DISTRICT ATTORNEYS OFFICE OF CHESTER COUNTY

Thomas P. Hogan District Attorney

201 W. MARKET STREET, SUITE 4450 POST OFFICE BOX 2748 WEST CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA 19380-0991 TELEPHONE: 610-344-6801

April 3, 2014 PRESS RELEASE District Attorney Responds to Coatesville Area School Board Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan responded to the press release from the Coatesville Area School Board (the CASB) regarding Assistant Superintendant Angelo Romaniello being placed on administrative leave. The CASB press release was put out by CASB Solicitor James Ellison. The CASB referred the matter regarding Mr. Romaniello to the District Attorneys Office. The issue was reviewed by the Chester County Detectives and prosecutors. It was deemed to be a non-criminal matter. This information was communicated to the CASB. There are a few other issues raised by the CASB press release that should be addressed. First, the CASB is aware that Mr. Romaniello and his counsel, Robert Donatoni, have been cooperating with the District Attorneys investigation. The CASB press release has the appearance of attempting to undermine a witness who is cooperating with the Commonwealth. While the CASB may take appropriate supervisory actions, CASB is not permitted to retaliate against whistleblowers and cooperating witnesses. Similar concerns have been raised by Samuel Stretton, counsel for Theresa Powell and Abdallah Hawa, the original whistleblowers in this case. In addition, it is curious that Ellison would rush to put out a press release on Romaniello after choosing to remain silent on the abhorrent emails exchanged by former Superintendant Richard Como and former Athletic Director James Donato. Second, the CASB investigation and press release apparently is being orchestrated by Ellison. Ellison has been named as a person who is being investigated by the District Attorneys Office. Romaniello is providing information regarding multiple issues that impact Ellison. Therefore, Ellison has a clear conflict of interest and must be screened off the Romaniello internal matter. The appropriate counsel to investigate is special counsel from Conrad OBrien, or one of the multiple other lawyers being used by the CASB. Interestingly, based on the way that the investigation of Romaniello was communicated to the District

Attorneys Office, it appears that the CASB initially did not even inform Conrad OBrien that Ellison had started this internal investigation. Ellisons conflicted involvement again appears to be an attempt to undermine the overall investigation. Third, the CASB has stated that it is cooperating fully with the authorities. This is not true. Attorney Matthew Haverstick, special counsel from Conrad OBrien, has been cooperating with the District Attorneys Office. However, CASB then retained attorney Sharon Alexander to represent specific CASB members. In interviews with those CASB members, apparently at the behest of the Board and upon the advice of Ms. Alexander, these Board Members have repeatedly refused to answer certain questions. The questions that the CASB members consistently refused to answer predominantly involve attorney Ellison and/or questions about whether CASB/Ellison attempted to cover up the text messages between Como and Donato. Again, this has the appearance of coordinated obstructionism. Whether the CASB and Ellison like it or not, this investigation will keep moving forward. Attempts to slow the investigation down will raise costs for the district, but will not stop the investigation. The District Attorneys Office will uncover whatever illegal activities and foolish or fraudulent business practices have taken place at CASB. Certain questions remain. Why is the CASB continuing to spend enormous amounts of money on their Solicitor, given what the CASB already knows from published reports? Are the members of the CASB attempting to obstruct justice or are they receiving bad legal advice from their Solicitor? Given the fact that the District Attorneys Office is investigating Ellisons billing and his conduct in the Como/Donato texting matter, will the CASB members finally answer the investigators questions regarding these issues and waive the attorney-client privilege, which appears to be in the best interests of both the Board and the public? As a public body, what is the CASB doing with taxpayers money? When special counsel for the CASB issues a report to the CASB on their internal investigation, will the CASB be open and transparent by disclosing that report to the District Attorneys Office and eventually to the public, or will that report be hidden? Some members of the CASB are trying to cooperate with this investigation, and they deserve credit for their courage. The other members of the CASB should either begin to act in good faith or they will face the legal consequences of their bad decisions. And, as the NAACP pointed out, there are voting choices when the Board members are up for election. The Coatesville Area School District has a new Superintendant, Cathy Taschner. Ms. Taschner has an opportunity to fix many problems. To date, the CASB has demonstrated an unswerving instinct to do exactly the wrong thing at nearly every step of this investigation. Hopefully, Ms. Taschner can change this troubling pattern. The children and taxpayers of the Coatesville Area School District deserve better.

The prosecutors assigned to this case are Andrea Cardamone and Brian Burack. Anybody with information related to this investigation should contact Chester County Detective Ed Nolan at (610) 344-6866. ******* Approved for release: Thomas P. Hogan