In a recent government meeting, significant concerns were raised regarding the handling of a criminal investigation by the district attorney's office, particularly in relation to a flawed audit and subsequent charges against a former executive director of the League of Cities and Towns. The discussion centered on an audit released in January 2017, which alleged improper credit card use by the executive director, including unsubstantiated claims of personal expenditures related to family events.

The audit's findings were called into question, with claims that the investigation relied heavily on incomplete and misleading information. It was noted that the audit failed to meet the standards required for a criminal investigation, as acknowledged by both the state auditor and the accountant involved. The district attorney's office proceeded to file criminal charges based on this flawed audit, which included questionable witness interviews, particularly with an elderly mayor who was reportedly suffering from dementia at the time.

Further scrutiny revealed that the DA's office included charges based on credit card expenses that were mischaracterized, with evidence suggesting that many of these expenditures were legitimate business expenses or gifts, rather than personal use. The investigation faced significant delays, attributed to high turnover within the DA's office, which saw numerous prosecutors resign during the case's duration.

Ultimately, after nearly five and a half years, the DA's office dropped all charges in April 2023, admitting that no victims had been identified throughout the investigation. The case has raised serious questions about the integrity of the investigative process and the standards upheld by the district attorney's office, highlighting the need for accountability and thoroughness in public sector investigations.