Tryon Sponsors Bill Inspired by Bianchi Trial Costs

McHenry County’s two State Representatives are working together to make sure that a county board is never again left on the hook for hefty legal bills associated with an investigation and trial of a public official, according to a press release issued Monday.

The release states:

House Bill 2558, which passed through the House on Friday, April 15 would correct many of the perceived financial issues that arose during the recent corruption trial of McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi. Rep. Mike Tryon, R-Crystal Lake, is the bill’s chief sponsor and Rep. Jack Franks, D-Marengo, is the bill’s chief co-sponsor.

Tryon introduced the bill as a result of the $312,259 in legal bills that the McHenry County Board must pay, under a court order, for McHenry County State’s Attorney Louis Bianchi’s recent trial and investigation. The county board unsuccessfully appealed the amount of the bills, and was ordered to pay them in full.

“The passage of House Bill 2558 would prohibit unanticipated legal bills like this from ever happening again in McHenry or any other Illinois county,” Tryon said. “It would certainly minimize the cost to taxpayers by forcing counties to look at using less expensive avenues for gathering forensic evidence and for attorney fees.”

The bill would mandate that when a sitting public official is investigated and tried on charges, the courts would look to other public prosecutors to do the work so costs could remain manageable. The bill would also require that the scope of the investigation be well defined and that county boards be given estimates on costs so they could plan for the expense. The bill would also allow county boards to receive itemized bills for the fees.

“The forensic costs were more than what was anticipated in this ongoing McHenry County case,” Tryon said. “We need to put a process in place that minimizes the financial impact and allows county boards to prepare. County board members are the custodians of the taxpayers’ money, the current method by which the they must blindly pay these bills is unacceptable.”