Gov. J.B. Pritzker has ousted the second member of the Illinois State Police Merit Board in two weeks, moving to further overhaul an agency where its former finance officer is charged with theft.

       Bishop E.L. Warren of Quincy said on Monday that he received a call from the Democratic governor’s office late last week, telling him that the administration was looking to go in a different direction.

       Republicans immediately questioned whether the Democratic governor is overreaching into the agency that addresses State Police hiring, promotions and discipline.

       Gov. J.B. Pritzker after signing an executive order launching a public safety initiative to provide community-based solutions to prevent gun violence at the Breakthrough Urban Ministries FamilyPlex in Chicago on Nov. 1, 2021. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

       Warren, a Democrat, appointed during Pritzker’s tenure in 2019, was in a six-year term that was not due to expire until March 2025, according to a state website listing appointments. Warren is still listed as a board member on the site.

       “It totally surprised me,” Warren said.

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       The governor’s office had no immediate comment.

       Warren became the second member of the five-member board to lose his seat since Oct. 29, when Pritzker withdrew his request for the Senate to confirm a new term for Chairman Andrew Berlin, a Republican.

       The moves come on the heels of the board elevating Emily Fox from program director to executive director. Warren said he did not know if that had anything to do with the governor’s move.

       “I was told that my tenure was up with the merit board,” Warren said. “They just told me … effective this week, my services were no longer required, and they were going to look for somebody with a different” skill set.

       Warren said the administration said it would look for another spot for him, but he said he did not feel he had an option to contest his removal from the merit board.

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       “I have no idea what triggered it and why it was done,” said Warren, who serves as bishop at the Cathedral of Worship at Quincy.

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       Warren said he did not hear about any “displeasure” of his work from the administration.

       The merit board has faced turmoil over the last two years.

       Along with former financial officer Jenny Thornley being indicted on charges of theft, forgery and official misconduct in September, Thornley levied allegations of sexual assault against Jack Garcia, the executive director when they both worked there.

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       Just as Garcia was zeroing in on allegations that Thornley padded her paycheck with unauthorized overtime, Thornley reached out to top aides of the governor’s office with the sexual misconduct allegations in early 2020.

       Thornley, a volunteer in Pritzker’s 2018 campaign, even texted the governor’s wife about the sexual harassment allegations. The governor’s office previously said the first lady told Thornley the administration would handle the matter through established employment procedures.

       An outside investigation led by a former federal prosecutor concluded sufficient evidence existed to back up the allegations of theft against Thornley. But the investigation concluded insufficient evidence existed to support her allegations of sexual assault by Garcia — who denied the accusation.

       Garcia’s departure came after Democrats crafted legislation that would have made him ineligible to hold his post beginning next year.

       Under a law signed this year by Pritzker, former members of the Illinois State Police — such as Garcia — could not hold the position he held.

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       Democrats have maintained having a person with State Police experience on the board could create conflict of interest concerns with its duties.

       Fox succeeded Garcia, a former State Police deputy director who joined the merit board in 2017 and just recently left to become public safety director in southwest suburban Burbank.

       Republicans called foul Friday, calling for Pritzker to explain how his moves will affect what is supposed to be an independent board.

       “For two months, voters and legislators have been waiting on answers to very reasonable questions sent to the governor and other legislative leaders on the administration’s involvement in this board,” said Senate Minority Leader Dan McConchie, R-Hawthorn Woods. “We’ve now seen one former employee and Pritzker campaign operative indicted on corruption, and questionable efforts to remove the executive director via late-night legislation at the Capitol.

       “We now have two other officials who have been removed from their positions in different ways, and the governor still refuses to address the mounting questions of what is going on and the extent of his involvement in these firings,” McConchie said.

       rlong@chicagotribune.com

       Twitter @RayLong

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