Controller subpoenas Register of Wills for documents to complete audit
Washington County’s Courthouse Square office building
James Roman
Washington County Controller April Sloane this week issued a subpoena to Register of Wills James Roman for documents in order to allow her to complete his office’s 2021 audit.
The subpoena was served to Roman by sheriff’s deputies at his office Tuesday requiring him to produce certain documents and “attend and testify” during a meeting with Sloane later this month to discuss undisclosed discrepancies.
It’s an unusual step for the controller’s office, which has subpoena power, although it hasn’t been utilized to obtain documents for an audit in at least 30 years. Both Sloane and Roman are Republicans serving their first terms in their respective county row offices.
Sloane said Thursday that she has been gathering documents in recent months for the annual Register of Wills audit when her office found “inconsistencies in prior years compared to documentation,” prompting them to request more information. Sloane said Roman blocked their request for more information in mid-January as they attempted to obtain the documents.
“Mr. Roman kicked us out of his office and tried to fire my audit manager … and told his office staff that we were denied access to his files,” she said.
That apparently prompted the subpoena requesting bank statements and other financial records from January 2021 through December 2022. It also requires Roman to personally attend a meeting in Sloane’s office March 15 to discuss the audit, or he could face fines and even imprisonment if he refuses to participate.
“I don’t know if he’s going to show up,” Sloane said. “I hope he does so this doesn’t become a thing that could be detrimental to the county, to the taxpayers and that kind of stuff.”
Roman blasted the subpoena and said he has been working with the controller’s office to produce any documents that have been requested.
“This is a 100% gross overreach by the current controller,” Roman said Thursday. “There’s been zero problems with the audit in my office.”
Roman produced email exchanges with an auditor in Sloane’s office in January that he said shows that he is cooperating with the audit. Additional emails dated from Wednesday indicated that Sloane’s auditor was permitted to review the requested documents after the subpoena was filed. Roman added that the annual state audit of his office was completed without issues.
“I’m doing everything I’m supposed to,” Roman said. “I’m just running into obstacles.”
However, Roman was non-committal to whether he would attend the meeting with Sloane in two weeks as required by the subpoena.
“There’s no need for me to (attend),” Roman said.
Sloane acknowledged that her office is now making progress as they work to complete the 2021 and 2022 audits for the Register of Wills and Orphans Court.
“He’s provided the documentation he needs to. He seems to be doing that now,” Sloane said. “It’s forced cooperation.”
Both the Register of Wills and Clerk of Courts audits are the two remaining offices that still have not had their audits completed as of Thursday. Meanwhile, audits for the district attorney’s drug forfeiture fund and Recorder of Deeds office were only completed recently. The slower process has delayed the overall county’s audit that should have been finished by September, meaning the books may have to be closed soon with incomplete information.
Sloane just completed her first year as county controller after winning election in 2021.