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Herm Suplizio helped make DuBois — located about 100 miles northeast of Pittsburgh — one of the “richest little cities in all of Pennsylvania,” as one of his supporters put it.
But that’s not all the former city manager did, according to state and federal prosecutors. They allege he shrewdly used his power, political connections, and control over local organizations to line his own pockets for over a decade.
Suplizio has pleaded not guilty and awaits trial.
As the case unfolds, those in DuBois are left grappling with questions like: How could these alleged crimes go unnoticed for so long, and where does the city go from here?
To unpack these questions and more, Spotlight PA is hosting a discussion on the corruption case rocking this small Pennsylvania city and the weak oversight that allowed the alleged crimes to happen. We’ll speak with local government experts on ethical conduct in public office and accountability measures that could provide oversight of officials’ actions.
Join us Thursday, Jan. 25 from 6-7:15 p.m. on Zoom for a free panel on the Suplizio case and how local government can protect against wrongdoing.
Our panelists include:
- Angela Couloumbis, investigative reporter for Spotlight PA
- Min Xian, local accountability reporter for Spotlight PA State College
- Leanne Davis, executive director, City of Pittsburgh Ethics Hearing Board
- Rachael Heisler, Pittsburgh city controller
- Other panelists to be announced.
RSVP for free here. Submit your questions in advance to events@spotlightpa.org
» Spotlight PA’s events operate on a “pay-what-you-can” honor system. If you value this public-service event, pay it forward and contribute any amount to Spotlight PA now so we can keep our programming free for everyone: spotlightpa.org/donate.