A township supervisor in Illinois refuses to resign despite admitting to misusing government funds at a casino. Sally Rodriguez, who was appointed as Canteen Township Supervisor in May 2023, acknowledged using the township's debit card for personal transactions.

Banking records revealed six transactions at Horseshoe Casino St. Louis, with Rodriguez confessing to withdrawing $6,000 in cash. She also cashed two checks written to herself from the township account and a third made out to cash.

The misconduct came to light after anonymous packages detailing the alleged theft were sent to two trustees and the township clerk. During a September 4 board meeting, Trustee Rickie Thomas questioned Rodriguez's claim that the transactions were mistakes, noting the improbability of making the same error multiple times.

Despite calls for her immediate resignation, Rodriguez has refused to step down. The township's attorney confirmed that trustees cannot forcibly remove an appointed official from their position.

Canteen Township, located in St. Clair County, Illinois, serves several communities including Caseyville, Fairmont City, and Fairview Heights. The area faces significant economic challenges, with Census Bureau data showing a median household income of $41,530, an employment rate below 50%, and nearly 40% of residents living in poverty.

It remains unclear whether Rodriguez plans to repay the misappropriated funds or if the money was used for gambling at the casino. The incident adds to Illinois' long history of political scandals, though on a smaller scale than previous cases like former Governor Rod Blagojevich's Senate seat scandal or Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard's controversial Las Vegas expenses.

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