Abuse allegations against Delaware County Representative Nick Miccarelli have put state Capitol law enforcement in a somewhat unprecedented situation.
Two weeks ago, the Philadelphia Inquirer and L&P’s The Caucus reported that two women who dated Miccarelli accused him repeated abuse.
Late last week, one of those women went public.
Luzerne County Representative Tarah Toohil said Miccarelli stalked and harassed her in 2012, and once brandished a gun and threatened to kill her by crashing his car.
She now has a protection from abuse order against him, and a hearing is slated for Thursday to decide whether to make it permanent.
Capitol Police Spokesman Troy Thompson said as long as the PFA is in place, Miccarelli isn’t allowed in the Capitol while Toohil is there.
“If the terms and conditions of the PFA were violated in any form or fashion, we would take the appropriate action at that point,” he said.
Toohil also alleged that Miccarelli habitually carries a concealed gun in the Capitol.
He likely isn’t the only one; there have long been rumors of various lawmakers with concealed carry permits bringing firearms to work.
House Speaker Mike Turzai has previously defended lawmakers' right to carry weapons, despite the Capitol technically being gun-free, per state law. The law says any building with a courthouse shouldn’t permit weapons.
When reporters attempted to question Turzai about the situation Monday, he refused to comment.
A spokesman for Miccarelli said he’ll work from his district office, at least until the hearing.
The five-term Republican has vehemently denied the abuse allegations.
