By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – When Illinois Auditor General Frank Mautino was a state representative, he did not keep his campaign spending records in line with state law. Now the Illinois State Board of Elections has found Mautino’s committee did not knowingly break the law.

Campaign committee members had gas and repairs from Happy’s Super Service in Mautino’s hometown of Spring Valley bill the campaign, as opposed to presenting receipts and getting reimbursed.

The lawyer for the complainant, Jeffrey Schwab, says Mautino’s argument is not credible. “Mr. Mautino was an elected representative who voted for this legislation,” Schwab said, arguing that that’s proof Mautino knew right from wrong here.

But board member Bill McGuffage, who made the motion to dismiss the complaint, said, wait a minute. “There are thousands of bills that go through the General Assembly in every session,” he said. “No member of the General Assembly is expected to know the contents of every single bill.”

The board voted unanimously there’s no evidence Mautino and his committee knew what they were doing was wrong, leading plantiff David Cooke to laugh and say, “What a joke,” into an open mic during the Zoom hearing.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]