Chelsa Wagner Goes From Criminal Defendant To Judge

ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PA — Of the 18 candidates seeking one of 10 open positions on the Allegheny County Common Pleas Court bench Tuesday, none presented a more intriguing storyline than Chelsa Wagner. She attempted to ascend to the bench a year after being a criminal defendant in a felony case in Detroit.

Wagner finished among the top 10, according to Allegheny County elections division results. All results are unofficial.

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• Nicola Henry-Taylor, 143,647.

• Elliot Howsie, 141,654.

• Tiffany Sizemore, 141,644.

• Wrenna Watson, 140,487.

• Wagner, 138,793

• Tom Caufield, 138,330.

• Sabrina Korbel, 138,214.

• Lisa Middleman, 138, 138

• Bruce Beemer, 133,075.

• Jessel Costa, 131, 963.

Wagner, 44, has been country controller for a decade and was a state representative for three terms before that. She's also a member of one of Pittsburgh's royal political families. Her father, Pete Wagner, was longtime Democratic chair of the city's 19th ward; her uncle, Jack Wagner served two terms as state auditor general; and her aunt, Eileen Wagner once served as the county register of wills.

Wagner's resume in public office normally would be enough alone to vault her into a 10-year-term paying $186,000 annually. But the question surrounding her candidacy is whether there will be fallout from a run-in she and her husband had with police in Detroit after attending a concert there in 2019.

Last year, Wagner pleaded no contest to disturbing the peace in connection with an altercation with officers in a Detroit Hotel. She was sentenced to six months of non-reporting probation, ordered to pay court costs and to contribute to a crime victim's fund.

Wagner faced a felony charge of resisting and obstructing police. Her no contest plea was for a misdemeanor charge.

Wagner said she has maintained some private legal practice while serving in office across the civil, criminal and family divisions. She cited no examples of her experience in the League of Women Voters Allegheny County voting guide.

However, "My legal ability, independence, leadership, government understanding, advanced administrative capability and devotion to the improvement of the quality of justice are crucial qualities for this role," she said.

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