A new court filing is calling for a criminal investigation into several Mahoning County public officials. 

The filing accuses Mahoning County Prosecutor Gina DeGenova, Commissioner Carol Rimedio-Righetti, Commissioner David Ditzler and County Administrator Audrey Tillis of covering up a politically motivated firing of a county employee. 

In 2022, Tillis fired maintenance worker Ricky Morrison. Morrison sued, alleging he was fired for supporting Righetti's opponent in that year's election. After DeGenova looked into the matter, she stated publicly that the firing was improper, but that it was because Tillis acted alone and without authority, not because of politics. Morrison was reinstated and the county agreed to pay him $175,000. 

During that suit, however, Morrison's attorneys also alleged that DeGenova's investigation was a sham, meant to cover up the commissioners' wrong doing. 

Now, Attorney Marty Desmond says they have a new witness: DeGenova's estranged husband. 

Desmond is a former Mahoning County Assistant Prosecutor who was fired under DeGenova's predecessor and colleague Paul Gains. Desmond insists this new filing is about justice, not retribution.

“They are not the kings and queens of Mahoning County, they are public servants and the minute that they start acting like this, the minute they start abusing their power, the minute they start breaking the law they stop being public servants,” Attorney Desmond said. 

DeGenova denies the allegations and says they are part of an ugly divorce. 

“When you leave a difficult decision sometimes people say very terrible things against you to hurt you and unfortunately I'm no exception to that,” DeGenova said. 

She also questions the timing, considering she is up for reelection in November. 

“My husband has undertaken a smear campaign. It's sad, it's embarrassing. The allegations are not true,” DeGenova said. “I know that the voters are going to see through this tactless, gutter politics strategy done by a bitter man who is upset that I had to make the difficult decision to say goodbye."

Desmond said the timing is coincidental.

“When he brought this to us, it all kind of fell into place as to what we believed happened,” Attorney Desmond said. 

Audrey Tillis denied the allegations of a cover up and maintains that she is an honest employee of the county. 

“I have done a good job for this county. I have worked hard for the citizens,” Tillis said. “I have made sure that between party lines these guys work together … I make sure that we keep this county moving forward and we have done that.” 

Commissioner Rimedio-Righetti did not provide a comment on the allegations because she said she had not read the filing yet. 

Commissioner Ditzler told 21 News “This is obviously a politically motivated act of desperation. Everything in the document is absolutely and totally false, as the pleadings filed two years ago have refuted.”

The filing does not request an investigation into Commissioner Anthony Traficanti but he is mentioned several times by the witness in his affidavit. Traficant told 21 News he has no comment at this time. 

The full court filing can be found here.