Probe of McHenry Co. state's attorney could run $100,000

The McHenry County Board's finance committee will consider authorizing as much as $100,000 to fund a special prosecutor's probe into alleged wrongdoing by State's Attorney Louis Bianchi.

The special prosecutor, former Lake County Judge Henry Tonigan III, and an associate already have billed the county about $34.231 for work done on the case since he was appointed in September to look into claims Bianchi used a state's attorney secretary to perform campaign-related work on county time.

Bianchi repeatedly has denied the accusations.

The resolution permits county administration to pay up to $100,000 from the county's general fund contingency budget for the services of Tonigan's firm, Barrington-based Kelleher & Buckley, as well as that of Thomas K. McQueen, a former federal prosecutor assisting in the investigation.

If approved by the finance committee, the measure likely will go before the full county board for final approval in March.

McHenry County Judge Gordon Graham appointed Tonigan special prosecutor after ruling Sept. 4 an independent investigation was necessary to maintain the integrity of the justice system. The probe is focused on, but not limited to, claims made by former Bianchi aide Amy Dalby.

Dalby filed a sworn affidavit last year stating she was instructed to do political work while employed as the state's attorney's personal secretary. She also has provided examples of what she said was the work she performed, including typing letters to political supporters, maintaining campaign donor lists and typing campaign-related checks.

Dalby, 25, made the accusations after an earlier special prosecutor probe, launched at Bianchi's request, led to her being charged with unlawfully copying and removing computer files from the state's attorney's office. She eventually pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor computer tampering charge and received court supervision.

The Dalby investigation cost county taxpayers about $64,155, according to court records.

Tonigan has given no indication as to when he might wrap up his investigation, and did not return a call seeking comment last week.