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The Washington State Patrol launched a lengthy investigation into Reardon at the request of the Snohomish County Prosecutor after Tamara Dutton, a county employee, went public with allegations that she and the executive had a six-year affair. (97.3 KIRO File)

No charges against Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon

BY MyNorthwest.com  on June 13, 2012 @ 12:08 pm (Updated: 3:01 pm - 6/14/12 )

The Island County Prosecutor announced Wednesday that he will not file charges against Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon, who was accused of carrying out an affair with public money.

Prosecutor Gregory M. Banks said there was "insufficient evidence."

On Thursday, Banks told 97.3 KIRO-FM's Dori Monson that "it sure appeared" Reardon had an affair, but said there was no proof Reardon had criminal intent when he spent taxpayer money on his mistress.

The Washington State Patrol launched a lengthy investigation into Reardon at the request of the Snohomish County Prosecutor after Tamara Dutton, a county employee, went public with allegations that she and the executive had a six-year affair.

Dutton claimed Reardon took her on business trips, during which he conducted little to no official business. She speculated that Reardon paid for travel expenses with his county credit card.

"Even the complaining witness had doubts about who was paying for Mr. Reardon's travel, whether Mr. Reardon paid for meals and lodging using a county or personal credit card," Banks said. "She did not know whether Mr. Reardon reimbursed the county for personal expenses that were put on a county credit card."

Banks said that if done in a timely matter, Snohomish County employees are allowed to reimburse the county for personal expenses wrongly charged to the county.

Among those expenses was a hotel "intimacy kit," that Reardon purchased on his county credit card. The kit reportedly included condoms and personal lubricant.

Banks said Reardon later transferred the charge to his personal account, and there is no proof he bought it with the intention to steal money from the public.

"It would be nearly impossible - unless Mr. Reardon confessed to trying to steal the $50 or so that it was for the kit - to prove that that was his intent," Banks said.

MyNorthwest.com, Staff report
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Comments (9)


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  • xplanes wrote...
    Well, was there or wasn't there?
    June 13, 2012 1:11 pm
    "Even the complaining witness wasn't sure" who paid for the expenses or if there was reimbursement made witting the allowed time. I want to know if The Island County Prosecutor has that answer. The article says he found insufficient evidence based on the above statement? As a prosecutor he should have looked for records of expense claims and reimbursements and said either there was no use of public funds or there was. I'm sick of lazy reporting and lazy lawyers. Plea bargains to avoid having to do the hard work of gathering and presenting evidence. Giving up the death penalty for serial killers for the same reason. Another mark in the win collumn for doing nothing but being irresponsible with the duty the public char
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  • Dark Jedi wrote...
    All those cell phone calls are not documented?
    June 13, 2012 1:55 pm
    I smell cover up. Once again, a politicans wines and dines on our dime, spits in our face, laughs and gets away with it.
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  • CG58 wrote...
    What???
    June 13, 2012 11:17 pm
    You have absolutely no proof or set of facts to back up your allegation, in fact, the only facts controvert your assumption of a cover-up. Please, get a life so you can start missing some of these conspiracy theories.
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  • oldreliable wrote...
    nonsense
    June 13, 2012 2:28 pm
    sorry this guy is pond scum ... if he had any decency, which he doesnt ... he would resign ... PIG
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  • soo purletiv wrote...
    Insufficient or NO evidence
    June 13, 2012 2:44 pm
    Either he paid it back or he didn't. How hard is that to figure out?

    If the s l u t, I mean slime, I mean Executive paid the money back to the county why would there be "insufficient evidence" instead of NO evidence?

    If he did pay it back, yes move on. Let the voters decide whether he keeps his position next time around. But if he broke the law, it must be pursued.......

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  • murr wrote...
    Yep I have to not agree
    June 13, 2012 4:51 pm
    From this day forward I will always think he is pond scum also. You just know why they wont go into his cell phone bills, They are ALL paid by tax dollars and are ALL guilty of abuse every one of them. If they say anything else, I will call them a lier PEROID
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  • CH wrote...
    He carried out an affair with public money . . . .
    June 14, 2012 6:06 am
    no file charges against Snohomish County Executive Aaron? Looks like another trip to los vagas. Two hoes this time. Please don't look at your tax bill, it's not the only thing going up[he he].
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