By Townhall Chicago News Staff
Illinois Prisoner Review Board member Matthew Coates is running for village trustee in Normal while continuing to serve on the state board, according to John Kraft, co-founder of the Edgar County Watchdogs.
Kraft said state law prohibits Prisoner Review Board members from holding another salaried public office at the same time. Village trustee is a salaried position in Normal, Kraft said, which he said puts Coates’ candidacy in conflict with the law.
Gov. JB Pritzker appointed Coates to the Prisoner Review Board in 2022. Coates earns $115,000 a year in that role, according to Kraft. When he was appointed to the board, Coates resigned from a position on the Bloomfield School District board and a seat on the McLean County Board, Kraft said, which he said shows Coates was already aware of the restriction against holding multiple offices.
Kraft said Coates’ Statement of Economic Interests filed for the village trustee race disclosed his Prisoner Review Board income but did not list the position itself in the section of the form where state law requires it.
Kraft discussed the case Wednesday on AM 560 “The Answer” as part of a segment covering government accountability issues in Illinois. The Prisoner Review Board reviews parole and clemency matters for the state.
Coates has not addressed the claims publicly. The status of his candidacy and any potential action regarding the conflict was not immediately available.
