SCRANTON, PA—The legal battle over the replacement of former Lackawanna County Commissioner Matt McGloin has escalated, with lawyers for Commissioner Bill Gaughan and the county filing an emergency petition with the state Supreme Court.
On Wednesday, the petition asked the Supreme Court to issue an emergency order that would prevent local county judges from interviewing and appointing candidates for the vacant commissioner seat and the clerk of courts position.
The appeal is the latest development in a series of legal filings following McGloin's resignation. It centers on a dispute over whether the Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas must adhere to the county’s home rule charter. The charter dictates that the court must choose a replacement from a list of three individuals recommended by the Lackawanna County Democratic Committee.
Last week the Lackawanna County board of elections voted to hold a special election for the Commissioner seat, which the Lackawanna County Democrat Committee is fighting in court. They call it an 'illegal election'.