East Central Reporter

Iroquois County State’s Attorney Jim Devine needs to step down before he gives any more bad legal advice to the county board, a citizens oversight group is contending.

The Edgar County Watchdogs (ECW) argue that Devine has not acted in a number of cases involving alleged fraud and statute violations, including a recent meeting of the county's Emergency Telephone System Board meeting he attended with eight members of the county board. 

The ECW said with Devine’s consent, the group held a closed meeting and discussed personnel, which is illegal. 

"This meeting of a majority of a quorum (of the County Board) in closed session was not posted with a notice or agenda 48hrs in advance and based on prior rulings by the Attorney General PAC office on matters almost identical in nature, we are confident their determination will be that the Iroquois County Board held an illegal meeting and met in closed session without proper authority," the group posted on its Illinois Leaks website. "What is sad in this case, they did it with the advice and consent of the Iroquois County State’s Attorney." 

The ECW also contends that the county is seeking further legal advice to determine who has authority to fire the ETSB 911 director, despite the fact that statutes make it clear that the board itself has that authority. The group says Devine should know that.

“What Iroquois County is facing is years of total disregard for the law by the State’s Attorney as it relates to public officials and the power they have or don’t have,” the ECW posted. “He has acknowledged he is a criminal prosecutor and is not up on all this ‘other stuff.’  May we suggest you either get your head in the game or resign as your unwillingness to learn all this ‘other stuff’ is a major contributor to the malfeasance that is infecting your county.”