WARREN — Former Trumbull County Commissioner Niki Frenchko once again is in the middle of a controversy in which she is accused of throwing something at someone.

Frenchko has been accused of throwing lemons at Trumbull County Republican Party Secretary Marleah Campbell during a party meeting this week. Trumbull County Republican Party Chairwoman Julia Shutt described Frenchko using lemons that Shutt brought to the party’s regularly scheduled board meeting and placed them in a bowl as a centerpiece.

Shutt said Frenchko kept interrupting the meeting at the party headquarters in Howland.

“She was asked to please stop,” Shutt said. “That’s when lemons were grabbed and thrown at an individual.”

At that point, Shutt said she ended the meeting.

It was later decided they needed to call the Howland Police Department and have a report filed. Up to five witness statements were provided with the initial report.

Howland police Chief Nick Roberts confirmed the report was made, but it was up to the alleged victim to pursue charges with the Warren City prosecutor’s office.

“I don’t think this was a fruitful experience,” Shutt said. “We were having a meeting looking at the goodness happening in our party and the great things that are happening.”

She later described the incident as a “hiccup” to the big picture of what the party is attempting to do in Trumbull County.

“It is unfortunate,” she said.

Shutt noted she only witnessed Frenchko throwing the fruit.

“It was like being in a movie,” she said.

Frenchko, in an email, stated she had been working to get a candidate’s name on the ballot and to follow party’s bylaws.

“When the GOP officers were embarrassed (by) their mistake, they formulated a blatant lie,” she stated in the email. “This witchhunt, waged against my character by the corrupt party officials and politicians in our county is an effort to deflect attention from their mistake.”

“I have always stood up for the integrity of our constitution and elections,” Frenchko noted. “These incompetent party officials should step down from their positions for their blatant attack on our democracy.”

Shutt said there have not been any discussions about what should be done after this incident.

“It is a board decision,” she said.

This is not the first incident between Frenchko and members of her own party. Under the previous Republican Party chairman, Frenchko in 2023 was censured and prevented from being on party literature or participating in party activities for about a year after being accused of using her camera to film activities although she was asked not to do so.

It was Shutt, after being elected the party’s chairwoman, who in December invited Frenchko back to participate in party activities.

At the time, Frenchko expressed confidence she would be able to work with new party leaders.

“I sought office as a Republican dating back to the 1990s, so clearing up the confusion related to my party was important to me,” she said at the time. “I am excited to see new party leadership that is interested in mending division and working to create a more positive image — rebranding us as more welcoming.”

Shutt, on Wednesday, described this week’s experience as “enlightening.”

“I’m seeing that she doesn’t work well with a group,” she said.

Shutt said going forward, the board will have to determine if they feel safe and comfortable working with Frenchko.

“I don’t know,” she said.

It will be up to Campbell to determine whether she wants to file charges against Frenchko, Shutt said.

“I would have never in a million years thought the lemons would be used in this way,” she said. “I would have squeezed them to make lemonade or used them to bake in a chicken.”

Frenchko in 2022 was accused of throwing water on Trumbull Transit Administrator Mike Salamone and two men walking with him after a transit meeting.