SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The head of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library was fired Tuesday, just days after it came to light that he had twice been arrested for shoplifting.
Director Rick Beard was placed on administrative leave last week after The (Springfield) State Journal-Register reported his arrests for stealing DVDs and neckties, but he continued to receive his salary.
Gov. Rod Blagojevich formally fired him on Tuesday. Beard was notified by telephone, said Dave Blanchette, spokesman for the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.
No one answered at the Springfield listing for Beard. He has pleaded not guilty to the most recent shoplifting charge.
Jan Grimes, director of the Historic Preservation Agency, will run the Lincoln museum and library temporarily.
In addition, former Historic Preservation Director Robert Coomer will fill in for Beard at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation, the not-for-profit group that raises money to support the library.
Beard made nearly $250,000 a year as director of the museum and the foundation.
He was charged in August with trying to steal $40 worth of DVDs from a Springfield Target.
And he was charged with misdemeanor theft last year after being caught allegedly trying to steal $300 worth of neckties at a Springfield shopping mall. He received six months of supervision in that case.
Beard, 61, has pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges stemming from the August arrest.
Blanchette said museum officials had no inkling of problems when Beard was hired nearly two years ago.
"He passed the vetting procedure with flying colors," Blanchette said at a Capitol news conference. "He was a great candidate at that time."