Noxubee County’s Chancery Clerk Mary Washington has been issued a demand for $38,555.78 from special agents from the Mississippi Office of the State Auditor.
The demand comes after Washington donated nearly $20,000 in public funds that were intended for office expenses to multiple local churches. State Auditor Shad White said the illegal charitable donations took place from January 2010 to December 2012 and the demand includes interest and investigative costs.
“It should go without saying that you can’t use taxpayers’ money to pay your tithe to your church,” White said. “Elected officials have to use common sense. If you or an organization you belong to is benefitting from your position in the government, and the taxpayers are paying for it, odds are you are doing something wrong. We’re going to continue to make sure money like this is repaid to the taxpayers and officials are held responsible.”
