Lackawanna County Commissioner Domenick signals reelection bid amid political troubles

Jan. 30—In 2019, Lackawanna County Commissioner Patrick O'Malley plucked attorney Debi Domenick out of political obscurity and named her his commissioner running mate for the Democratic primary election.

She won and he lost. But four years later, Domenick faces a difficult reelection because of her involvement with the Lackawanna County Prison as a commissioner and before.

The prison, which has coughed up an endless supply of controversy for two decades, damaged the reelection hopes of other commissioners, and may claim Domenick as its next political victim.

On Thursday, Domenick registered a political action committee, Friends of Debi Domenick, signaling her intent to seek reelection this year, but a year of prison-related turmoil casts doubt on her chances at serving beyond next January.

"Because of all the negative press she has received, her chances of ever winning again are slim at best," said former Dunmore Councilman Paul Nardozzi, a longtime observer of local politics.

As well-intentioned as Domenick, a former assistant public defender and defense lawyer, may have been when she pushed to upgrade the prison's drug and alcohol abuse treatment, her aggressive day-to-day involvement there blew up on her and broke into public view.

Last February, the prison board voted 6 to 1 — Domenick dissented — to adopt an operations and management policy leaving day-to-day operations largely up to Warden Tim Betti. The policy formally established a chain of command that alters how board members communicate with the warden.

"The whole purpose, in my opinion, of this policy is basically just to strip the commissioners — more specifically me since I'm the only commissioner who actually takes interest in the prison and has since day one — of any power," Domenick told the board.

During the same meeting, District Attorney Mark Powell posed the question that eventually shoved the new policy to the background and highlighted Domenick's deep involvement at the prison.

"But Commissioner Domenick did you have a key to the prison?" Powell asked.

"I did," Domenick said.

Domenick said she lost it, found it and never got another one after prison officials changed the lock because they found out she had a key. She also claimed she never used it.

No one had ever heard of a commissioner with a key to the prison.

The key only opened the prison's main door, but unlocked a world of trouble because Domenick has repeatedly said she can't remember who gave it to her.

A private investigation the prison board ordered couldn't determine that either, but a few months later Powell found out Domenick demanded to see his and other emails about an investigation into Deputy Warden of Treatment Krista Purvis, who had worked with Domenick in the public defender's office.

Domenick advocated for Purvis' hiring, despite Purvis lacking a serious background in substance abuse treatment. Purvis was eventually fired for allegedly smuggling contraband into the prison for an inmate, though Domenick's lawyer said it was a wedding band and crucifix.

Around the same time, Powell launched an investigation into who deleted a record of Domenick's imprisonment on Aug. 19, 1995, for an arrest when she was 21 years old. Domenick, 49, denied having anything to do with the deletion. Powell announced this week his office couldn't determine with "requisite certainty" who deleted the record.

Domenick hasn't explained the arrest for disorderly conduct, simple assault and resisting arrest either, even though she has no criminal record and voters might forgive an arrest from her younger days. Attempts to reach her were unsuccessful.

Commissioner Jerry Notarianni forced the termination of their joint campaign committee last summer, splitting up its remaining $12,000, to seek reelection without her. That may point to what he thinks of her reelection chances.

Domenick's lack of candor — whether real or perceived — won't help her chances, but county Democratic Party chairman Chris Patrick isn't so sure the last year means Domenick can't win.

"From what I've seen, there were several missteps," Patrick said. "But I think she also had some good intentions along the way, on some of the things she was pushing for, and trying to get accomplished. The way I always look at this, any incumbent in a race always has to be taken seriously. ... As of right now, as far as we know, there's three men ... in the race. She would be the only female in the race. Whether that matters or not, I don't know. It kind of seems women in politics seem to matter a lot (lately)."

At the same time, Patrick, who hasn't spoken to Domenick in a long time, acknowledges he hasn't seen her out campaigning either. He also points out she must raise sufficient money and develop a campaign network. By reputation, Domenick, a single mom with a young son, does not like the political stuff, raising money and attending political and non-political events to engage voters. That contrasts sharply with the announced Democratic commissioner candidates, Notarianni, Bill Gaughan and Matt McGloin.

"Last time she ran, she had Pat's whole network, O'Malley's whole network," Patrick said. "That's not there now."

Domenick can run on a record that includes backing the long-overdue reassessment, opposing a property tax increase and changes at the prison, many of which have survived. Critics will certainly raise the questions she hasn't answered, but Patrick was getting at others Domenick must answer if she's to avoid the fate of O'Malley, her former running mate.

If, amid all the commotion she put herself through, she hasn't prepared for a hotly contested race before now, why does she want four more years of this?

Voters will want to know.

Contact the writer: bkrawczeniuk@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9147; @BorysBlogTT on Twitter.