Boone Co., Ill (ECWd) –
Boone County Board Member Marion Thornberry is Censured (video below) by the Boone County Board after he pleads guilty to attempted theft of funds from a Church.
He was charged with and pled guilty to one Class A Misdemeanor count of attempted theft of one $20 bill from a donation envelope at a church he attended.
He was sentenced to 12 months supervision / withhold judgment.
During the March 19, 2026, Boone County Board meeting where he was censured, Thornberry claimed no money was stolen and gave further information during his response to the motion for censure. We urge you to listen to his comments.
On another note: A county board does not possess the power of censure. Nowhere in a county board’s power and duties is “censure” a listed power or duty. Under Dillon’s Rule, for any power not expressly granted (or indispensable to those powers granted) in the constitution or state laws, that is a power withheld.
“There is no provision in the constitution or the Open Meetings Act which expressly authorizes public bodies to sanction their members for revealing what went on during a closed meeting, and there is clearly no constitutional provision from which one may imply such powers.” Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris, 1991. The same can be said for sanctioning an elected official for any other reason – there are no powers of sanction granted to a school board. Additionally, without a specific policy permitting censure (any such policy would be void in our opinion as a power not granted cannot be taken), any such censure would be invalid – see Nelson v Crystal Lake Park District.
One Response
Well they may have bought themselves some inconvenience. I can imagine him sharing at every possible moment from now on. They’ll have to sit and listen to him. And when it’s too cold, “Point of Privilege, Mr Chairman!”. The room’s too warm, “Point of Privilege, Mr Chairman!” Somebody sitting a little bit far away and he can’t hear, “Point of Privilege, Mr Chairman!” Then the Parliamentary questions, he may have a lot of them now. Objections to Considering the Question, Those may take more time now. Points of Order, those may come up more frequently as well. Debatable appeals to the Chairman rulings. Calling the Question, requiring a vote. Motions to Separate the Question. Motions to Suspend the Rules. The fun goes on.
Sometimes it’s better to not poke the bear, especially without a stick