SPRINGFIELD – Former Madison County information technology director Rob Dorman has no right to hear a wiretap recording that preceded a decision by the county board to fire him, according to Illinois attorney general Kwame Raoul.
Assistant attorney general Sarah Pratt notified Dorman of the decision on Jan. 15, writing that state law prohibited disclosure.
She quoted an appellate court decision that only a party to an application for a wiretap may inspect the conversation or evidence derived from it.
“You are not a party to the recorded conversation or a party to the application for an overhear,” Pratt wrote.
She wrote that state law limits a law enforcement officer’s disclosure to another law enforcement officer or a prosecuting attorney.
“The Attorney General’s office clearly received the records in a law enforcement capacity and therefore is prohibited from disclosing them for the reasons discussed above,” she wrote.
The recording captured a conversation of now former county administrator Doug Hulme in 2018.
Treasurer Chris Slusser wore a wire to assist a task force that former state’s attorney Tom Gibbons formed to investigate Hulme and Dorman.
Outside judge Jerry Crisel ruled that Gibbons could not direct the task force because his position required him to represent county officials rather than prosecute them.
The task force was led by Madison County Sheriffs Capt. David Vucich
Crisel appointed Raoul to lead the investigation, and Raoul closed the case without bringing any charges in 2019.
Last year, Vucich played the wiretap recording for some county board members.
On April 16, the board voted to terminate Hulme and Dorman.
Hulme and Dorman sued to get their jobs back, and the suits remain pending.
Vucich has not responded to a request for comment.