Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
SUNDANCE — On the instruction of Governor Mark Gordon, the Wyoming Attorney General’s Office has filed a civil case with District Court that could see County Treasurer Mary Kuhl removed from office.
The petition, signed by Wyoming Attorney General Bridget Hill on behalf of the State of Wyoming, cites the felony and misdemeanor charges that are pending against Kuhl and also accuses her of theft from the Crook County Treasurer’s Office vault.
The petition for Kuhl’s removal is based on a verified complaint filed by the county commissioners with the Governor’s Office on July 26, shortly after the charges against Kuhl appeared in Circuit Court. According to the case file, Governor Mark Gordon, “determined that it appears that Kuhl is guilty of misconduct or malfeasance in office.”
On August 9, Gordon directed Wyoming Attorney General Bridget Hill to commence a removal proceeding to seek Kuhl’s removal as county treasurer. The petition sent to District Court lists the four charges against Kuhl and the statutes each one violated: a felony count of unauthorized use of monies and three misdemeanors, including one count of official misconduct and two of issuing false certificate.
The petition also accuses Kuhl of theft from the office vault.
“Between March 2020 and July 19, 2021, $2400 of cash from a cash bag kept in the vault at the Crook County Treasurer’s Office went missing. Thereafter, the office’s employees began daily audits of the cash in the cash bag,” states the petition.
“On July 20, 2021, $100 from the cash bag went missing after Kuhl had been alone in the vault. On July 23, 2021, another $400 from the cash bag went missing after Kuhl had been alone in the vault.”
This, states the petition, violates the Wyoming State Statute that criminalizes theft.
According to state statutes, the official procedure following a verified complaint is for the governor to direct the attorney general to, “commence and prosecute an action in the district court of the county in which the officer is an official, asking for the removal of the officer.”
The action shall then be tried by the district court with or without a jury between five and 30 days after the defendant answers the petition. Kuhl was served a summons on August 20 that requires her to answer the petition within 20 days.
The case has been assigned to Judge John R. Perry.