East Central Reporter

The Clark County Park District commissioner is a poor winner as well as someone who forges election paperwork and puts himself on an ethics commission investigating himself, the Edgar County Watchdogs (ECW) charged recently.

On its Illinois Leaks website, the ECW posted what the group says is a text exchange between the commissioner, Joe Ewing, and Lisa Thomas, who vied to replace him in the April 4 election.

“Congrats!" Thomas is shown as writing. "I may not like some things you’ve done in the past, but I felt it important for you to know I believe your doing a great service to the park now!”

"Doing the same thing now as i have done the whole time that i have been on the board," Ewing responds, according to what the ECW says is a screenshot of the exchange. "U can shove that congrats in your ass."

The ECW says it also has written about Ewing's alleged forging of election petition sheets and his appointment of an election panel consisting of people connected to ethics violations. He also voted in favor of a motion that targeted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requester, seeking to have her investigated and Clark County pursue legal actions against her, the ECW alleges.

In the text exchange, it is clear Thomas quickly rethinks her congratulations.

“Nice Joey. I really meant that,” she wrote, according to the screenshot. “Way to change my mind about your fitness to serve.”