DOVER – Senate President Pro Tempore Dave Sokola, Senate Majority Leader Bryan Townsend, and Senate Majority Whip Elizabeth “Tizzy” Lockman issued a joint statement today regarding the removal of the Auditor of Accounts:
“Based on the clear legal precedent established in Slawik v. Folsom, the Senate agrees with Governor Carney that at this stage he cannot unilaterally remove the State Auditor from her position under Article XV of the Delaware Constitution.
At this juncture, we believe both the Constitution and the gravity of Auditor McGuiness’s crimes compel the General Assembly to make use of its own authority to remove her from office, whether via Article VI impeachment or Article III removal proceedings. Today, we want to make crystal clear our intentions to do exactly that for the Delawareans who are demanding accountability following the Auditor’s egregious breach of public trust.
Delawareans deserve a State Auditor who is able to safeguard taxpayer dollars and good fiscal stewardship ethically, expertly, and free from further distraction or additional abuses of power. In short, the power of incumbency must not prevail over the people’s rightful demands for accountability.
We once again call on Auditor McGuiness to place the public’s interest ahead of her own and resign. Otherwise, the General Assembly must exercise its Constitutional powers and the Senate is prepared to lead the way.”
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