STATE COLLEGE — DuBois has spent at least $274,00 in taxpayer money to cover the legal bills of former City Manager Herm Suplizio, who is accused of stealing roughly double that amount from the Pennsylvania city, its annual festival, and a local nonprofit over nearly a decade. The city has also spent more than $32,000 on legal representation for other people associated with DuBois who were interviewed as part of the corruption probe.

City Council approved the payment for Suplizio’s legal defense during its March 27, 2023, public meeting by a 4 to 1 vote and without discussion. Two council members who voted in favor declined Spotlight PA’s request to comment on that decision, and the other two did not respond.

Matt Creme, a municipal lawyer, told Spotlight PA that providing legal representation at the city’s expense for witnesses is much different than providing it for an employee who is under investigation for wrongdoing. Although it’s within DuBois City Council’s power to make the decision, “it’s highly unusual” for the city to cover Suplizio’s legal defense based on the allegations brought against him, said Jill Nagy, who practices Pennsylvania municipal law.....

The state attorney general’s office arrested Suplizio in March. They alleged he stole more than $550,000 in public and nonprofit funds over nearly a decade. The Pittsburgh-based law firm formerly known as Reisinger Comber & Miller began representing Suplizio almost a year before that, in April 2022, according to invoices. That was when state prosecutors and Pennsylvania State Police served a search warrant on DuBois City Hall.