Election fallout from Centre County legal scandal
A year after explosive corruption allegations brought statewide attention to Centre County's courthouse, the first official fallout has come from the ballot box.
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A year after explosive corruption allegations brought statewide attention to Centre County's courthouse, the first official fallout has come from the ballot box.
Voters in the Pennsylvania county last week ousted the commissioner whose bitter feud with the district attorney resulted in several lawsuits against the county.
District Attorney Stacy Parks-Miller is suing the commissioners, county staff, and several attorneys, charging defamation after a series of allegations that she forged a judge's signature and violated ethics rules. A grand jury found no evidence to charge her.
Two judges also have sued over the county's releasing their cellphone records, which are being used in criminal appeals and Right-to-Know lawsuits.
Chris Exarchos, the Republican commissioner who had been most critical of Parks-Miller, a Democrat, lost his seat by more than 900 votes, according to preliminary returns.
The board will switch to Democratic control, led by Michael Pipe and running mate Mark Higgins, a business-turnaround specialist.
Greg Stewart, who chairs the Centre County Democratic Committee, said Pipe and Higgins campaigned on transparency and reform, but never referenced the courthouse controversy.
"Everybody knew that past history," he said. "It was time for a change. We didn't really have to come out and say why."
Exarchos said that although the dispute with Parks-Miller probably played a role in his ouster, he harbored no ill feelings.
"I and this board did what we had to do," he said. "The voters . . . decided to go in a different direction."
Pipe, who previously called for the board to fire the solicitor who had advised them to get involved with the Parks-Miller allegations in January, said that any personnel changes would be made by the full board and discussed in open session.
Voters also selected Katherine Oliver, a civil litigator from State College, to replace County Court Judge Bradley P. Lunsford. Lunsford had been accused of inappropriate communications with prosecutors and did not seek another term.
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