11 Investigates was the first to report that Allegheny County Sheriff Kevin Kraus had filed a civil lawsuit against Allegheny County Council and the Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato.
Kraus filed the lawsuit in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court Friday morning.
It’s an attempt by Kraus to block council’s efforts to impose a term limit on his office.
Now, one council member is pushing back.
Allegheny County Sheriff Kevin Kraus is accusing Allegheny County Council and County Executive Sara Innamorato of overstepping their authority.
According to the lawsuit, Kraus called the proposed term limit for his office an “illegal exercise of the county’s authority which is barred by the law of this Commonwealth.”
Council member Bethany Hallam disagrees.
“It’s really discouraging that the Chief law enforcement officer of Allegheny County doesn’t seem to understand the rule of law,” Hallam told Chief Investigator Rick Earle.
Hallam said that, about a decade ago, council did something very similar by approving a referendum to eliminate six of the ten row offices in an effort to save taxpayers’ money.
Voters overwhelmingly approved the measure.
In April of this year, council approved an ordinance setting a limit of three, four-year terms, or 12 years, for the sheriff, district attorney, treasurer, controller and all council members.
It must be approved by the voters in November.
Hallam believes there’s overwhelming support for term limits.
Currently, the only elected office in Allegheny County that is under term limits is the county executive.
That office is limited to three, four-year terms.
“There’s 1.2 million people in this county. I don’t think any one person should be in office for more than 12 years. If you can’t get something done in 12 years in office, you probably should move on anyways,” Hallam said.
But opponents contend there’s no need for term limits as voters have a say every four years.
And the Sheriff claims, in his lawsuit, that council’s effort is an attempt to modify a “fundamental aspect of the position of Sheriff beyond what the Constitution permits.”
Earle: “What about the Sheriff’s claims that this is a violation of the Constitution and only a Constitutional amendment can impose this type of change?”
Hallam: “Again, a very interesting interpretation by the sheriff there. We have eliminated other row offices throughout the county. This is just smart policy. And it’s really disappointing that this is what the elected sheriff thinks about term limits, that he thinks that they should apply to anybody but him.”
Kraus declined to comment and said the lawsuit speaks for itself.
A county spokesperson told Earle they don’t comment on pending litigation.
11 Investigates researched the topic and discovered that only one sheriff in Pennsylvania is under term limits.
The sheriff of Delaware County, Pa., is limited to two, four-year terms.
Read the full lawsuit below:
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