SUNBURY - Northumberland County Commissioner Vinny Clausi is flirting with a libel suit if he continues to use the word "shyster" in his reference to the Teamsters and its representatives, according to a letter from a Philadelphia lawyer who represents the union.
"You referred to Ty Sees (Teamsters Local 764 secretary-treasurer) as a 'shyster' for pursuing an unfair labor practice charge against the county," attorney Thomas H. Kohn wrote from the law offices of Markowitz & Richman in a March 7 letter. "This is not the first time that you have made such a reference, but it better be the last time you do so."
Kohn, interviewed by phone Tuesday, said it is a "rarity" for the union to produce such a letter.
"Most public officials are more careful in their choice of words," he said.
Clausi said Tuesday he stands by what he said at the county commissioners' meeting on March 6, when he called the Teamsters and Sees shysters for the union's continued pursuit of a grievance involving the layoff of John P. Muncer, one of five assistant district attorneys (ADAs), even though he was rehired by the county as assistant solicitor. Clausi also used the word in a Feb. 2 interview about the issue.
"It's my constitutional right to use whatever language I want," said Clausi, who is on vacation in Florida. "They're not going to scare the taxpayers; they're not going to scare me."
Asked if he thought shyster was too strong of a word, Clausi said, "No. I interpret that to be when someone tells people how to spend their money. Maybe I was wrong; so be it," he said. "But I don't think so. I'm here to fight for the taxpayers."
Nothing 'unscrupulous'
Kohn said the definition of shyster, which he described as a person who is professionally unscrupulous, especially in the practice of law or politics, puts Clausi's right to free speech on thin ice.
"Regardless of what you may personally think about labor unions, an opinion that you have not hesitated to voice publicly in the past, there is nothing 'unscrupulous' about filing an unfair labor practice charge in an effort to protect the integrity of the bargaining unit and the members represented by Local 764," he wrote. "Moreover, if you would take the trouble to look at the actual charge, you will note that it was not even filed by Ty Sees, but rather originated from this office."
Kohn said Clausi is entitled to his opinion, but that as a public official he is accountable for his comments.
"While many of your constituents may find your choice of invectives to be colorful, if not somewhat amusing, neither Mr. Sees nor any other officer of Local 764 views your intemperate remarks in that light," he wrote. "Rather, they properly regard them as libelous, and any further comments of that nature will result in the filing of appropriate legal actions."
Grievance settled
Clausi first used the word shyster in an interview Feb. 2, the day the union filed a grievance over Muncer's release. District Attorney Tony Rosini, after a vote of the county salary board, was forced to trim his ADA staff by one, which he did with Muncer's release on Jan. 25.
Clausi used the word again at last week's county commissioners' meeting and in a follow-up interview. "They're not Teamsters, they're shysters," he said about the union and Sees. Those comments were based on his contention the union won't drop the grievance despite Muncer requesting it to do so.
Clausi said last week it will cost the county $10,000 just to represent itself in the case.
Kohn, however, said the grievance was settled in favor of the union, and he said Rosini supported the grievance because it adversely changed the general working conditions in his office since he lost 20 percent of his ADA staff with Muncer's termination, while the caseload for the remaining four ADAs increased by 25 percent.
Further, Kohn said the county refused to abide by the settlement, prompting the union to file an unfair labor practice charge.
He said the fact Muncer has a new position with the county doesn't change the caseload for the other ADAs.
Battle with Rosini
Meanwhile, Clausi continued his public battle with Rosini Tuesday. The commissioner suggested at last week's meeting that the district attorney's office was functioning fine without a fifth ADA. Rosini responded with a letter to the editor that it's functioning only through the cooperation of the county's four magisterial district judges, who, in order to allow an ADA to be at all hearings, have eliminated some hearing days and now schedule all of their criminal hearings in one half-day.
Because of this, however, Rosini says a backlog of criminal cases is imminent.
"Yes, for the time being, we are treading water, but in the not-to-distant future, it will be over our heads," he wrote.
Rosini also said Clausi didn't speak to him or "anyone in the court system" in reaching his conclusion about the ADA impact.
Clausi disputed that on Tuesday, saying he had spoken to several district magistrates.
Clausi leveled a new criticism at Rosini Tuesday, saying the DA submitted a reimbursement request for about $6 in tolls the DA paid on a recent conference trip.
"He should be ashamed and embarrassed," Clausi said, noting Rosini's $170,000 salary. "That is not a guy who wants to save money."
Rosini did not return a call seeking comment late Tuesday afternoon.