Former State’s Attorney Brian Towne says the way current State’s Attorney Karen Donnelly treated him is something you’d expect under a totalitarian government, not here. She lost a court case in which Towne was accused of misusing county funds for personal reasons. Now Towne is accusing her of civil rights violations and persecuting him in a vendetta because when he was the State’s Attorney, he prosecuted her son.
Towne’s also naming as defendants First Assistant State’s Attorney George Mueller, former prosecutor Brian Vescogni, current prosecutor Matt Kidder, and Ottawa police detective Dave Gualandri. Another LaSalle County prosecutor, one current Ottawa police officer, and a retired officer are named as people who might be sued later. For now, they’re named as people Towne’s lawyers want evidence and information from.
The suit says for two years, Towne’s life was hell while Donnelly acted out on a grudge and the people investigating him withheld information in his favor. Towne also accuses Det. Gualandri of acting on a grudge because Towne didn’t prosecute someone Gualandri believed should have been charged with a crime.
Towne’s suit says to avoid the appearance of bias, Donnelly could have asked the Attorney General and prosecutors from other counties to consider charges of wrongdoing against him. Or she could have asked a judge to take the lead in naming a special prosecutor. But, according to the complaint, Donnelly and the others “expended and wasted time, energy, and taxpayer resources in pursuing this personal and political vendetta.”
The federal suit filed Monday doesn’t state a specific damage amount. Ottawa Police Chief Brent Roalson told WCMY his department would have no comment on the case. Donnelly says her predecessor’s lawsuit against her is a dirty trick.
Donnelly says the lawsuit Brian Towne filed Monday is full of scurrilous lies and will be campaign fodder for voters who don’t understand that anyone can allege anything in a lawsuit. She says the case will give her and her team of prosecutors a chance to prove that Towne criminally misused public funds. Her statement, given via Facebook, brings up the defunct State’s Attorney Felony Enforcement Team, which has led to lawsuits and a lot of money spent defending the county. And she says the lawsuit is aimed at swinging the upcoming election in favor of Todd Martin, who’s running against Donnelly and who used to be a top prosecutor under Towne when he held the office.
When Donnelly ran against Towne in 2016, Towne lost his reelection bid at the end of his second term as State’s Attorney.
This story was updated with Karen Donnelly’s statement.
Karen Donnelly and Brian Towne