Appeals court allows whistleblower lawsuit against Pa. GOP caucus

A whistleblower lawsuit filed by the former chief of staff for state Rep. Eric Davanzo can proceed, Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court has ruled.

A three-judge panel this month rejected an effort from the Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus to dismiss the lawsuit filed in 2022 by Marcel Nicole Ingram, who claimed she was improperly fired after she reported evidence of mold in the walls at Davanzo’s West Newton district office.

“From our perspective, we’re excited about moving the case forward and vindicating our client’s rights,” said Ingram’s lawyer, Nicholas Kennedy.

According to the lawsuit, Ingram, who was hired in 2020, claimed she was terminated after Davanzo complained about her actions to the House Republican Caucus, which hired staff for his office. In her filing, Ingram said she was instructed by the caucus to purchase a mold test after raising health concerns to Davanzo about office conditions in 2022.

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