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First Posted: 4/5/2012 Luzerne County Election Bureau Director Leonard Piazza said he has been placed on administrative leave with pay. The decision was made by county Manager Robert Lawton, following a meeting earlier today with Piazza and county solicitors, Piazza said. Piazza declined to discuss the reasons stated for the personnel action, and Lawton could not immediately be reached for comment. Piazza said he was stripped of his security access to county email and the website. He said he does not believe the manager has the authority to make the disciplinary decision because the election bureau director, in Piazza's opinion, works for the county election board. "I believe this was done illegally," Piazza said. Piazza said he will ask the election board to retain outside legal counsel and call an emergency meeting after Easter to discuss the matter. Election Board Vice Chairman Thomas Baldino said the board will review the matter and seek guidance from the state department that oversees elections. Piazza started working in the election bureau as deputy director in 2002. He became acting director of the office in April 2004 after his predecessor, Kevin Jordan, was fired for "performance-based reasons." The disciplinary action may be connected to Piazza's recent decision to audit the campaign finance reports of county Controller Walter Griffith. Griffith said Piazza's office doesn't have authority to perform such audits because the state handles that responsibility. He believes the audit was retaliation for Griffith's scrutiny of Piazza's attendance records. Piazza said he won't discuss interactions with Griffith because they fall under personnel and legal matters. The county election board has been discussing these matters in closed-door executive sessions, he said.
Piazza is paid $56,811 as election bureau director.
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Luzerne County election head placed on leave