By Joe Ragusa
BLOOMINGTON – Despite a federal indictment accusing McLean County Board Chairman Matt Sorensen of wire fraud, no one on the county board is calling for his resignation yet. A few board members are taking some time before commenting about his future.
“I’m taking a wait-and-see approach to the accusations facing Mr. Sorensen,” Democrat Carlo Robustelli said. “I don’t have sufficient information to make a determination as to what, if anything, the county board will do in reaction.”
Republican Chuck Erickson said it was too early to comment when reached Wednesday morning. Fellow Republican Rich Buchanan said this situation is unlike anything he’s seen since joining local politics in 1968.
“My reaction right now is one of being personally interested and concerned about one of the best chairmen we’ve had,” Buchanan said.
Buchanan said he’s going to follow Sorensen’s case closely, but the county board should focus on the county’s issues, not Sorensen’s.
“The job of the 20 members of the county board, as we sit, is to sustain and continue the things we’ve been doing reasonably well, rather well, on behalf of the citizens of McLean County,” Buchanan said.
Sorensen will be arraigned Jan. 11 on five counts of wire fraud stemming from his time as a consultant with State Farm. The indictment accuses him of pocketing over $400,000 from multiple companies, including State Farm, for consultant work that was never actually performed. Our original story on the indictment can be found here.
Joe Ragusa can be reached at joe.ragusa@cumulus.com.
