COUNTRYSIDE, IL – A Lyons Township official told police over the summer that the township's supervisor used his position to create a "ghost payroll" and pay for his girlfriend to travel.
Other than a $70 airline fee, the township's clerk, Elyse Hoffenberg, appears to have turned up nothing.
A month ago, Patch wrote about the police report on Hoffenberg's allegations against the supervisor, Christopher Getty, who is running as an independent for Congress.
In August, Hoffenberg and her husband, Jeff Hoffenberg, who live in La Grange, visited the local police station to report allegations of harassment.
This was in the days before the public unveiling of a township video of longtime political boss Steven Landek kissing Elyse Hoffenberg after hours.
According to the police report, Hoffenberg alleged that Getty has done "corrupt things such as having his brother-in-law on a ghost payroll, paying for his girlfriend to travel, etc."
Patch then filed a public records request with Lyons Township for documentation to back up those allegations.
Hoffenberg, who handles such requests, produced records a few days later. None of them involved the alleged ghost payroll.
The documents included airline and restaurant bills.
The airline bills involved a trip to Washington four years ago, with Getty and township employee Joseph Bonomo listed.
Included in the credit card bill was a $70 airline fee, with a handwritten notation stating "Chris's girlfriend."
In another place, someone wrote "error" and "repay" next to the $70 listing.
In response to a Patch inquiry, Getty on Tuesday said the $70 charge was an error and was repaid three years ago.
In September, Getty disputed Hoffenberg's allegations.
"The police report submitted by Hoffenberg is full of false accusations," Getty told Patch in an email. "She continues to let down our community with her wild actions and statements. Moreover, it is unlawful to file a false police report."
In late September, Patch emailed Hoffenberg, inviting her to explain whether the records showed any other misspent money. She did not respond.
Hoffenberg is running as a Democrat for the Cook County Board against Republican Liz Gorman.
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