Illinois State Fair Managers Fined For Ethics Violations

(CBS) -- A state commission has fined managers of both of Illinois' State Fairs for ethics violations over beer tickets, reports WBBM's Nancy Harty.

Illinois State Fair manager Amy Bliefnick has accepted at least $100 worth of beer tickets each year from a vendor for the last nine years, according to the State Executive Ethics Commission and more than $540 worth last year.

Executive Inspector General spokesman David Morrison says former DuQuoin Fair manager John Rednour, Jr. was also found to have violated the state's ethics act.

"Talking to the vendors, talking to those two individuals and determined that they had in fact solicited gifts that they should not have asked for," said Morrison.

The State Executive Ethics Commission found Rednour, Jr. asked for between $4000-$8,000 worth of beer tickets from a vendor in 2012. He no longer runs the DuQuoin Fair.

Rednour was fined $5,000 and Bliefnick was fined $1,000.