PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh's top solicitor has been digging deep into the financial practices of Pittsburgh councilwoman Twanda Carlisle and her use of taxpayer money to pay consultants.
What Pittsburgh City Solicitor Susan Malie has dug up so far she considers serious enough to put in the hands of Allegheny County's top prosecutor and state ethics officials in Harrisburg for further review.
Carlisle has been on the run from questions over that controversial and long overdue public health study for which she paid tax dollars to Leo Johnson, a man who co-owns a house with her mother.
That's now the least of her worries.
The city solicitor's confirms that scrutiny of Carlisle triggered by the study revealed other potentially criminal issues that she must refer to District Attorney Stephen Zappala and to the Pennsylvania Ethics Commission.
"I apologize I cannot speak to the criminal investigation in would be completely inappropriate," Malie said.
It turns out that Carlsile's health study payments to Johnson are the only one of her 26 deals with consultants since 2002 that's definitely not being referred to the district attorney.
The city solicitor said it's not for her to judge the quality of the work, but that Johnson did provide services to Carlisle for the $28,000 he received. That includes not only the drafted but unfinished study, but press releases, talking points and other services.
The solicitor reviewed Carlisle 's payments to friend and consultant Sheryl Pinson-Smith but won't reveal whether that will be part of any criminal probe.
Meanwhile Council President Luke Ravenstahl, acting on recommendations from the city solicitor, will introduce proposals for stricter rules and documentation on payments to council employees and consultants.
"I think collectively it's definitely a black eye for city council. It is a moment that nobody is happy that it's gotten to this point," Ravenstahl said.
Ravenstahl said he'll introduce his reform proposals to the full membership of city council next week.
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