Chicago City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin facing $60K fine for ethics violations

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Chicago Board of Ethics is seeking to fine City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin $60,000 for violating the city's ethics rules by misusing city resources for personal benefit.

Under the city's ethics rules, Conyears-Ervin was not named in the board's report, but sources confirmed the treasurer was the subject of the findings.

In a unanimous vote on Monday, the board found Conyears-Ervin committed 12 violations of the city's Governmental Ethics Ordinance "arising out of the official's appearance at church services where the official engaged in partisan political activities but used City resources and property in the course of and to in preparation for those services."

The vote follows an investigation by Chicago Inspector General Deborah Witzburg's office that found she violated the ethics ordinance by misappropriating city resources for unauthorized purposes by directing an employee to use their city time to further personal goals.

The board voted to pursue a fine of $5,000 for each violation, or $60,000 in total. If the board and Conyears-Ervin cannot settle the matter within 60 days, the board could seek an administrative hearing to levy the fine against her.

Conyears-Ervin spokesman Brian Berg said, "No one has yet been officially notified about the fines related to the ethics charges, therefore we are unable to comment at this time."

The treasurer is facing a separate Ethics Board probe involving allegations she violated the city's whistleblower protections by firing two employees who raised concerns about her misuse of city property for personal reasons.

The board is seeking more information on that case from Witzburg's office and could vote on that matter at its next meeting in May.