* Bruce Rushton at the Illinois Times…
Candace Wanzo, a high-ranking official in the Illinois Secretary of State’s office, is under investigation by the office’s inspector general and has been placed on paid leave.
The nature of the investigation isn’t clear. Wanzo, an administrator in the office’s vehicles division, earned $87,238 last year.
Wanzo was hired in 1999 even though she pleaded guilty in 1991 to embezzling more than $230,000 from Southern Illinois University while she was employed by the university. Her sentence for the theft isn’t clear from online court records, but sentencing was delayed after her mother collapsed in court when a federal judge said that prosecutors’ recommendation for 15-month sentence sounded fair, according to a 1992 story published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The newspaper reported that Wanzo had testified that she spent the stolen money on cars, clothes, lingerie and vacations.
Henry Haupt, spokesman for Secretary of State Jesse White, confirmed that Wanzo has been placed on administrative leave, but he provided no details on why she is on paid leave. […]
“Secretary White is troubled by these recent developments,” Haupt wrote. “She was put on administrative leave, and he applauds inspector general Jim Burns and the secretary of state’s inspector general’s office for their efforts in this matter and cannot comment further until the investigation is complete.”
According to the story, she was hired as a secretary in 1999.
- Anon - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 10:47 am:
I’ve got to wonder if this played a part in Secretary White not announcing another term bid for SOS on Monday as many thought he would. Instead he basically said he’ll let us know in a few weeks if he’s running again. That’s the day before she went on admin leave. I also am left wondering if there’s more to it then ‘just’ the SOS IG investigating her, is law enforcement also part of that investigation?
- DuPage Saint - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 11:05 am:
Who is her clout?
- Michael Westen - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 11:17 am:
In other words, she came in to the office the same time as Secretary White.
- Langhorne - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 11:22 am:
“Wanzo was hired in 1999 even though she pleaded guilty in 1991 to embezzling more than $230,000 from Southern Illinois University while she was employed by the university.”
“Secretary White is troubled by these recent developments,”
Amazing theft of a quarter mil doesnt disqualify you for wmployment. Jesse is “troubled”? Apparently, not very.
- Anonymous - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 11:27 am:
Who vetted her in 1999? So she steals nearly a quarter of a million from the state of Illinois university system and then she is hired by the state of Illinois?????
Wasn’t there another SoS employee who had a similar situation(maybe in the Chicago area) and she was a personal friend of Jesse?
- Anonymous - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 11:34 am:
@dupage saint-Jesse White?
- Redraider - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 11:35 am:
This also means that she was hired under the George Ryan administration as well.
- Anonymous - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 11:37 am:
Well, I don’t know the details beyond what is posted here but she was hired into an entry level job 8 years after her conviction. So are some of you suggesting that once a person is convicted they can never hold a job again?
- Michael Westen - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 11:39 am:
“This also means that she was hired under the George Ryan administration as well.”
Um, no. George Ryan was Governor at the time of her hire.
- Ron Burgundy - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 11:47 am:
“So are some of you suggesting that once a person is convicted they can never hold a job again?”
Not me, but I would suggest they not have access to or control over public funds again.
- Responsa - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 11:56 am:
== So are some of you suggesting that once a person is convicted they can never hold a job again?==
No. But someone previously convicted of embezzlement obviously should not be placed in a job overseeing/handling state money or with access to public funds. That is just common sense. When the public is told what she is being investigated for and if she is charged, then we will know whether her prior conviction is an issue or not for SOS White.
- Skeptic - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 11:59 am:
Pedantic Nitpick: The past tense of “plead” is “pleaded”, not “pled.”
- Rich Miller - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 12:06 pm:
===should not be placed in a job overseeing/handling state money or with access to public funds===
Yep. And a lot of cash goes through that office.
- Redraider - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 12:11 pm:
Um, yes and Governors have Administraions that issue patronage jobs in Government, including the Secretary of States office
- Redraider - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 12:13 pm:
Administrations, sorry. Michael Weston
- 911 - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 12:17 pm:
Terrible timing for Jesse White. He has often said that he took over an office that had serious corruption issues. Depending on how this investigation plays out, Jesse’s successor may say the same thing.
- Ron Burgundy - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 12:26 pm:
–Um, yes and Governors have Administrations that issue patronage jobs in Government, including the Secretary of States office.–
Yes, though it would be a bit unusual when they are of opposite parties. But George Ryan and Jesse White got along well.
- Robert the Bruce - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 12:29 pm:
Dupage Saint 11:05 am beat me to it.
- Freezeup - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 12:35 pm:
The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior.
- DuPage - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 12:40 pm:
What is she being investigated for? Maybe she “forgot” to mention her previous employment and it slipped through the cracks. Jesse White has good reason to be upset. Not so much the cash, but the access to lots of confidential information, and possibly the power to change/delete things like DUIs, revoked licenses, issue fake I.D.s, things like that. The fact that she was able to slip past the system when she was just looking for a job and an obvious red flag was missed. Just think if terrorist-types or drug cartels or street gangs, or hackers end up with someone on the inside of his agency. They could do untold amounts of damage.
- Annoying - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 12:41 pm:
Marlene Liss and Cecil Turner= acouple of Jesse’s hires.
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/illinois/jesse-white-friend-double-billed-state-report/article_ba4d6263-53b7-551a-a18a-1192b6bbf3fc.html
http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Cecil-Turner-Corruption-Conviction-Lifted-for-Ex-Illinois-Official-129614618.html
- My thouhts - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 1:22 pm:
Candace Wanzo’s mother (Delores) had various high-level jobs and was even recognized by the general assembly. Chances are Candace was hired as a political scratch on the back and/or she is also related indirectly to someone high up…perhaps Jesse himself?
- Anon - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 2:27 pm:
Not been mentioned. Where did you get that info? Absolutely not true. From what I know he is all about second chances. Isn’t everyone entitled to one?
- Ginhouse Tommy - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 2:51 pm:
Just goes to show what can be done when you know someone or have the right connections. I’m sure many people at SoS knew her past about but were told to keep quiet. It’s not like it’s the first time this has happened at the state.
- Not It - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 3:03 pm:
Jello: Not just friends, college room-mates.
From what I hear she has a reputation as someone you want to stay on the good side of if you value working at SOS.
- My thouhts - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 3:03 pm:
The same daughter of Jesse’s that was arrested for drugs but let go in court because the arresting officer was a no show?
- Ron Burgundy - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 3:09 pm:
Wow, the rumor and innuendo mill is working overtime. How about we let the journalists handle the digging on this one?
- My thouhts - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 3:24 pm:
Jesse’s daughter (Lorraine White) was arrested back in 2006 with misdemeanor attempted possession of a controlled substance and criminal trespass. On the day of court the arresting officer did not show up in court and the charges were dropped. Look it up if you do not believe it.
- Third Chance - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 3:40 pm:
=From what I know he is all about second chances. Isn’t everyone entitled to one?=
How ’bout third chances. The primary qualification for Auditor General is to be politically connected.
- My thouhts - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 4:23 pm:
Considering Candace Wanzo was found by Auditor General William Holland in 2004 for using a state car for personal business, let’s go for fourth chances.
- Anonymous - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 8:55 pm:
Maybe it’s because she is Jesse White’s Goddaughter!
- Anonymous - Tuesday, May 9, 17 @ 4:16 pm:
I see the handful of Jesse haters have been busy crafting outlandish scenarios. Hey “Anonymous” @8:55; no, she’s not his Goddaughter, but I’m sure you already knew that.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, May 10, 17 @ 6:14 pm:
At the SOS, it was no secret that she was a college roommate of Glenna White Jones , the Secretary’s daughter who is on the executive staff. It would be shocking to believe that the admin knew nothing about the prior conviction but more shocking that Candace would betray their trust. Unbelievable story all around.
- Illinois State Redbird - Wednesday, May 10, 17 @ 8:40 pm:
To clarify, Glenna White (mid 60s) is an Illinois State University - Redbird - graduate. Candace Wanzo(early 50s) did NOT go to ISU. She attended SIU-Edwardsville while living at home with her mother. Thus, they are/were NOT college room-mates based on their ages (a full decade apart) and obviously not the same schools.