A group of Republican lawmakers — and one politically targeted Democrat — are calling on Illinois Auditor General Frank Mautino to take an unpaid leave of absence while he is undergoing a federal investigation of his campaign spending while he was a state lawmaker.



The Republicans, led by Rep. Grant Wehrli, of Naperville, seized on a letter written this week by Democratic Sen. Laura Murphy, of Park Ridge, who asked Mautino to step aside.



"Once the probe is complete and only after the cloud over your office has lifted would it be appropriate for you to return to work as auditor general," Murphy wrote.