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Pocono News Section
High Ranking Luzerne Co. Official Resigns
High Ranking Luzerne Co. Official Resigns - Monday, February 23, 2009 at 4:50PM EST
Reported by: Andy Mehalshick
Monday, Feb 23, 2009 @ 04:50pm EST
WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY- A high ranking Luzerne County official has abruptly turned in her resignation. It comes as federal investigators continue their probe into corruption at the courthouse.
Eyewitness News has confirmed that Luzerne County Prothonatary Jill Moran will resign. The governor’s office confirms that she sent them a letter saying she would step down from her position.
Moran says she is resigning effective March 13th, because the circumstances in the Luzerne County Courthouse are making her presence in the office a distraction. She says she is resigning so that the office may continue to operate effectively.
The circumstances she is talking about are of course the ongoing federal probe into corruption at the courthouse. Four officials have been charged, including county Judges Mark Ciavarealla and Michael Conahan, Court Administrator William Sharkey, Sr. and most recently Probation Supervisor Sandy Brulo.
Moran has not been charged in that investigation, but she is the law partner of Attorney Robert Powell of Butler Township. He also has not been charged, but has been mentioned in the probes involving Ciavarella and Conahan.
He was one of the owners of a child care center at the focus of a “kids for cash” scheme. Powell insists he was being extorted by the judges for money in connection with the operation of that center.
The I-Team has learned that Moran has been questioned in that federal investigation, but has not been charged.
We spoke to her last week about the ongoing investigation. All she would say then is she is in her office making sure the work of the people gets done. She would not comment on any investigation. She was not in the office on Monday.
The governor’s office will have to name a replacement.
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