Lawrence Co. joins lawsuit against Treasurer Felasco
A court hearing on the matter was planned for this morning.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR PENNSYLVANIA STAFF
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Lawrence County has joined in the civil lawsuit against the county's embattled treasurer.
County Solicitor John Hodge said he filed a motion Monday morning in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court to have the county join the civil lawsuit filed by Lawrence County District Attorney Matt Mangino.
Mangino contends that Treasurer Gary Felasco has abandoned his office and is now living with his wife and children in Ohio. Mangino is seeking to remove Felasco from office.
Hodge said joining the civil lawsuit will allow the county to ask the court to withhold Felasco's paycheck.
Accusation
The paycheck has been an ongoing county issue since Felasco was arrested by the Pennsylvania State Police in early September and accused of taking more than $40,000 from his office for personal use.
County commissioners voted shortly after his arrest to put the treasurer's pay in an escrow account until his criminal charges are resolved. But county Controller Mary Ann Reiter paid Felasco earlier this month on the advice of her solicitor that only a court order can stop Felasco's pay.
Hodge said joining the civil suit and asking the judge to hold Felasco's pay will solve the county's problem.
But Mangino is worried the county's action will slow down his court action.
"I want to see this move along as quickly as possible, and any action that is going to stop Gary Felasco from getting paid, I'm all for it," he said.
An excuse
But Mangino is concerned that Felasco's attorneys will use the county's intervention as an excuse to have the suit put on hold. He said Felasco's attorneys have twice been denied when they asked the court to stop the civil proceedings until the criminal charges are resolved.
The matter was expected to be argued in front of visiting Judge Michael Wherry this morning in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court.
cioffi@vindy.com