Tagged: Luke Ravenstahl

In his latest column, Pittsburgh Tribune columnist Eric Heyl gives Mayor Ravenstahl the moniker Captain Distraction, referring to his overshadowing presence in this year's Democratic mayoral primary. On this day before the election we'll discuss how the mayor's travails continue to hold public fascination.

Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl has turned over a $12,000 check and a contract he has for home improvements to a federal grand jury.

The grand jury is believed to be investigating whether the mayor is involved in funding irregularities as his bodyguards have recently been subpoenaed to testify about city-issued credit cards and now the mayor and a contractor doing work on his home have acknowledged turning over the new records.

Several dozen union members who supported Pittsburgh’s prevailing wage law gathered in the City County Building Thursday to denounce advertisements Mayor Luke Ravenstahl’s PAC, Committee for a Better Pittsburgh, has taken out against mayoral candidate Bill Peduto.

Peduto supported the prevailing wage law, and union members feel he has been misrepresented in the ads.

Negative ads, like shaking hands and kissing babies, have become a staple of political campaigns. The recent news of Mayor Ravenstahl's link to attack ads has turned our attention to the impact of negative ads in this year's mayoral primary. Joining us for this discussion is public relations advisor Bob Oltmanns, president of the OPR Group.

Pittsburgh's lame-duck mayor is behind ads attacking one of the candidates running to replace him, City Councilman Bill Peduto.

Mayor Luke Ravenstahl is listed as chairman of the Committee for a Better Pittsburgh, according to Federal Communications Commission disclosure documents filed by KDKA-TV, which was paid to run the ads which began Monday.

The ads accuse Peduto of voting for things that benefit the neighborhoods he represent at the expense of poorer city neighborhoods.

Pittsburgh City Council unanimously voted on Wednesday to give preliminary approval to a bill that would terminate a $10,000 "imprest fund" used by the mayor at his own discretion primarily for travel expenses.

Though he didn't suggest that Mayor Luke Ravenstahl has improperly used the 18-year-old fund, sponsoring Councilman Corey O'Connor said he thinks the mayor should go through the same process of reimbursement for travel expenses that's followed by all city employees.

Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl has threatened to fire a police detective who allegedly placed a stun gun against the neck of a man who fell down before he was arrested for public drunkenness on Saturday.

Detective Frank Rende was working an off-duty security detail on the South Side during Saturday's St. Patrick's Day weekend festivities when the incident occurred.

Police spokeswoman Diane Richard said tests show the stun gun wasn't fired, which supports Rende's version of the incident as spelled out in a criminal complaint against 27-year-old Mark Keyser.

On Monday, Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl told reporters he’s decided to leave the hiring of a new police chief to whomever the next Mayor will be. We'll talk with Elizabeth Township Chief of Police, Robert McNeilly about his experience as Pittsburgh police chief from 1996 to 2006; the pressures of the position, potential for corruption and the attributes to look for in a new chief. And Darrel Stephens Executive Director of Major Cities Chiefs Association talks about his experience as a police chief and consultant to cities like Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl said Monday he won't nominate a new, full-time police chief before he leaves his post at year's end, instead leaving that decision to his mayoral successor.

It appears acting chief Regina McDonald, who assumed command after former chief Nathan Harper's forced resignation last month, will continue on an interim basis at least until the first months of 2014.

Last week Mayor Luke Ravenstahl announced that he will not run for re-election. Councilman and mayoral candidate Bill Peduto joins us to talk about how he would like to build on Ravenstahl's legacy, what changes need to be made, and how to move the city forward.