GOP sues to oust Montco voter-services chief

The Montgomery County Republican Party is looking to the courts to force Michael Paston, acting director of voter services, out of office.

The GOP filed a lawsuit Tuesday alleging that Commissioners Josh Shapiro and Leslie S. Richards improperly appointed Paston and that he has been serving "unlawfully" since April 18.

Shapiro dismissed the lawsuit as "laughable. It's wrong on the facts and wrong on the law."

The suit appears to conflate the positions of "acting director" and "chief clerk" of Voter Services, implying that Paston is in both roles and thus must be a permanent employee approved by the Salary Board.

Shapiro and County Solicitor Raymond McGarry said Paston is not the chief clerk - Lauren Lambrugo, the county COO, has been Voter Services' chief clerk since before Passarella's firing.

The commissioners said Paston is on loan from the archivist office, where he will retain his position and salary until a permanent Voter Services director is hired.