The Cuyahoga County auditor has ordered an immediate inventory of computer equipment in former Recorder Patrick O’Malley’s office.

The reason: O’Malley barred county workers from conducting an annual state-mandated review of the equipment. The ban goes back at least four years.

“They rudely threw [my staff] right out.” Cuyahoga County Information Services Center Director Dan Weaver recalled on Friday. “It didn’t surprise me, knowing his personality.”

Weaver said no other county office or department refused the inventory.

In a letter sent on Friday, Auditor Frank Russo also asked Weaver to investigate all computer equipment purchases O’Malley’s office made in the last five years.

Russo’s directive came a day after O’Malley pleaded guilty to a federal obscenity charge and resigned from office.

The investigation into O’Malley was fueled when FBI agents seized personal computers from O’Malley’s home in 2004. A search warrant said agents were looking for records of a billboard deal and images of child pornography.

O’Malley will be sentenced in August and could get more than six months in prison.

While the Cuyahoga Democratic Party huddled to pare down the list of potential successors to O’Malley — the party’s choice will be on the ballot in November — Republicans had a field day Friday.

They lumped O’Malley with former Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann, who resigned on Wednesday, and Cleveland City Councilman Joe Santiago, reportedly the subject of an FBI investigation.

“These Democrats, someone like Marc Dann or Pat O’Malley, they can’t even live up to the basic standards of competence and ethics in public office,” county Republican Party Chairman Rob Frost said.

Local Democrats, however, said O’Malley’s crime had nothing to do with his public service.

“The recorder’s office has been run efficiently and effectively,” Cuyahoga County Executive Director Colleen Corrigan Day said in a statement. “The personal issue of the former recorder bears no reflection on the operation of this county office or its staff.”

County commissioners are likely to name an interim recorder on Thursday. They are expecting a recommendation from the Democratic Party, which is headed by Commissioner Jimmy Dimora. It is the party that will make the final decision on who will face Republican Cathy Luks in the November general election for recorder.

Cuyahoga Common Pleas Judge Lillian Greene has joined the lengthy list of possible replacements for O’Malley, which includes members of Cleveland City Council and state representatives.

Luks said, “It doesn’t matter who the Democratic machine comes up with. There can no longer be one-party rule if there is to be accountability.”

Other than judges, there are no elected Republican leaders in county government.