Quantcast

MADISON - ST. CLAIR RECORD

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Prenzler says he met with task force investigator voluntarily: Two new cases of corruption brought forth

General court 10

shutterstock.com

Madison County Board chairman Kurt Prenzler said he met voluntarily on Friday with a member of a county public corruption task force which nearly four weeks ago raided offices of administration officials.

"I didn’t take a lawyer with me, and I answered all questions," Prenzler stated. "In this meeting, I assisted the task force by bringing two new cases of public corruption to their attention. During the weeks ahead, I will bring several more significant cases of public corruption to the task force."

Prenzler declined to identify whom he met with or details regarding what he says are two new cases of public corruption.

He said the meeting took place at the Edwardsville public safety building and lasted an hour and 15 minutes.

After the offices of IT director Rob Dorman, administrator Doug Hulme and former Freedom of Information Act officer Cynthia Ellis were raided on Jan. 10, State's Attorney Tom Gibbons issued a statement that the task force - comprised of state and local law enforcement agencies - was formed to investigate potential wrongdoing based on information provided through several sources and individuals.

An official with Gibbons' office said on Thursday that there were no updates to provide on the investigation.

A lawyer for Prenzler, Hulme and Dorman filed a petition last week seeking an outside prosecutor, claiming that Gibbons has a conflict of interest in pursuing the investigation.

"...[T]he State's Attorney can not professionally represent any county officer or employee who is also subject to search warrants and a subpoena directed by the same State's Attorney," the petition states. "Consequently, the State's Attorney must withdraw from his representation of both the county officers and  his representation of the People of the State of Illinois in this matter.  An attorney can not represent one of his clients in an action against another of his clients."

More News