WILLIAMSPORT -- The wife of the mayor of Williamsport has obtained a protection from abuse order against her husband.
A hearing is scheduled for Monday in Lycoming County to see if the PFA should be made permanent.
Mayor Gabe Campana issued a written statement Thursday about the allegations of abuse. He said this is a personal matter between him and his wife and it has nothing to do with his duties as mayor.
Some people we spoke with disagree.
Williamsport Mayor Gabe Campana was with his wife and five children after he was reelected mayor last year. But behind the smiles there may have been other issues.
Some of those issues were brought to light in public court papers. Late last month, Campana's wife Sonia filed a temporary protection from abuse order against her husband. She claims the mayor physically, emotionally, verbally, and sexually assaulted her.
"I'm very surprised. These are the kinds of things they keep under wrap but I think the public deserves to know," said Williamsport resident Valerie McDonald.
According to court papers, the most recent abuse happened on July 8.
"In this day and age you have to hear both sides of the story," said Bhreat Vasudevan of Williamsport
Sonia Campana claims her husband threatened her life if she ever took their five children.
Campana issued a statement saying, "I love my wife very much. This is a personal matter between my wife and myself. This has nothing to do with my performance or duties as mayor. I would appreciate our privacy during this time."
The people we spoke with have very different opinions whether these accusations affect Campana's duties as mayor.
"That has no dealings with how he's running the city," said Vasudevan.
"For him to say it doesn't affect him being mayor, I mean come on, you're supposed to be an upstanding guy. You have your wife and your five minor children. It don't get no worse than that in my eyes," McDonald added.
Newswatch 16 stopped by the Williamsport YWCA. The center has a women's advocacy center called "Wise Options." Staff would not speak about this particular case but say it is especially hard to leave an abuser if you are in the public eye.
"Because they not only have to worry about being scrutinized by the abuser and the abuser's family, but also people in the community," explained YWCA Wise Options manager Amber Morningstar.
The temporary order prevents Campana from contacting Sonia or their five children. Campana and his wife are scheduled to appear in court on Monday to see if the order should be permanent.
