"I'm not one to rush to judge," Mr. Ravenstahl said. "I certainly take [the council members] at their word that they didn't mean to do anything wrong."An ethics board hearing would help "to get this issue behind us," he said... (P-G, Rich Lord)
Not likely.
The Pittsburgh Comet has learned that a member of council is making a formal request of Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett to undertake an investigation of all matters pertaining to the granting of a permit for an electronic advertising sign at the Grant Street Transportation Center without votes or public hearings, and to the subsequent legal aftermath.
Sources indicate that interest in the situation has been brewing in the AG's office for some time, meaning the receipt of such a written request could trigger an official inquiry more expeditiously than usual.
As the burghreport states,this is a rumor.Do you think someone may be floating rumors to besmirch the Pgh blogospehere??
ReplyDeleteAnything's possible, but I got from sources that wouldn't seem to have motives to besmirch us.
ReplyDeleteCorbett would jump at the chance to launch yet another politically-motivated "investigation" of any Democratic elected official, so this is not surprising if true.
ReplyDeletepay the damn LEGAL bill and let's get a citizens petition to have the attorney general conduct an investigation OF ALL OF THESE stupid ass goings on.
ReplyDeleteLook, these Council Members who stood up for THE LAW AND THE LEGAL PROCESS deserve a break and some PUBLIC SUPPORT INSTEAD OF DITHERING HERE IN THE BLOGS.
The LNMAR 4 have been beat up, intimidated and they have their own political limitations as well.
How's bout we, the people of Pittsburgh take the responsibility for getting to the bottom of all of this!
So here is a petition. Copy, paste, circulate, get signitures. Mail petitions to the PA attorney general.
Tom Corbett
Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
16th Floor
Strawberry Square
Harrisburg, PA 17120
It's an of the people by the people for the people thing. Get the AG to get to work and clean up this mess.
PETETION
WE THE UNDERSIGNED RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH HAVE SERIOUS CONCERNS RELATED TO THE FUNCTIONS OF OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT. WE HAVE NO CONFIDENCE THAT LOCAL AUTHORITIES CAN FAILY AND WITHOUT PREJEDICE INVESTIGATE THE MATTERS BELOW.
THE CITY GOVERNMENT HAS ACTED TO ALLOW AN ILLEGAL BILLBOARD OWNED BY LAMAR ADVERTISING TO BE ERECTED.
THE DIRECTOR OF THE URA, MR. PAT FORD IS ON LEAVE AND UNDER INVESTIGATION BY THE STATE ETHICS COMMISSION AS A RESULT OF AN IMPROPER RELATIONSHP WITH A LAMAR LOBBYIST.
MR. FORD, AS PLANNING DIRECTOR AND THE URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY HAS ALSO HAD INTERVENED ON BEHALF OF A LOCAL REAL ESTATE COMPANY HEADED BY A CONVICTED FELON TO ALLOW ILLEGAL BUILDING PERMITS TO BE ISSUED.
MR. FORD RENTED AN APRTMENT FROM THIS AME CONVICTED FELON'S AND HAS REFUSED TO DISCLOSE WHAT, IF ANY, RENT WAS PAID.
THE DEPARTMENT OF LAW HAS ISSUED CONTROVERSIAL LEGAL OPINIONS AND HAS FAILED TO PROVIDE THE COUNCIL WITH OPINIONS IN A TIMELY MANNER ON THE LAMAR ZONING CODE VIOLATIONS AND OTHER MATTERS.
THE LAW DEPARTMENT NOW ACCUSES OUR REPRESENTATIVES OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST BASED UPON THEIR OBJECTIONS TO THE CITY CODE VIOLATIONS BY LAMAR.
WE DEMAND THAT THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL CONDUCT A THROUGH AND COMPREHENSIVE INVESTIGATION INTO THESE MATTERS TO DETERMINE IF THE LAWS OF THE COMMONWEALTH OR CITY CODE WERE BROKEN.
WE DEMAND THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL INVESTIGATE WHY A STATE AUTHORITY, THE PARKING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH, ISSUED A NO BID CONTRACT, WITHOUT BOARD APPROVAL TO ALLOW LAMAR TO ERECT AN ILLEGAL BILLBOARD ON PUBLIC PROPERTY. MR. FORD WAS CHAIR OF THE PARKING AUTHORITY AT THE TIME.
WE DEMAND THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL INVESTIGATE WHY THE PITTSBURGH STADIUM AUTHORITY SOLD PUBLIC LAND TO THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS WELL BELOW MARKET RATE ($0.80 A SQ. FT.) WITHOUT STADIUM AUTHORITY BOARD APPROVAL.
WE DEMAND THAT THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY AND ALL LAW BREAKING IN THESE MATTERS BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE AND RESTORE OUR FAITH IN OUR INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNMENT IN THE CITY OF PIITSBURGH.
NAME ADDRESS ZIP CODE
"didn't mean to do anything wrong"
ReplyDeleteLuke the Fluke
It infers they did smoething wrong. The LAMAR 4 didn't do anything wrong.
And they kicked some Lukey Lackey ass as well.