Auditing firm's oversight questioned; R.B. Shore wants to know why $120,000 in missing funds went unnoticed.(B SECTION)

Byline: Jeffrey S. Solochek STAFF WRITER;

The Manatee County clerk of the Circuit Court on Tuesday said Ernst & Young should have found evidence almost a year ago that an employee may have embezzled $120,000 over a four-year period.

R.B. "Chips" Shore said he asked the private auditing firm for answers after Bradenton police arrested Dawn E. Marshall-Smith, 40, who unexpectedly resigned as assistant supervisor of elections June 25, effective July 16.

"I'm faxing them their contract and asking them to explain why they didn't do it. They may or may not have found it. If they had done the same kind of control check they did with my office, they would …