A township supervisor in Illinois is refusing to resign despite admitting to using government funds at a casino, according to local officials.

During a September 4 Canteen Township Board meeting, Township Supervisor Sally Rodriguez admitted to using the town's debit card for personal transactions at Horseshoe Casino St. Louis. Banking records revealed six casino transactions totaling $6,000, plus two checks Rodriguez wrote to herself and a third made out to cash.

Rodriguez, who was appointed in May 2023, claims the withdrawals were accidental. However, Trustee Rickie Thomas questioned how someone could make the same mistake multiple times, particularly noting the matching PIN numbers between personal and township cards.

While trustees have called for Rodriguez's immediate resignation, they lack the authority to forcibly remove her from the appointed position. The misconduct came to light after trustees and the township clerk received anonymous packages detailing the alleged theft.

The incident is particularly concerning given Canteen Township's economic status, where the median household income is $41,530, the employment rate is below 50%, and nearly 40% of residents live in poverty.

The case adds to Illinois' long history of political scandals, including former Governor Rod Blagojevich's Senate seat bribery scheme and more recent controversies like Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard's allegedly taxpayer-funded Las Vegas trip.

The investigation regarding repayment of funds and whether Rodriguez gambled with the money remains ongoing.

Related Articles

Previous Articles