Halcovage impeachment process restarted in House

Jul. 7—A legislative committee has restarted the process toward possible impeachment of Schuylkill County Commissioner George F. Halcovage Jr.

The Judiciary Committee of the House of Representatives voted 21-0 Friday on House Resolution 44, which now goes to the full House for approval.

"I think we are all eager to finish what we started last session," Rep. Paul Schemel, R-90, Franklin County, a committee member and former chair, said Friday.

Rep. Matthew D. Bradford, D-70, Montgomery County, as majority leader, would bring the resolution to the House floor. He was unavailable for comment Friday.

With the House's approval, the Judiciary Committee would put the resolution in the hands of its Subcommittee on Courts.

HR 44 is similar to HR 99 introduced in the prior session that empowered the Judiciary Committee to act. It took from May to November 2021 before the House acted on the committee's approval of the resolution.

Before Friday's vote, the new resolution was amended by the Judiciary Committee to include language saying the Subcommittee on Courts will submit a final report and recommendations to the full committee within nine months of the adoption of the resolution, or request an extension that would not go beyond the end of the current legislative session in November 2024.

The subcommittee's work on HR 99 came to an end with the legislative session this past November.

Rep. Tim Twardzik, R-123, Butler Twp., who took a call from the House floor Friday, said he was "pleased" that Judiciary Committee Chairman Tim Briggs, D-149, Montgomery County, has taken the matter seriously.

"It's important to let the investigation come to its conclusion and the process to provide justice for all the parties," Twardzik said.

Briggs could not be reached for comment Friday.

Sen. David G. Argall, R-29, Rush Twp., said Friday, "I'm glad to see the process is moving forward."

Schuylkill County Republican Party Chairman Howard Merrick said Halcovage should understand the will of the voters and legislators.

"In May of this year, the voters determined that George should leave office, and a bipartisan group of legislators on the Judiciary Committee determined by a 21-0 vote that it's basically time for George to leave office. It's time for George to resign," Merrick said.

Halcovage was the second lowest vote-getter among eight Republican candidates for commissioner in the May primary, so his current third term ends this year.

Halcovage was accused of sexual harassment and assault in a federal lawsuit filed in March 2021 by four county employees. The prior June, the county solicitor and human resources office found that Halcovage violated county policies on sexual harassment, conduct and discipline and said he would be fired if he were not an elected official. The only means of removing him from office is through impeachment.

Gerard J. Geiger, Halcovage's attorney, was not available for comment Friday. Halcovage did not return a call seeking comment.

The prior resolution, introduced in May 2021, was approved in a 200-0 vote by the full House in November of that year.

The six members of the Subcommittee on Courts collected testimony and held several hearings in 2022.

On Sept. 19, they voted 5-1 to issue a referral to the state Attorney General's Office, citing information they deemed "of a criminal nature," and voted unanimously to authorize more subpoenas.

The panel, while intending to complete its probe before the session ended, announced in October it needed more time.

That required action to restart the process in the new session.

Along with Twardzik as prime sponsor, HR 44 is also sponsored by other representatives whose districts include Schuylkill County: Jamie Barton, R-124, East Brunswick Twp.; Joanne Stehr, R-107, Hegins; and Dane Watro, R-116, Kline Twp.

The new legislative session overall began slowly after a Democratic speaker, Rep. Mark Rozzi, D-126, Berks County, was elected despite Republican control. Rozzi then adjourned the House for nearly a month over the political upheaval regarding his appointment and lack of agreement on rules governing the House.

There are 21 members on the House Judiciary Committee: 12 Democrats and nine Republicans.

Briggs said previously the reconstituted subcommittee would have four Democrats and two Republicans because of the Democratic majority.

The subcommittee could request that information gathered from the last legislative session be used if the committee is reauthorized.

However, members also might want to do their own investigation, Briggs said.

If the committee finds Halcovage engaged in "impeachable" conduct, articles of impeachment can be prepared.

If he is impeached by the House, the state Senate would conduct a trial. If two-thirds of the 50 senators vote for conviction, Halcovage would be removed from office.

Contact the writer: amarchiano@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6023