East Central Reporter

The Illinois Attorney General's Public Access Counselor has ruled that former Treasurer Chris Slusser's withholding of "Facebook Blocked Lists" constitutes a violation of Illinois law. The lists, deemed public records, were requested by Douglas Hulme, who filed a Freedom of Information Request after being denied access.

Allegations surfaced against Slusser for blocking individuals from accessing the public Facebook page of the Treasurer’s Office. The Attorney General confirmed these allegations and emphasized that the blocked lists are controlled by the Treasurer’s Office, as it is responsible for managing which accounts are blocked.

State’s Attorney Tom Haine argued in defense of Slusser, stating that such records were not subject to public disclosure under FOIA. However, the Attorney General countered this argument, determining that the block list is indeed a public record.

Douglas Hulme criticized Slusser's past actions, stating: “Chris Slusser has a history of using any means necessary to advance his political career,” citing instances from 2017-2018 involving secret recordings and accusations of misconduct during his time at SIUE.

Despite the ruling, as of now, the current Treasurer appointed by Chris Slusser has not made these "Facebook blocked lists" available to the public.