Illinois Governor Audit Findings – This Explains Everything

Illinois (ECWd) –

Greg Bishop, during his Bishop on Air show a few years ago, included a video of Governor Pritzker essentially downplaying audit findings during a press conference.  The video below is set to begin when the Governor talks about audits.  We urge everyone to watch the entire video, but if you can’t do that, at least watch the Governor’s comments, as it ties directly into today’s article.

The Governor’s office’s last published audit was dated June of 2023.  Another audit should have been done in 2025, but it has not been published yet.  What Audit findings were identified for Governor Pritzker? Remember, he said he reviews them and then tries to diminish them as not applicable for reasons that frankly are laughable. We urge the public to review them because it appears to us, his words do not hold true when applied to his own office audits.

In the currently published audit, there were 12 findings; 10 of them were repeat findings from the prior audit.

Reviewing the Auditor General’s summary report should set off alarm bells.

“Because of the significance and pervasiveness of the findings described within the report, we (West and Co., LLC) expressed an adverse opinion on the Office’s compliance with the specified requirements, which comprise a State compliance examination.” (Audit used red bold text) 

• (23-1) The Office lacked adequate controls over the Illinois Governor’s Mansion property and receipts.
  • Lack of support and reconciliation of the value of Mansion renovations
  • Lack of documentation of controls over Mansion usage fees
  • Unable to determine if fees reported were accurate and complete
•  (23-2) The Office did not make all required appointments to various boards, commissions, councils, committees, and other entities to fill vacancies.
  • 76% of active boards and commissions tested lacked required appointments
• (23-5) The Office did not have adequate controls over reconciliations of monthly appropriations, cash receipts, contracts, expenditures, obligations and cash balances.
  • Office records were not corrected for differences noted
  • Reconciliations were not performed, timely or fully completed, and/or independently reviewed
  • A $10,000 overstatement was not identified
• (23-6) The Office failed to maintain proper controls over its personal services functions.
  • Overpayment due to untimely removal of former employee from the payroll system
  • Overpayment due to untimely removal of former employee from the payroll system
  • Payroll withholdings at wrong rates
  • The Office failed to report employees with physical disabilities

In each and every finding above, the Governor’s office ACCEPTED the finding, just as they did in the prior audit. Cross that acceptance with the excuses he speaks about in the video above. To date, we have not found an audit that supports his narrative during that press conference.  Not saying there are not any, as he indicated, but I believe we can all agree, the Governor’s House is not in order.

To grasp the magnitude of the failures, read the actual audit findings from the CPA firm found on pages 10-48 rather than the Auditor General’s “summary” of the Audit.  We will list a few below, but the level of detail found in the audit would be too large to completely list in this article.  The audit can be downloaded at this link or viewed below.

• 30% of timesheets tested not submitted timely. Time sheets completed from 2-161 days late
• 17% of timesheets tested were approved 31-178 days after the period ended.
• 23% of employee leave requests tested were requested 2-77 days late, including 12 requests submitted after vacation, personal, and equivalent earned time was taken.
• 27% of employee absences were not timely approved by the employers supervisor.
• 14% of employees tested payroll withholdings were withheld at an incorrect rate rate.
• Inadequate control over Travel – No approvals, late approvals, late submissions for reimbursement as much as 256 days late

With 38 pages of findings information, there is simply to much to publish in one article.

Again, we urge everyone to read the audit findings from the 2023 audit, then read those in 2021 audit and note the Governor’s office acceptance of those 2021 findings and indication they would be addressed.  After that review, ask yourself, were they addressed?

Anyone taking bets on what findings there will be in the 2025 audit not yet published?