"I asked to take it out of the hands of these people," DiLauro said, referring to Joseph Otto, chairman of the township Ethical Standards Board, and the board's solicitor, John Harrington. "Put it in the hands of the prosecutor. They're qualified to do it."
DiLauro, who hired a private investigator to question some of the people - including two witnesses - interviewed in April by Otto and Harrington, charged that both men were simply looking for political revenge.
Otto, a Republican like the mayor, ran on a slate that lost to DiLauro's slate in last May's nonpartisan election. DiLauro says Otto wants to run again for the Township Council in November, to fill a vacancy created by the death of a council member.
Harrington, who had been township solicitor under the previous Democrat- dominated administration, was fired by the council at DiLauro's urging after DiLauro became mayor in July.
Otto criticized the mayor's request for an outside investigation, saying it ''doesn't make sense. It's not warranted. He indicated I did it (because) I have some vendetta against him because I lost the election. But that's ridiculous."
Gary Daniels, chief of investigations in the prosecutor's office, confirmed DiLauro's request came by letter but said, "Our investigation was primarily prompted by the facts and circumstances we became aware of via the newspapers."
He said his office had begun subpoenaing the ethics board's paperwork and would eventually speak with DiLauro.
The prosecutor's office will not, however, grant DiLauro's request for a counter-investigation into Otto's and Harrington's conduct as the board's investigators, Daniels said. "We're simply limiting our investigation to
criminal allegations."
If the prosecutor's office finds the allegations are factual, DiLauro could be in violation of state criminal laws, Daniels said. On the other hand, the ethics board could, at most, levy a $500 fine.
Otto and Harrington have interviewed eight people - the three complainants, three Public Works Department employees and two witnesses to the alleged plowing, Bart and Township Administrator Jeffrey S. Hatcher.
DiLauro said he was hoping the ethics board would halt its proceedings pending any findings by the prosecutor's office, but that may not happen.
On Monday, the board found that the allegations against the mayor were not ''frivolous" and that it could proceed with a public hearing.
At the hearing, tentatively scheduled for Aug. 2, members would take sworn testimony from several people. They would include DiLauro, who was angry at not being interviewed before Monday's meeting. DiLauro will address the ethics board before the public hearing, at a meeting scheduled for Monday.
Frederick F. Fitchett, DiLauro's attorney and chairman of the Camden County Republican Party, said he would try to obtain the same Ethics Board documents the prosecutor's office is subpoenaing.
"I think the key to defending any client is having all the information," Fitchett said.
