More state agency dysfunction under the Pritzker administration. The Office of Executive Inspector General (OEIG) has uncovered a massive conflict of interest at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). The investigation involves the now-former Deputy Director of the Tourism Office, Daniel Thomas, and his relationship with a business he once owned that is also a DCEO vendor.
From the OEIG:
“The OEIG determined that DCEO committed mismanagement by placing Mr. Thomas in charge of the Tourism Office, despite knowing about his prior relationship with TimeZoneOne, but not taking reasonable steps to determine if there was an actual or perceived conflict, as well, allowing contractual payments to be made with state funds without ensuring reconciliations were performed to support such payments. In addition, it was clear to DCEO management that TimeZoneOne was paying for at least some of Mr. Thomas’s and his subordinates’ travel, yet no action was taken to ensure such payments were appropriate and that the travel rules were followed.”
If the Governor and supermajority Democrats won’t take ethics seriously, we are only going to see more mismanagement and bad behavior at our agencies.
Learn more about the investigation: https://oeig.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/oeig/publications/documents/Newsletter_April_21_2025.pdf
Read the full report: https://oeig.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/oeig/investigations/documents/investigative-reports/24-00353-thomas-d–summary-report-redacted-final.pdf
