McHenry Times

Allen Skillicorn, the Republican nominee in state House District 66 who has repeatedly said political corruption in Illinois has to stop and it will take voting certain people out to create a better state, believes Auditor General Frank Mautino is one of those politicians who needs to be handed their hat.

“Nearly six months after first being asked, Frank Mautino refuses to answer even the most basic questions about his campaign spending,” Skillicorn recently told McHenry Times. “Instead, Mautino has hired attorneys and invoked his 5th Amendment right not to incriminate himself.”

Skillicorn said that as auditor general, Mautino is tasked with overseeing and reviewing the use of public funds for the state. Unfortunately, his own use of public funds is questionable.

“As he faces a federal investigation into his own campaign spending, he has lost the trust of the people,” Skillicorn said. “In light of the federal investigation, the State Board of Elections investigation, and Mautino’s refusal to be open and transparent about his spending, over 20 co-sponsors have filed a House Joint Resolution aimed at removing Mautino from his 10-year appointed job with a guaranteed salary of $152,000.”

Skillicorn further said that Mautino has spent over $200,000 in 10 years on gas and vehicle repairs at a Spring Valley service station owned by a city alderman as well as $259,000 in payments made to a local bank since 1999. He provides even more costs that demonstrate Mautino’s exorbitant spending.

“Records Mautino provided to the State Board of Elections regarding his expenses reveal that he spent $213,338.31 on fuel and repairs for his campaign vehicle between March of 2005 and December 2015,” Skillicorn said. “His campaign itemized expenditure reporting indicates $20,914.20 of the $213,000 was used specifically for gas purchases during that same time frame, all at the same gas station, Happy’s Super Service Station. In many cases this spending was for single amounts over $1,000 in nice round numbers. The amount he spent works out to $55 per day, every day over the last 10 years.”

Skillicorn is direct about what needs to be done to repair the damage politicians have created. He would like to see people trust their elected representatives again.

"Instead of overseeing and preventing waste and fraud, Auditor General Frank Mautino is neck deep in his own fraud case,” Skillicorn said. “For too long, the blind have led the blind in Illinois and look where we are at. I urge the General Assembly to remove Frank Mautino from the office of Illinois auditor general without delay. How can we trust this man who is under federal investigation for misusing campaign funds?"

Skillicorn said it is time to stop ignoring the corruption that affects all Illinois citizens.

“Removing Mautino is the first step in reforming Illinois' culture of corruption,” Skillicorn said.

The 66th Legislative District represents areas in McHenry and Kane counties, including Algonquin, Carpentersville, Crystal Lake, East Dundee, Elgin, Huntley, Lake in the Hills, Lakewood, Sleepy Hollow and West Dundee.