State police probe Bloomington city credit card use for Japan trip

This photo, posted Aug. 1 on Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner's Facebook page, shows, from left, Margot Ehrlich, an unidentified Japanese host, Normal Mayor Chris Koos, Renner and an an unidentified Japanese host at the airport in Sapporo, Japan.

BLOOMINGTON — The Illinois State Police have opened an investigation into the use of a city credit card to buy an airline ticket to let Mayor Tari Renner's girlfriend travel with him to Japan for a weeklong sister cities anniversary event earlier this month.

"All inquiries about the sister cities credit card charges are being referred to Illinois State Police Zone 5 Investigations," said city attorney Jeff Jurgens on Wednesday.

"Because of the referral to state police, the city's legal department has not completed a formal review of the matter," he added.

An official with the state police investigations unit based in Pontiac confirmed Wednesday afternoon there is an investigation but declined to comment further.

At issue is the use of a city credit card, called a procurement card or p-card, to buy a $1,836 airline ticket for Margot Ehrlich. She accompanied Renner on a city-sponsored trip earlier this month to attend the 55th anniversary celebration of the sister cities relationship with Asahikawa, Japan. 

A city of Bloomington staff member bought the economy-class airline tickets for Renner and Ehrlich on May 12, and the city received a check for that amount May 26 from Ehrlich as payment for her ticket, according to documents The Pantagraph received from the city through a Freedom of Information Act request.

McLean County State's Attorney Jason Chambers declined to comment Wednesday because of the ongoing investigation, but he said Monday his office did not have a role in the matter. 

"We are not investigating this," said Bloomington Assistant Police Chief Ken Bays. "It was referred to Zone 5 Investigations."

Renner said he is aware of the investigation and believes no violations were committed.

"The city administration and I, we all followed the law and the protocol for the city of Bloomington," said Renner. "There were no violations and nothing questionable."

"Even if the city did pay for Margot's ticket, which it did not, it would not have been illegal because she was an official delegate to the once-in-every-decade trip," said Renner.

Renner made similar comments during the City Council's meeting Monday night after Bloomington resident Bruce Meeks publicly called for the council and state police to act against the mayor for allegedly intimidating Meeks, a frequent critic of his administration. Renner called Meeks "crazy" and "pathetic" in an early morning email on Sunday.

The council formally criticized Renner for a late-night online rant in February 2015 against a conservative blogger who also frequently challenges Renner.

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