensure judicious use of the funds they already have. Illinois state law defines Official Misconduct as when any public official “knowingly performs an act which he knows he is forbidden by law to perform”. (Press Invoice here)
The request will also be forwarded to the Illinois Attorney General for his review. The State’s Attorney was given a deadline of 5pm on October 15th to respond.
