Where's Tony? — Part II.

Champaign County Auditor Tony Fabri very much wants to be an elected official. But it's pretty clear that he has no interest in doing the work required of an elected office.

That's why Fabri — once again — has been caught spending inordinate amounts of time away from the office. It was just two years ago that Fabri was first caught engaging in extended absences from the auditor's office.

He was then fresh from a November 2008 election to a four-year term as auditor, a post that pays in excess of $80,000 a year. The News-Gazette reported that Fabri rarely used the telephone in his office, which conformed with other elected officials' claims that Fabri rarely showed up for work.

At the time, Fabri, indignantly and incredibly, denied the clear import of the telephone records. But a follow-up check has revealed that Fabri once again is missing in action. The News-Gazette learned that Fabri used his office phone just 18 times between July 1, 2010, and June 30, 2011. That compares to other elected county officeholders who used their phones between 251 times and 2,318 times during the same period.

Fabri again brazenly denies any suggestion that he's not doing his job. While conceding he is "not always" at the office, he said he's "proud" of his record.

But no one is rushing to Fabri's rescue. Last time, many Democratic loyalists, while privately expressing dismay, refrained from being critical. This time, Fabri's fellow Democrats are notably silent in his defense.

County Board Chairman C. Pius Weibel's comments suggest he's given up trying to get Fabri to at least go through the motions of doing his job.

"... All we can do is bark, and you know how successful that's been," Weibel said.

Another Democratic board member, Brendan McGinty, who often has been at odds with Fabri, calls the situation "an embarrassment."

Fabri's chief deputy, Carol Wadleigh, could have confirmed either Fabri's presence or absence from the office. But she declined comment, and it's not hard to figure out why.

Meanwhile, Republicans are having a field day with Fabri's absences.

It's hard to imagine his attendance is going to improve anytime soon — or even whether it matters if it does.

Fabri is the auditor in name only, and the office seems to be running fairly well without him.

But he owes the public both contrition and an explanation. Instead, Fabri denies the obvious and brags about his job performance. He'll have a tough time selling that to voters in 2012, if he dares.