Councilwoman claims verbal attack by Harhai
By KRISTIE LINDEN
klinden@yourmvi.com
Monessen Councilwoman Lois Thomas claims she was verbally attacked by city Administrator John Harhai during an executive session last week.
At Tuesday’s council meeting, Thomas said Harhai accused her of going with former city Solicitor Joe Dalfonso to meet with Westmoreland County Court of Common Pleas President Judge Rita Hathaway one day before Thomas was appointed by Hathaway and an en banc panel to fulfill the remainder of the late Ron Chiaravalle’s term in 2018.
Thomas said Harhai’s accusation “was and is a bold-faced lie.”
Harhai barely looked up from his papers where he seemed to be making notations, except when Thomas referred to the claim as a lie — then he looked toward her briefly before returning his gaze back to his papers. Harhai did not deny making the accusation or having the verbal confrontation with Thomas.
“I had never personally met or sat down with any of the judges who were on the Court of Common Pleas at that time,” Thomas said. “I guess it was hard to believe that I, a relative unknown in the political sector, and an African-American would come out victorious over the others who were present.”
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