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Delaware County lawmaker says he won’t quit amid sex misconduct claim

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Delaware County lawmaker says he won’t quit amid sex misconduct claim


HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania — A Pennsylvania state consultant accused of sexual harassment mentioned Friday he isn’t resigning however has stepped down from the Judiciary Committee and plans to enter inpatient remedy of some variety.

In a letter to Home Democratic leaders, Rep. Mike Zabel of Delaware County mentioned he was “very aware of and saddened by the delicate and disturbing allegations towards me.”

A union lobbyist mentioned this week that Zabel sexually harassed her 4 years in the past. She had advised the story with out naming him in January throughout a public listening to by a bipartisan committee contemplating guidelines adjustments.

Andi Perez mentioned Zabel had caressed her leg whereas they had been discussing laws outdoors the Capitol and that he didn’t cease when she moved away from him.

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Perez’s union mentioned in response that Zabel ought to resign. “We hope he will get the assistance he feels he wants, however he’s appropriate – his habits has no place within the Legislature and he ought to not be a member” of the Pennsylvania Home of Representatives, in response to the assertion by the SEIU Pennsylvania State Council.

Zabel, a Democrat first elected in 2018, didn’t reply to requests for remark Friday, however his letter to Democratic leaders referred to an unspecified sickness, saying he needed to deal with restoration.

“My sickness has brought on some habits that I remorse, and I agree that extra intervention is important for me to completely recuperate,” Zabel wrote. “I’m within the means of securing extra intensive remedy, past the outpatient remedy I’ve been receiving, and am presently working with my well being care suppliers and my household to determine an applicable inpatient program which I can be coming into as quickly as attainable.”

Zabel wrote that he intends to cooperate totally with the Home Ethics Committee “in contemplating any allegations towards me” and apologized for placing fellow Home Democrats in a “tough place.”

Democratic management launched Zabel’s letter to reporters together with their very own assertion saying “we agree that it’s applicable for him to take a step again from his work and deal with the challenges earlier than him.”

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Home Republican leaders keep Zabel ought to resign.

“Whereas it’s applicable for Rep. Zabel to hunt remedy and no matter medical consideration he wants, it doesn’t remove the culpability for his actions. At this level, we’ve solely seen obfuscation, not accountability, from a Democratic caucus that has recognized about this conduct for years,” mentioned Home GOP spokesman Jason Gottesman.

Perez was unable 4 years in the past to file a grievance with the Home Ethics Committee as a result of such complaints might solely be made by the chamber’s workers, representatives and officers. Zabel voted with all his fellow Democrats this week for a package deal of 2023-24 session chamber guidelines that, amongst different issues, tremendously expands who can file these complaints.

The Related Press usually doesn’t determine individuals who say they’ve been sexually assaulted or subjected to excessive abuse. Selections on whether or not to determine those that say they’ve been subjected to different types of sexual misconduct are made on a case-by-case foundation, and Perez has spoken in public about it.

The AP discovered that since 2017, a minimum of 120 state lawmakers in 41 states have confronted public allegations of sexual misconduct or harassment. A lot of the allegations have been made after the #MeToo motion sparked a public reckoning for folks in energy accused of sexual wrongdoing.

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Delaware

Reading man arrested for shooting in Delaware

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Reading man arrested for shooting in Delaware


A Reading man was arrested last week for a shooting earlier this month at a Red Roof Inn & Suites in New Castle, Delaware.

Erickson Acuapa, 21, of Reading, was arrested in Wyomissing for the shooting that took place June 16, Delaware state police said.

Acuapa was arrested by Wyomissing police and later extradited to Delaware and taken into custody by Delaware state police.

He was charged with assault, possession of a firearm while committing a felony, and reckless endangerment.

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According to a press release:

At 3:33 a.m. troopers responded to reports of the shooting at 1612 N. Dupont Highway.

When troopers arrived on the scene, they learned that a 20-year-old male victim had been taken to a local hospital for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to the arm.

A preliminary investigation revealed that several people gathered at the motel after attending a local concert.

During this gathering, the victim and unknown suspect engaged in an argument. The altercation escalated, and the suspect fired a shot at the victim before fleeing the scene.

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An investigation by detectives identified the suspect as Erickson Acuapa.

On June 19, Acuapa was located in Wyomissing and taken into custody by the Wyomissing Police Department.

Following his extradition to Delaware, Acuapa was arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2, and committed to Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on a $138,000 cash bond.



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Delaware

Del. Supreme Court restores early voting access and permanent absentee voting

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Del. Supreme Court restores early voting access and permanent absentee voting


Delaware Supreme Court justices heard arguments in the case earlier this month.

Former judge and chair of the Delaware Republican Party Jane Brady argued the case on behalf of Hocker and the elections inspector. She said the state’s constitution specifies only one day that the election can be held, making early voting unconstitutional. She also argued that the language in the constitution requires voters to apply for an absentee ballot for each election.

“We claim that the statutes on their face are unconstitutional. They don’t comply with the language in the constitution,” she said. “Clearly, the drafters intended to address two issues: the time of the election and the manner of the election.”

Former U.S. Solicitor Donald Verrilli, representing the state, countered by arguing that both permanent absentee and early voting are employed in many other states across the U.S. and are consistent with Delaware’s Constitution and within the power of lawmakers to enact.

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“Article Five, Section One [of the state constitution] provides an express delegation to the General Assembly to prescribe the means, methods and instruments of election to further a whole set of important goals,” he said. “That seems to me to be a structural indication that the Legislature has broad power here to set the means and methods of elections.”

This is a developing story and will be updated.



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How bank fraud suspects targeted man in Delco grocery store parking lot

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How bank fraud suspects targeted man in Delco grocery store parking lot


UPPER CHICHESTER, Pennsylvania (WPVI) — Upper Chichester police hope the public can help them identify two people they believe targeted a man for bank fraud in Delaware County. There’s also concern there could be other victims.

On June 4, around 12:30 p.m., police say the pair followed the man out of the Giant in Aston and approached him in the parking lot.

One suspect claimed he dropped a $20 bill while the other was recording the interaction.

Police say the victim pulled out and opened his wallet and said the money wasn’t his. In the process, cards fell to the ground and the man’s personal information was possibly caught on video.

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A short time later, thousands of dollars were swiped from the man’s bank account, according to police.

“It’s horrible, there’s all kinds of things that are happening all different kinds of scams that are going around and people just need to be really, really careful,” said Jackie Kane of Aston Township, who was walking her dog near the Village Green Shopping Center.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, in the first quarter of this year, more than 30,000 cases of bank fraud have been reported nationwide. The tri-state ranked 8th overall for fraud, and people 70 to 79 were the most targeted.

“They’re too trustworthy too, older people,” said Cindy Robertson, of Ridley Park, who was shopping nearby.

“They should be careful, especially if they’re by themselves and they don’t have somebody with them.”

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Residents say it’s important to be aware of your surroundings and they’re also thankful the only injury in this case was financial.

“It’s frustrating, it’s frustrating people do that kind of stuff. That guy worked for whatever he has his whole life and somebody gonna steal it, that is not a good thing to do,” said Dave Bonavita of Upper Chichester.

Copyright © 2024 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.



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