By: Tye Richmond
A trial date is finally set for Delaware Auditor Kathy McGuiness beginning on Tuesday June 14th .
According to DelawareOnline.com, “The date was finalized and announced Thursday following the delay of trial proceedings that were originally scheduled for New Castle County last week but has been moved to Kent County”
McGuiness, a statewide-elected official and Democrat, is charged with multiple public corruption misdemeanors as well as two felonies. Prosecutors say she gave her daughter a do-little job in the auditor’s office, rigged payments of a state contract to avoid regulatory scrutiny and intimidated those who questioned her behavior. She has pleaded not guilty and, in pretrial motions through an attorney, characterized the prosecution as unfairly targeting her for conduct that is common in state government and not illegal.”
This trail will most definitely have a ripple effect in the state because of the magnitude of crimes she committed. Whatever the verdict is there will be some major dominos that could fall.
But even before her trial starts, a couple of days ago one of her former employees filed a lawsuit claiming she was improperly fired for blowing a whistle on waste and abuse of authority in the auditor’s office.
According to a Delaware Online Article Kathleen Davies, the former chief administrative auditor who had worked in the office for 12 years, claims that “McGuiness stripped her of her job duties when she raised concerns about improper conduct in the office and then created a false pretense to fire her”.
The lawsuit names the Office of the Auditor as the defendant. It centers on actions taken by McGuiness and state Sen. Spiros Mantzavinos, who is McGuiness’ former chief of staff, as well as another employee in the office who is listed in the lawsuit as the former first deputy state auditor.”
So, the saga of Kathy McGuiness continues, and it will be an interesting next couple of weeks/months watching this all happen.
