Ex-workers at Lincoln Museum improperly disposed of property

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - A state watchdog says two former employees at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum improperly disposed of items that may have had some historical value.

The State Journal-Register reports one item was part of a wooden desk from the old Union Station that the state bought for $22,600.

A report issued Thursday by Illinois' executive inspector general said someone reported in 2018 that they saw a museum staff member sawing apart pieces of the desk. The report says state property worth more than $100 cannot be disposed of without permission of Central Management Services.

Museum spokesman Chris Wills says the item was "an unneeded part of a piece of furniture" and had no historical value.

He says rules for property disposal have been made clear to all staff.

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Information from: The State Journal-Register, http://www.sj-r.com