Ohio Judge Suspended And Indicted After Being Accused Of Unlawfully Securing Public Contracts
A Montgomery County judge in Ohio, who is currently suspended without pay, is being accused of unlawfully securing public contracts.
Judge James Piergies allegedly worked with Montgomery County Clerk of Courts Mike Foley to do so, according to 'WHIO-7,' who has legal issues of his own; 12 to be exact.
Foley is accused of theft in office, unlawfully asking public employees for political contributions, and one count of unauthorized use of computer, cable or telecommunication property, amongst others.
Judge Piergies, 72, was indicted on three counts of attempted unlawful interest in a public contract between April 26, 2021, and May 3, according to his indictment.
The pair was investigated by the Special Investigations Unit of the Ohio Auditor's Office in October 2022 after receiving an anonymous complaint about solicitation of campaign contributions from employees.
State Rep. Phil Plummer, Montgomery County Republican Party Chair, called their indictments "disheartening."
"Unlike some other people who speak before they have the details, I want the details first," he added. "But this is — on the surface it's terrible and we don't tolerate this. And I think you know where this is headed."
Mohamed Al-Hamdani, Montgomery County Democratic Party Chair, said "We should hold public office holders to a higher standard, to see those kind of indictments come not just against Mike Foley, but a sitting judge is a bit disappointing."
"We've known for a while that Foley and other Republicans have been misusing the courthouse for their own gain," he claimed, according to 'Dayton Daily News.'
According to Foley's lawyer, his client will not step down as "he feels like he did nothing wrong."
Foley, 56, and Piergies will be arraigned on Aug. 15 in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court.
