1 Front Volume 142 No. 9
Friday, February 5, 2016
Single Copy Cost 50¢
Mautino spending comes under fire By Terri Simon
tsimon@tonicanews.com
SPRINGFIELD — Just a little more than a month after former Illinois State Rep. Frank Mautino (D-Spring Valley) took off his legislative hat and put on the one that named him Illinois Auditor General, controversy now surrounds Mautino and his campaign financial reports. Primarily, the issue at question is: Did Mautino appropriately spend campaign contributions and were those contributions reported in a correct manner? Media, as well as some public officials, around the state are calling into question several dollars Mautino spent, primarily from his campaign committee dubbed, Committee for Frank J. Mautino. Specifically in question are also
campaign donations Mautino allegedly received and spent during his transition from Illinois Representative to Illinois Auditor General. Mautino, who became a state representative in 1991, was sworn into the Illinois Auditor General office early in December 2015, but didn’t take his seat until Jan. 1, 2016. A spokesperson for Mautino said the long-time Illinois Representative closed his campaign committee at the end of December 2015. Items among the questionable spending include more than $200,000 spent from Mautino’s campaign fund at Happy’s Super Service Station in Spring Valley throughout the course of more than 10 years, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections. Most of the expenses to Happy’s were listed as gasoline/camp. (cam-
paign) vehicle repair and were drawn on the Committee for Frank J. Mautino account. Those expenditures were first reported by the Edgar County Watchdogs, which is an organization that hosts a website dubbed Illinois Leaks. Since that time, the Illinois Times as well as other media organizations have picked up the story, asking Mautino to explain his expenditures. While Illinois law does not allow the auditor general to participate in political actions, the contributions in question appear to have come before Mautino was actually sworn into the Illinois Auditor General’s seat. Happy’s Super Service was not the only automobile shop; a host of other vehicle repair establishments also received money from Mautino, which was reported to the Illinois State Board of Elections by
Mautino throughout his career. Other financials in question include personal loans to Mautino and campaign workers, vehicle insurance, payments to Spring Valley City Bank, travel and lodging expenditures and more. The Illinois State Board of Elections does not outline what campaign donations can be used for, however, it does list a variety of items that can’t be paid for by campaign funds. Mautino was not available personally for comment, however, a spokesman for Mautino, Ryan Keith, issued the following statement: “Frank Mautino served his north-central district with distinction in the Illinois House for 24 years, where he held a number of leadership positions, provided exemplary service to his communities and built a record of a number of
legislative accomplishments. “During his legislative career, Frank ran for re-election every two years. His campaign committee, Committee for Frank J. Mautino, fully disclosed and reported all spending by the campaign in compliance with Illinois campaign finance and disclosure laws. His reports fully detail campaign expenditures that were made to help defray the standard, reasonable expenses incurred while Frank performed the governmental and public service duties of serving as state representative of his large, mostly rural district. “Upon his nomination as Auditor General, Frank’s career in elected office ended and he closed out his campaign committee at the end of December 2015,” Keith said, adding Mautino would be prepared to address the issue further in the next few days.
Extension will offer Meals for Healthy Heart program Registration and payment are due Feb. 15 Tonica News photo/Zachary J. Pratt
Deborah Anthony and state Rep. John Anthony (R-Joliet) came to Christ Family Foursquare Church in LaSalle recently to speak regarding a proposed after-school program for the community.
Breaking down walls
Proposed after-school program in LaSalle seeks to reach children in need By Zachary J. Pratt news@tonicanews.com
LASALLE — On Jan. 23, state Rep. John Anthony (R-Joliet) came to Christ Family Foursquare Church in LaSalle to speak regarding a proposed after-school program for the community. Pastor Diana Gilbert of the church was the one who began the movement for the program. She has reached out to the LaSalle Rotary Club for support in the endeavor. “A lot of what we’re being told is, you can’t do this,” Susan Thornton from the Rotary Club, said. “It doesn’t work. Nobody comes.” However, Anthony does not find that assessment to be accurate. Having founded programs to reach children in the past, he understands difficulties will arise, but he also knows they can be overcome. More importantly, he agrees the children of the community need to Vol. 142 No. 9 One Section - 8 Pages
© The Tonica News
be reached. Much of his fervor for reaching children comes from his understanding of their needs, both for purpose and for identity. His understanding is born largely from his own upbringing. A lost beginning His story is not what one might expect. “Normally when I talk about where I’m from — it starts with a ‘C,’ and people cringe because of the city where I’m from,” Anthony said. “Growing up in the city of Chicago with a mom who’s a drug addict and a father whose name I didn’t know,” Anthony said, “I was an angry kid.” He left his mom’s place at an early age, which left him all alone.
Program Page 2
Locally, heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death, higher than the state average. Nationwide, more than 81 million Americans, 37 percent of the population, have heart disease. February is National Heart Month. Join University of Illinois Extension in celebrating National Heart Month by enrolling in their program Meals for a Healthy Heart. Meals for a Healthy Heart is a series of two educational sessions for people trying to prevent or manage heart disease. Learn how to choose low-fat foods, reduce sodium, make healthier choices when eating out, read food labels and prepare for doctor’s visits. Enjoy watching food demonstrations of easyto-prepare recipes that you will taste in class. The program will be offered in the culinary classroom from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Thursdays, Feb. 18 and 25, at Illinois Valley Community College, 815 N. Orlando Smith Road, Oglesby, Room CTC-123. Advance registration is required by calling the University of Illinois Extension at 815-224-0889 or by registering online at https://web.extension.illinois.edu/registration/?RegistrationID=13723. Registration and payment is due by Monday, Feb. 15. There is a $20 fee, per person, to cover materials and supplies for both sessions. For more information, contact Susan Glassman, Extension educator, nutrition and wellness, University of Illinois Extension, serving Bureau, LaSalle, Marshall and Putnam counties, by calling 815-224-0889 or visit web.extension. illinois.edu/blmp.