The state subcommittee investigating whether to impeach Schuylkill County Commissioner George F. Halcovage Jr., who has been accused of sexual harassment, is on hold.

“The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Timothy Briggs, has not taken up the continuation of the Halcovage impeachment,” said state Rep. Paul T. Schemel, R-Franklin, who chaired the subcommittee.

“Although the subcommittee was prepared to complete the Halcovage investigation and report a recommendation to the full committee, it is unable to do so until it is authorized to complete its work. We are over three months into the new session, but this issue will remain unresolved unless and until the leaders of the Democrat majority in the House allow the subcommittee to complete its work,” Schemel said.

The subcommittee took another hit last Wednesday, when one of its members, Rep. Michael Zabel, D-Delaware County, resigned amid accusations of sexual misconduct.

His resignation takes effect Thursday. The previous Friday, he withdrew from his seat on the House Judiciary Committee.

The subcommittee in September voted 5-1 to send a criminal referral on the matter to the state Office of the Attorney General. Zabel cast the sole vote opposing the action.

In late October, the subcommittee issued additional subpoenas and was scheduling depositions. The legislative session adjourned as of Nov. 30.

For Halcovage to be impeached, the House would have to vote to remove him from office, and a trial with then be held by the Senate.

Schemel in September said there was “adequate evidence“ to move forward with the investigation.

Halcovage has denied the accusations against him.

The impeachment process began in January 2022, when the subcommittee voted unanimously to begin an investigation. In September 2022, the subcommittee met together testimony. Halcovage was invited to participate, but declined.

There is still no word on what if any action that office would take.

The impeachment proceedings stem from accusations of sexual harassment made by four women who work at the courthouse. They contend the harassment began in 2012, when Halcovage first took office.

The woman, identified only as Jane Doe 1, 2, 3, and 4, filed the federal lawsuit against Halcovage in March 2021 in U.S. District Court, Scranton.

The suit also alleges that some county officials failed to stop the harassment and subsequent retribution against the women, including demoting, suspending, and trying to fire them, and that they helped try to cover it up.

Court proceedings for the suit are expected to continue at least through June.

The allegations against Halcovage became public in 2020, when investigation by the county Human Resources Department determined that he had violated the county sexual-harassment, conduct and disciplinary action, and physical and verbal abuse policies. The county sent the findings to the state Office of the Attorney General, which did not file criminal charges.

In November 2021, state Sen. David G. Argall, R-29, introduced a resolution to establish a committee to investigate the accusations against Halcovage.