Dormont Solicitor Within Rights to Post Campaign Signs

Dormont Solicitor Deron Gabriel violated no laws when he rode around the borough with two elected officials posting campaign signs, according to the executive director of the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission.

At Monday's Dormont Council meeting, resident Louise Pitcher called for Gabriel to resign or be fired because he was spotted riding in a vehicle with borough Tax Collector Harvey Lieberman and Councilman John Maggio as the three posted campaign signs in the borough.

"He was choosing among all of you," she told council members.

Turning to Gabriel, she continued: "You are supposed to be impartial sitting on this council. You are not supposed to be involved in partisan politics in this borough."

Both Maggio and Lieberman are Democrats.

Aside from his role as Dormont's solicitor, Gabriel is chairman of the South Fayette Township Democratic Committee and, as such, is part of the Allegheny County Democratic Committee. He said at Monday's meeting that he wasn't posting signs for any local candidates but was distributing signs for Rich Fitzgerald, the Democratic candidate for county chief executive.

John Contino, executive director of the state ethics commission, said Gabriel did nothing that violates state law or ethics. He said there is no law prohibiting appointed solicitors from political activity or from associating with local officials.

"Most solicitors are appointed because they have a relationship with officials," he said.