A Delaware Democrat politician, state auditor Kathleen McGuiness, has been found guilty on multiple fraud charges but refuses to resign.
McGuiness, a long-time friend of Democrat President Joe Biden, was found guilty of three misdemeanor charges including official misconduct, conflict of interest, and structuring a contract to avoid a procurement policy.
However, she is refusing to resign from her “anti-corruption” job and is running for reelection
“From the moment I took office, I promised that no one would be either above the law or beneath justice,” Attorney General Kathy Jennings said.
“Today’s guilty verdict confirmed that.
“After weeks of grueling trial and mistreatment of whistleblowers, the state auditor — whose job is to protect our state from waste, fraud, and abuse – has been found guilty of three crimes by a jury of her peers.
“I am grateful for the jury’s judgment, for the excellent work of our trial team, and above all else for the courage of the whistleblowers and witnesses who came forward and made accountability possible.
“Our office’s — and the jury’s —message is clear: abuse of office will not be tolerated in Delaware.”
McGuiness’s lawyer Steve Wood said:
“We’re very disappointed in the verdict the jury rendered today.
“We respect the jury’s process, but there’s no question that their thought process was influenced by multiple erroneous decisions that were made by the court along the way.”
“I was stunned,” McGuiness said in August.
“On September 10 I get this document that I am supposed to appear on Monday, Sept. 13.
“This was a Friday afternoon.
“I called friends of mine who are attorneys and asked what is this about.
“I did work with the owner in 2016 but we are not friends.
“He did not do anything for me since then.
“He is very talented with communications and policy they do not just work on campaigns.”
From The Blaze:
Governor John Carney released a statement in response to pressure from the senate to remove McGuiness from office.
He explained that “the Governor has no power to act until after the entry of a judgment of conviction by the Superior Court.”
Two weeks after the verdict, Delaware Democratic House Caucus wrote Governor John Carney.
The letter stated, “The crimes the State Auditor has been found guilty of meet the Constitutional criteria of ‘misbehavior in office,’ and that as a result, you are obligated to remove her from office upon entry of a judgment of conviction by the Superior Court.”
Senate voted 13-7 to hold a removal hearing for McGuiness.
Since then, Speaker of the House Pete Schwartzkopf voiced support for McGuiness.
He called the senate’s actions nothing more than “political theater.” Senate cannot move forward with the removal hearing without Schwartzkopf’s approval.
Schwartzkopf argued that, even if a hearing was held and the senate voted to remove McGuiness, the ruling would only be a vote “to ultimately ask the governor to remove the state auditor from office – a request he’s not required to fulfill, and a request he’s indicated that he wouldn’t carry out at this time anyway.”
McGuiness has made it clear that she will “absolutely not” be resigning.
