Luzerne County Coroner Office Wall of Shame
Question: What do you get when you cross a Funeral Director with a Luzerne County Politician?
Answer: a Luzerne County Coroner
Quote from misconduct commission: __________
Pennsylvania Law States that all elected officials MUST follow the PA code of ethics.
Section A of this code states: No elected official can operate in his public capacity in a conflict of interest.
State Law also states that no person engaged in the public trust can receive financial gain other than the agreed compensation (in other words, what the job pays).
Question: Do you think that someone that sells Funeral Services as their livelihood might have a “conflict of interest” responding as a coroner/deputy coroner?
Question: Would some of these grieving families, perhaps be in need of Funeral services?
Most class 3 counties in Pennsylvania have 2 or 3 deputy coroners. Luzerne County has 44 plus deputy coroners comprised almost exclusively of Funeral Directors. Many counties will not use Funeral Directors as County Coroners, they use people in law enforcement, paramedics, EMT, etc. Precisely to avoid a conflict of interest and stay in compliance of state and federal mandates. These mandates are for ALL officials and provide no exception for Luzerne County politicians.
Believe me friends, If these is ANY COUNTY that needs to follow ETHICAL guidelines, it is Luzerne County. Does the Luzerne County Courthouse Coroners Office really expect us to believe that these 44 plus funeral directors doubling as Deputy Coroners are struggling financially so much with their funeral homes, that they need a part time political job with the Courthouse to make “ends meet”- Please!
If you want to find hunters - go to the forest.
If you want to find fishermen - go to the sea.
And unfortunately, if you want to find a funeral director – just go to the Luzerne County Courthouse Coroners office. We have dozens, all paid with Tax payer money.
So many Funeral Directors, doubling as Deputy Coroners in violation of State Mandates-but hey what the heck, this is Luzerne County! John Corcoran was quoted in the TIMES LEADER, Sept __ 2010, as saying “Funeral Directors are more accustom to dealing with death.” Mr. Corcoran lets call a spade a spade. Funeral Directors are more accustom to earning a profit from a death. Hmmmm Dozens of Deputy Coroners whose livelihood is selling funeral service. Is that fish I smell coming from the Courthouse? Yes, there is definitely something fishy coming from the courthouse. Whoops... Our mistake, that's not fish, that's embalming fluid!
The whole thing is just so corrupt. The last thing a grieving family should have to be concerned about, is being solicitation by a Coroner/Deputy Coroner.
You need a simple service? If you would like, we could handle that.
You wish to have a cremation? We offer cremation.
To avoid a conflict of interest, the government employee (Coroner) must decline the request for his or her services.
This is why we have so many corruption problems in Luzerne County. Because the people in power do not follow ethical mandates set by the state. Self interest is put forth first. Folks, it does not matter if we are talking about a Yacht in Florida or a Funeral Home in Luzerne County. It all comes down to putting your self interest first.-shameful
