https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/politics/2021/10/11/de-attorney-general-announce-major-public-trust-indictment/5914972001/Delaware state Auditor Kathy McGuiness was indicted Monday on criminal charges that she hired and supervised her daughter in a do-nothing state job, that she circumvented state contracting laws to shield public payments to a political campaign group from regulator scrutiny and that she spied on and discriminated against employees who questioned her conduct.
McGuiness faces two felony charges and multiple misdemeanors in the indictment, which appears to make her the first statewide elected official to be indicted on felony charges while holding office.
State officials executed a search warrant on McGuiness’ office two weeks ago and since then, neither she, her staff nor her daughter have answered questions regarding the investigation, the existence of which could not be independently verified by Delaware Online/The News Journal until Monday’s indictment.
https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2021/10/12/delaware-auditor-kathy-mcguiness-surrenders-police-pleads-not-guilty/6103893001/Delaware State Auditor Kathy McGuiness turned herself in to authorities and pleaded not guilty to corruption charges Tuesday morning.
Accompanied by her attorney, McGuiness entered the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center on King Street in Wilmington just before 10 a.m. to turn herself into Capitol Police.
She appeared via a video stream from a holding room in the basement of the courthouse for a brief hearing in which she said nothing about the two felonies and several misdemeanors she was formally charged with Monday.
Speaking on her behalf, Steve Wood, her attorney, told the court she pleaded not guilty to the charges. Unsecured bail was set and she exited the courthouse before noon, declining to comment.
McGuiness faces charges including felony theft and intimidation as well as public service misdemeanors like official misconduct.
