Petition underway to remove Commissioner Niki Frenchko from office
A petition is currently underway to remove Trumbull County Commissioner, Niki Frenchko from office.
Signatures were collected Tuesday evening from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. outside of Warren City Hall and will be collected again on Wednesday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
A candlelit vigil was scheduled for Tuesday night at 8:00 p.m., but this was canceled due to a lack of attendance. A protest march is scheduled for Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
A complaint was filed alleging that Frenchko engages in conduct that violates Ohio law claiming that she "discriminated against county employees on the basis of age, national origin, ethnicity and disability."
The complaint cites a specific instance where Frenchko allegedly engaged in ethnic discrimination by referring to Italian-Americans in a "derogatory and disparaging manner."
Another instance cited include a time where Frenchko allegedly spearheaded an effort to terminate an employee who had worked for the county for 15 years, with the complaint citing this as "age discrimination."
Additionally, the complaint claims Frenchko is guilty of "gross neglect of duty, misfeasance, malfeasance and nonfeasence."
However, Frenchko denies these accusations stating that she just got done with an eight-hour shift just before 21 News reached out for comment.
The complaint goes on to accuse Frenchko of committing "tortious conduct, including battery against fellow county employees" citing an instance where Frenchko allegedly threw water on a county employee following a meeting.
Frenchko is also accused of filing a false police report a week after this incident claiming that someone called her "the b word" and told her to "die. According to the complaint, these claims are unsupported by video evidence.
Court records show Frenchko has never been charged with Battery.
"The only thing I've ever been arrested for is refusing to apologize to the [Trumbull County] sheriff," Frenchko said.
The complaint also addresses alleged "abusive and harassing behavior" towards county employees claiming that she creates a "hostile work environment."
When asked for comment on efforts to remove her Frenchko gave us the following statement:
"When recycled, crooked politicians like Mike Verich and other establishment cronies are leading a charge against you, you know you're doing something right."