Kathy McGuiness

Last updated

Kathy McGuiness
Auditor of Delaware
In office
January 1, 2019 –October 19, 2022
Criminal information
Criminal statusReleased
Conviction(s) Conflict of interest
Official misconduct
Criminal penalty1 year probation, 500 hours of community service, $10,000 fine
Date apprehended
October 12, 2021

Kathleen Kramedas McGuiness (born February 14, 1967) [1] is an American politician who was the Delaware state auditor, from January 2019 until October 2022. In July 2022, she was found guilty on multiple corruption charges.

Contents

On September 13, 2022, McGuiness lost the Democratic primary election to challenger Lydia York in a 42-point landslide. [2] In October 2022, she was sentenced to one year of probation and was given a $10,000 fine for her corruption convictions. Following her sentencing, McGuiness resigned as auditor. [3] She ran to represent the 14th district in the Delaware House of Representatives in 2024 and was endorsed by retiring representative Peter Schwartzkopf, but lost in the primary election to Claire Snyder-Hall after coming in third place. [4]

Early life and career

McGuiness graduated from Cape Henlopen High School in 1985. She earned her bachelor's degree in biology at the Florida Institute of Technology and her bachelor's degree in pharmacy from Northeastern University in Boston.[ citation needed ] After returning to Delaware, she bought a pharmacy in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. She sold her pharmacy in 2002 to become a real estate agent. [5] [ better source needed ]

Political career

McGuiness was elected a city of Rehoboth Beach commissioner in 2000. In 2010, she moved with her family to Park City, Utah, and resigned from the Rehoboth town board in 2012 because she was no longer able to attend the meetings. [6] She moved back to Delaware and was elected to another term as a town commissioner in 2014. [7]

As a member of the Democratic Party, McGuiness ran for lieutenant governor of Delaware in 2016, but she lost the party's nomination in the primary election. [8] She was subsequently appointed to the Delaware State University Board of Trustees by then governor, Jack Markell [9] and reelected to the town board in 2017. [10]

Delaware state auditor

In 2018, McGuiness ran for state auditor. She won the Democratic Party nomination, defeating Kathleen Davies and former state representative Dennis E. Williams in the primary election. [11] She defeated Republican James Spadola in the general election to become the first woman elected to the position. [12] [13] She was sworn into office on January 1, 2019, replacing Republican Tom Wagner, who had decided not to seek reelection after serving in the office since 1989. [14] [15]

Corruption convictions and resignation

On October 11, 2021, McGuiness was indicted on two felony charges and several misdemeanor charges that she paid her daughter and her daughter's friend nearly $30,000 from the state for jobs they did not work, orchestrated no-bid contracts for former campaign consultants while avoiding reporting requirements, and engaged in email surveillance and other intimidation of employees who became aware of her misconduct, among other charges. [16] [17] [18] The next day, she turned herself in and pleaded not guilty to all the charges. [19] [20]

On July 1, 2022, McGuiness was found guilty of conflict of interest, structuring, and official misconduct and not guilty of felony theft and intimidation. [21] She faced up to 1 year in prison, but had a presumptive sentence of probation. [22] On August 31, 2022, the judge overturned McGuiness's structuring conviction but upheld her convictions of conflict of interest and official misconduct. Her request for a new trial was denied. [23]

On October 19, 2022, McGuiness was sentenced to one year of probation and 500 hours of community service and was given a $10,000 fine for conflict of interest and official misconduct. Later that day, she resigned from her position as auditor. [3] Governor John Carney chose Dennis Greenhouse as McGuiness's successor. Greenhouse had previously served as auditor from 1983 to 1989. [24] Her conviction for official misconduct was vacated in February 2024 by the Delaware Supreme Court, which also upheld the misdemeanor conflict of interest conviction, finding that McGuiness had received a "fair trial". [25] Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings declined to retry McGuiness on the misconduct charges. [26]

2024 campaign

In May 2024, McGuiness announced she was running for the Delaware House of Representatives in the 14th district. [26] She was endorsed by former Delaware House Speaker Peter Schwartzkopf, her longtime friend who has represented the 14th district since 2002 but declined to run for reelection. [26] [27] She lost the election with 26.9% of the vote, coming in third after Marty Rendon with 31.8% and Claire Snyder-Hall with 41.2%. [4]

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References

  1. ↑ "Primaries Set in State, Sussex" (PDF). Cape Gazette . September 5, 2022. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Delaware Primary Election Results". The New York Times. September 13, 2022. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved September 14, 2022.
  3. 1 2 "State Auditor Kathy McGuiness sentenced for public corruption convictions". The News Journal. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
  4. 1 2 Reberkenny, Joe (September 24, 2024). "Snyder-Hall thanks lesbian community after winning in Delaware". www.washingtonblade.com.
  5. ↑ "'Cape Proud' of Kathy McGuiness". Cape Henlopen Educational Foundation. Cape Gazette. October 30, 2015. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
  6. ↑ Mavity, Ryan (January 10, 2012). "McGuiness steps down in Rehoboth". Cape Gazette.
  7. ↑ Pacella, Rachael (August 21, 2014). "After two-year hiatus, McGuiness returns to Rehoboth board". DelmarvaNow. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
  8. ↑ Cherry, Amy (October 26, 2015). "Rehoboth Beach Commissioner Kathy McGuiness hopes to be Delaware's next lieutenant governor". WDEL-FM . Archived from the original on October 27, 2015. Retrieved October 28, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Kathy McGuiness Sworn in as New DSU Board Member". Press Release. Delaware State University. January 19, 2017.
  10. ↑ Goebel, Taylor (November 21, 2018). "After election win, Kathy McGuiness to step down as Rehoboth commissioner". DelmarvaNow. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
  11. ↑ Goss, Scott (December 4, 2018). "Shake-up in Auditor's Office may not be last twist in prolonged drama". The News Journal.
  12. ↑ Hayes, Kevin (November 7, 2018). "First Dem in 28 years, 1st woman ever, McGuiness defeats Spadola for state auditor". WDEL 1150 AM.
  13. ↑ "State of Delaware General Election Official Results". Office of the State Election Commissioner. Dover, Delaware: Delaware Department of Elections. November 6, 2018. Archived from the original on December 22, 2018. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  14. ↑ "McGuiness sworn in as auditor of accounts". Cape Gazette. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
  15. ↑ Goss, Scott. "State Auditor Tom Wagner not seeking re-election amid health concerns". The News Journal.
  16. ↑ "State Auditor McGuiness indicted". Cape Gazette. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
  17. ↑ Wilson, Xerxes; Gamard, Sarah. "Delaware state Auditor Kathy McGuiness indicted on 2 felony charges". The News Journal.
  18. ↑ Chase, Randall (October 11, 2021). "Delaware State Auditor Kathleen McGuiness accused of nepotism, fraud, witness intimidation". 6abc Philadelphia. Associated Press. Archived from the original on October 12, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  19. ↑ "Delaware State Auditor McGuiness Turns Self in, Pleads Not Guilty to All Charges". WBOC. October 12, 2021.
  20. ↑ Gamard, Sarah; Wilson, Xerxes. "Trial date set for Delaware auditor corruption trial; lawmakers punt on removal for now". The News Journal.
  21. ↑ "GUILTY: State Auditor Kathy McGuiness convicted on three of five charges". July 2022.
  22. ↑ "Delaware auditor dodges felony charges, guilty of misconduct". The Washington Post .
  23. ↑ Chase, Randall (August 31, 2022). "Judge Upholds 2 of Delaware Auditor Kathy McGuiness' 3 Convictions". NBC10 Philadelphia. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
  24. ↑ Eichmann, Mark (October 20, 2022). "Delaware's new interim auditor is a throwback, Dennis Greenhouse first held the seat in 1982". WHYY. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  25. ↑ Barris, Cris (February 14, 2024). "Split decision for ex-auditor: Delaware justices uphold 1 conviction, reverse another". WHYY-FM .
  26. 1 2 3 "A Delaware auditor was convicted of corruption. Now she's running for state House". WHYY. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  27. ↑ Barrish, Cris (July 25, 2022). "Delaware House speaker won't join effort to oust auditor, calls it 'political theater'". WHYY-FM .
Political offices
Preceded by Auditor of Delaware
2019–2022		Succeeded by
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