Tari Renner signed the form agreeing to comply with the PCard policy: Renner PCard forms
Is he going to turn in his PCard voluntarily since he has violated the policy numerous times? Is the Council going to let him get by with it? Are rules just for everybody but Tari?
__________________________________________________
By: Diane Benjamin
Did you miss this fraudulent charge made by Tari Renner?
Did you miss these fraudulent charges”
PDF page 124 – same link
I found these by just looking at a few PCard reports.
I’ve reported on PCard fraud and abuse since at least 2013. See this story from September of 2013:
Bloomington Do a Forensic Audit Now
In that story from almost FOUR YEARS ago is a link to the City of Bloomington PCard Policy: PCard Policy
For the Alderman and citizens claiming Tari Renner did nothing wrong by paying for his girlfriend’s plane ticket on his PCard:
Is the language in the City Policy not clear enough for you? Tari, this policy says you were required to sign a statement agreeing to the Policy before receiving your PCard, was this statement not clear?
Maybe this paragraph will help clarify the City policy:
Refer back to personal charges made by the Mayor above. The Mayor is a repeat offender.
.
Does this part of the policy matter?
See this story from 2016: https://blnnews.com/2016/06/30/free-lunches-do-exist/
I FOIA’d Tari’s lunch receipts. The City did not have all of them but they paid the bill anyway! THREE STRIKES against the Mayor for PCard abuse!
Does the PCard Policy apply to the Mayor?
What is the penalty for abusing the PCard?
If City PCard Policy isn’t just a joke, Tari Renner’s card must be yanked when he returns from Japan. He can fill out an expense report for real City business.
How can all other employees be expected to follow the policy when the Mayor is allowed to shred it whenever it fits his needs? How can taxpayers have any faith in their government when it appears City Hall makes up their own rules?
The entire PCard program should be reviewed. Far too many people have the card and suspicious charges that violate the policy are rampant. I called for a forensic audit of the spending four years ago. It is still needed now since it appears only taxpayers care if the cards are abused.
I wonder how Tari will copy and paste himself out of this one??
Blame it on Diane B!
Good work! I’ve also located numerous receipts from prior FOIAs, and some of the receipts I asked for were missing as well, but the bills were paid anyway. Personally, I don’t see why the taxpayers should be paying for these small working meal meetings between the Mayor, City Manager, and one or two Alderman. Let them brown bag it or meet after lunch. Again, there is no documentation reflecting the purpose of each meal meeting, and what was discussed. They could of been discussing how bad the Chicago Bears were doing for all we know. Then there are those routine meal meetings with Carlo Rostobelli and other Renner media/political cronies at Rosies and Destihls. Are we really expected to believe that city business is is discussed there? Again, no documentation as to the purpose and what was discussed at the meal meetings. Then we have Alderman meeting with Alderman and charging coffee/donuts/sandwichs as they meet one on one. This doesn’t happen often, but enough to be perturbing. If an average city worker did that, they would be hanging them high from the nearest tree. Figuratively speaking of course. I wonder, does Tari ever eat at home? Also, the Mayors job is part time. He should cut back his hours to reflect that status and maybe the damage that he is causing to this city will reduce accordingly.
I’ve said it before, and will say it again..”why does Renner have an office? Why can’t he meet people there, and have THEM bring in lunch that THEY pay for?”
Why have council meetings? Every decision is done at “light ” meals!
Where is it written that the taxpayers are obligated to feed these people and pay for their vacations? Where? This is unacceptable.
Well, MAYBE I.W.U. professors aren’t required to take a course in plain english..
Once again, WHAT do political SCIENCE professors do??
Community Organizing?
Looking at the “personal lunch” for Renner line item, the $33 should be in parentheses if it is a refund to the City from Renner. Look at how the other fraudulent charges are recorded.
More than reasonable doubt has now been raised to have legal authorities truly investigate this matter along with a forensic accountant. There are ordinances that govern approval of bills. These actions are of a very serious nature.
Some may say that this is a local policy issue but in fact the City’s policy is modeled after the State Statute.
Thief!
Dear Diane, I must say, as a business owner, there are times when a credit card is hacked while employees or I are getting gas or a meal…..I suspect an employee at the gas station or restaurant (in my case it was a Chicago “Burger King” and also Champaign “Atlanta Bread Company”) where it appears workers there swiped and/or copied down our card info. Afterwards, the credit card company called and asked if I had ordered a bunch of subscriptions to on-line music, made gas station purchases in Georgia, and parking meters/tollway passes in various places. Those purchases were identified by my Discover Card Fraud Alert staff and “flagged,” but they still show up on my credit card statement the same way as these posts which you showed. I don’t think you should waste more time quizzing about the “fraudulent charges” because those appear to have been corrected and seem to be resolved. HOWEVER, these statements also show the mayor using the city credit card for personal use, which is illegal.