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County rebuts McClure claims

Commissioners defend action against former chief deputy sheriff

HOLLIDAYSBURG — Blair County commissioners said Tuesday that last month’s decision to fire former Chief Deputy Sheriff Sam McClure had nothing to do with politics.

In response to claims levied last week by McClure, who is running for sheriff, commissioners Chairman Bruce Erb read a statement at the board’s weekly meeting, accusing McClure of misstating the facts and ascribing improper motives to the commissioners’ actions.

“The citizens of Blair County did not elect the commissioners to look the other way when an employee makes an allegation of sexual harassment against his or her supervisor,” Erb said. “Rather, the commissioners are charged with having their representatives investigate, and if founded, take necessary action, no matter how difficult and unpleasant such action may be.”

Last week, McClure issued a statement and told reporters that the employee who made the allegations against him is good friends with his Republican primary opponent Jim Ott, Duncansville police chief. McClure also contends that her allegations surfaced only after the deadline passed to seek the office of sheriff.

“The county did not conduct a fair or extensive investigation,” McClure said. “The commissioners made up their minds to discharge me and used the baseless allegations as an excuse for their actions.”

Erb said Tuesday that commissioners made up their minds after county representatives carried out “a thorough investigation,” which included interviews with eight current and former employees.

“This investigation was continued after Mr. McClure already admitted to kissing the employee on three separate occasions,” Erb said. “Interviews were held with those individuals Mr. McClure indicated would verify his story. However, in the end, the investigation left no doubt that a serious violation of the anti-harassment policy had occurred by Mr. McClure. Clearly, the evidence did not support that there was anything consensual from the employee’s prospective.”

McClure maintains that the kissing was “totally consensual, off duty and trivial,” with an employee who offered no complaint until it presented a political advantage for his opponent. Ott has denied any involvement in the dispute.

“Mr. McClure continues to fail to understand that the timing (on county time or not) of the complained events does not relieve him of his responsibility as a supervisor, whether under county employee policies or even under the law,” Erb said. “Mr. McClure’s termination was the same result any other employee of the county would expect in similar circumstances.”

Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 946-7456.

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