Eyes turn to possible Luzerne County DA candidates

Now that the Luzerne County Election Board has voted to place the district attorney race on the November ballot, the obvious question is whether any Democrat is interested.

County Manager C. David Pedri has been widely named as a possibility by both county workers and political observers for weeks, but he has not verified any plans.

Pedri said Thursday he has no official statement at this time and declined further comment on the topic.

“At this moment I am focused on keeping residents safe by setting up a vaccination site and on other duties as county manager,” Pedri said, referring to a mass coronavirus vaccine site that will be open two days next week at the Mohegan Sun Pocono Casino in Plains Township.

Pedri would have to make a sacrifice to run because he must resign under the county’s home rule charter.

The manager cannot file a petition for nomination or election or become a candidate for any elective public office unless he/she first resigns, the charter says.

County Councilman Walter Griffith already had raised the question in a March 15 email to council, Pedri and county attorneys related to the DA vacancy, asking if Pedri is planning to seek the DA post. Griffith said Thursday he has not yet received a reply affirming or denying the manager’s intentions.

The November general election DA candidates are still unknown.

The county Democratic and Republican party organizations will each have the option to choose a DA contender to appear on the November ballot because it’s too late to add candidates to the upcoming May 18 primary ballot for voters to select nominees.

Current DA Sam Sanguedolce would be the likely Republican party choice. Previously the first assistant DA, Sanguedolce was automatically appointed to fill the post March 25, when Stefanie Salavantis resigned because she is running for county judge.

County Democratic Party Chairwoman Kathy Bozinski said Thursday she expects to have details early next week on how and when party leaders will seek and interview applicants for the nomination.

County Republican Party Chairman Justin Behrens has said the party’s executive committee will select a DA nominee to run on the general election ballot if necessary, but he disagreed with the legal interpretation that the race must appear on the November ballot and planned to consult with attorneys.

The election board was asked to decide on the timing of the DA race because a new statute says the first assistant DA serves “until the first Monday in January following the next municipal election occurring not less than 90 days after the occurrence of the vacancy.”

Municipal elections are held every two years, including 2021.

County Assistant Solicitor Michael Butera argued the race cannot be on the ballot until the 2023 primary because nominees must be selected through a primary in a municipal election year. However, Attorney Joseph M. Cosgrove, who was retained by the county Office of Law to provide an opinion, took a position the new statute requires the DA race to be on the ballot this November because it is the next municipal election.

County Chief Solicitor Romilda Crocamo agreed with Cosgrove’s interpretation.

Sanguedolce said he would review the board’s decision with legal counsel. He said he is “more than happy to run” if a November election is the “correct legal determination.” If it’s not, Sanguedolce said he can’t “ignore the law in light of the oath I’ve taken.”

Crocamo said Thursday she is researching the law to determine if there is a legal deadline to challenge the election board’s decision.

Unless a court gets involved and orders otherwise, Bozinski said her party will proceed with the “marching orders” it received from the election board to select a nominee.

If Pedri ends up seeking and obtaining the party’s nomination, the county must undertake the arduous process of selecting a manager that stretched to six months after Robert Lawton, the first non-interim manager under home rule, submitted his resignation the end of November 2015.

Council began by publicly interviewing citizens interested in serving on a search committee and then picking five. Required by the charter, the committee must seek, screen and conduct initial interviews of manager applicants before recommending finalists to council for its consideration.

Next, council interviewed employees interested in serving as interim manager during the lengthy search process and appointed Pedri in the temporary role around the time Lawton left in January 2016.

After the search committee wrapped up its work, council interviewed two finalists — a third withdrew — and selected Pedri in May 2016.

At least seven of the 11 council members — a majority plus one — must approve the manager for the hiring to take effect, according to the charter.

Formerly the county’s chief solicitor, Pedri, 41, of Butler Township, also has operated a private family law practice and worked as deputy county district attorney.

When Lawton had recommended Pedri for chief solicitor in 2013, he said Pedri worked as an assistant district attorney and deputy district attorney in the county for seven years, participating in more than 40 trials and attaining a 95% conviction rate.

Under Pedri’s four-year employment agreement approved by council in September 2018, he must provide a 30-day notice if he resigns. His 2021 compensation was set at $137,333 in that agreement, with a 2% raise that would increase the salary to $140,080 in 2022.