As New Castle County prepares for a Tuesday vote on the reimbursement of nearly $13,000 in legal fees incurred by Council President Paul Clark during an Attorney General's investigation, a year-long Ethics Commission review of the same matter appears to be winding down.
Both investigations were spurred by claims made by Clark's former legislative aide Danielle Catarelli that Clark directed her to do work in the council office she believed "to be unethical and possibly illegal."
The Attorney General's findings said nothing Clark did warranted criminal prosecution and left the case in the hands of the county's Ethics Commission.
Their ruling could come within the next month, as Clark confirmed he recently responded to an initial findings report designed to establish a record of facts to be evaluated by the commissioners.
Once a ruling is issued, Clark has the right to request a hearing before the commission.
Clark said the legal fees for which he is seeking reimbursement "deal solely with the criminal charge" stemming from the Attorney General's investigation.
"Once that was done, any time I clock with my lawyers has been on me," he said.
Clark has said one of Catarelli's claims stems from a "misunderstanding" that work he asked her to perform was related to his campaign.
