After PFA, Miccarelli stays away from Harrisburg
Fellow lawmaker, a former girfriend, claiming she is threatened by his presence
As the state Legislature returned to the state Capitol Monday, one embattled local representative was left working out of his district office.
State Rep. Nick Miccarelli, R-162 of Ridley Park, did not go to the Capitol in Harrisburg after fellow state Rep. Tarah Toohil, R-116 of Luzerne County, went to court and got a temporary restraining order against him last week.
Toohil, who dated Miccarelli years ago, claimed in her petition that he pointed a gun at her in 2012 and at one point threatened to kill them both by crashing a vehicle while driving at speeds in excess of 100 mph. Miccarelli has vehemently denied the accusation.
A Luzerne County judged granted the restraining order Friday. It bars Miccarelli from contacting Toohil and prohibits him from possessing firearms.
Miccarelli, who denies the allegations, has complied with the PFA and surrendered any guns in his possession to local authorities, according to his attorney, Joe Podraza.
Miccarelli spokesman Frank Keel has called the PFA “sickening” and was “part of an ongoing smear campaign” to end Miccarelli’s political career.
“She knew Nick was recently married,” said Keel in a statement. “It’s unconscionable that Toohil would abuse the PFA process in this way at this time, knowing the shame and embarrassment it would bring to Nick and his new family. The only minimal contact the two even have at this point in time is when they’re carrying out their official duties at the state House. This stunt provides further evidence that political forces beyond Toohil and Nick’s other female accuser are pulling out all the stops to destroy Nick’s good name and end his political career.”
Keel also called on those attacking Miccarelli to stop referencing the suicide of disgraced Pennsylvania Treasurer R. Bud Dwyer in January 1987. Dwyer called a press conference and took his own life the day before he was to be sentenced after being convicted on corruption charges. He took the day his own life in front of a room full of reporters. Toohil contends in her application for the PFA that Miccarelli is obsessed with the Dwyer suicide.
“In regards to his accusers’ shameless and constant references to the tragic suicide death of Bud Dwyer, it’s a disgusting lie that needs to end now,” Keel said. “The Dwyer family has suffered enough. For Nick’s accusers to continue to invoke this tragedy is beyond indecent and demonstrates the ruthless attack he is facing.”
Keel said Miccarelli had no interest in submitting to the “Jerry Springer environment” his accusers are whipping up in Harrisburg, saying he is looking forward to telling his side of the story at a hearing Thursday.
“In the midst of this wellorchestrated smear campaign against Rep. Nick Miccarelli, he cannot and will not be at the Capitol on Monday, but will be in his district office,” Keel said “Furthermore, the temporary PFA order is expansive, unprecedented and unwarranted. It was pushed through by Toohil without all the facts and without affording Nick the opportunity to be heard. He looks forward to being able to tell his side of the story and present the actual facts to the judge this Thursday.
“It’s sickening to think that Nick Miccarelli, an 18year military veteran who fought on the front lines of foreign wars to protect the rights of all Americans and is just two years shy of earning his military pension, is now being deprived of his rights to defend himself and could lose everything based on nothing more than baseless allegations.”
Toohil has also alleged in a confidential complaint filed with state House leaders Feb. 8 that Miccarelli kicked, pinched and hit her while they were dating, including at legislative events they attended together. Toohil’s attorney, Terry Mutchler, said the representative also attached a note to her life insurance policy around that time indicating Miccarelli should be investigated if something happened to her.
Toohil said in the House complaint that she went to police with concerns Miccarelli may have tried to use potentially embarrassing information against her, but did not provide more information, as police asked, because she was afraid of him.
A political consultant who also previously dated Miccarelli claimed in the House complaint that he came to her home and forced her to have sex after she ended the relationship in 2014. She also said that she believes Miccarelli drugged her at one point while they were still in a relationship and engaged in “non-consensual sexual behavior” while she was unconscious.
Toohil has not alleged Miccarelli sexually assaulted her, but said in her request for the protection order that Miccarelli attempted to blackmail her by releasing photographs and that he has harassed and stalked her since their relationship ended. Podraza provided the
Daily Times with racy pictures the consultant sent Miccarelli while the two were dating. The consultant previously told the Daily
Times that she sent the pictures in confidence at Miccarelli’s insistence, claiming that he has a history of “slut-shaming” as a way to discredit or silence his detractors.
Miccarelli, 35, a five-term incumbent, has not been charged with any crime. Legislative leaders at the House are continuing to investigate the claims and the Dauphin County District Attorney’s office has launched a criminal investigation.
Miccarelli has repeatedly said he intends to continue his 2018 campaign and will not step down from office despite calls from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers to do so.
State Rep. Leanne Krueger-Braneky, D-161 of Swarthmore, whose district neighbors Miccarelli’s, was one of those calling for his resignation when the allegations were first revealed in a joint report by the Philadelphia Inquirer and The Caucus late last month.
Krueger-Braneky said there was heightened security at the Capitol Monday and that the situation was on the minds of people there. She noted this was the first time in history one member of the Legislature had sought and obtained a PFA against another and that the safety of those working in Harrisburg was a chief concern.
Miccarelli has had his own security clearance at the Capitol revoked and must enter through a public entryway that includes a security screening should he return to Harrisburg.
A hearing on the PFA is scheduled for Thursday, where Keel said Miccarelli would “present the actual facts to the judge.”