A present and a former regional superintendent of schools in Will County entered pleas of not guilty Thursday to more than 50 counts each of official misconduct.
Raymond Gornik, the present superintendent, and Matthew Racich, who held the office for three terms before he was defeated in an election by Gornik, were indicted last week by a county grand jury for misusing money intended for the training of teachers and bus drivers.
The indictments came one day after both men were eliminated in primary election races for the school post. They are charged with using money from the fund to buy tickets to sports events, pay consulting fees to relatives and make charitable donations.
Circuit Judge Michael Orenic set trial dates of May 29 for Racich and July 2 for Gornik.
