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Officials Want Easier Time Investigating State Government Wrongdoing
Some top lawmakers want to make it easier to investigate potential wrongdoing in state government. The executive inspector general for the attorney general's office, Diane Saltoun, says her office is not allowed to follow up on anonymous complaints. Saltoun wants to allow such complaints because it's often state workers who phone those in, and she says they're a good source of information.

Executive inspector general David Wells of the state treasurer's office used to be a police officer and is also in favor of allowing anonymous complaints. He says as a police officer, his department would probably miss out on a big case or investigation if they didn't follow up on anonymous tips.

Saltoun also says she wants to begin investigating cases sooner. As it stands now, executive inspectors general are not allowed to start cases on their own. They have to wait for a formal complaint to be filed. That means if Saltoun or any other executive inspector general reads information from another investigation, views documents or overhears information, they can't use it unless they receive a formal complaint.

Saltoun says the inspectors general want the state Ethics Act amended to allow the office to use an anonymous complaint as a lead to start an investigation.

Saltoun also says agencies should have more time to investigate a potential case of wrongdoing. She says the current time limit of one year should be increased to three.

(Illinois Radio Network)
02 24 09 by Newsroom
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