Attorney Peter Paul Olszewski Jr. won’t be billing Luzerne County for legal representation his firm provided to County Manager Romilda Crocamo and County councilman John Lombardo related to private criminal complaints that were filed against them and closed with no charges filed.
Crocamo told the council Thursday Olszewski was waiving any fees “as a courtesy to the county.”
Olszewski said Thursday he and Rachel D. Olszewski, of his firm Scartelli Olszewski, performed research and other work regarding the complaints, but have decided the firm won’t be submitting a bill.
“We did it to help good government,” he said, adding that he believes Crocamo “is a terrific county manager who deserves a lot of accolades.”
County Council members Chris Belles and Joanna Bryn Smith filed the complaints April 7, alleging state Sunshine Act violations over closed-door meetings of the commission that recommends opioid settlement fund awards to the council for its consideration.
Belles and Bryn Smith both filed complaints against Lombardo, who had been filling a council-appointed seat on the commission. Belles also filed a complaint against Crocamo, who had served as commission chair.
County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce, a commission member, forwarded the matter to the state Attorney General’s Office, which recently closed the matter without further action due to “insufficient evidence to support any prosecutable charges outlined in the criminal complaints.”
Created by the council in 2023, the Commission on Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement had taken the position that its meetings were not public, based on case law, because it is advisory and not a decision-making body, with public council approval required for all earmarks.
However, the commission agreed to meet publicly before the criminal complaints were filed, starting with its April 1 meeting, because Council member Denise Williams and several other council members challenged that interpretation.
Olszewski had said the “baseless” criminal complaints had “zero legal merit” and were “yet another example of an ill-conceived attempt to weaponize the criminal justice system for political gain.”
He reiterated that position Thursday.
“Doesn’t basic decency among public officials require communication and working to resolve things?” he asked.
Bryn Smith has issued a statement indicating she stands by her action.
“Despite the AG’s decision, the most important issue is that transparency won the day,” she said.
Bryn Smith said the holding of more than 40 closed meetings “that involved secretly directing millions of dollars should not be taken lightly or easily forgotten.”
“I remain committed to continue in the path of transparency and positive change for the lives of all of Luzerne County residents,” she said.