PITTSBURGH -- The Allegheny County executive and district attorney disagree on whose job it is to investigate allegations of election fraud.

Team 4 investigator Jim Parsons reports that this dispute goes back to last year's election.

The following is his report:

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A state senate election in Elizabeth Township last year brought about allegations of voter fraud. Police say that there is clear evidence of criminal conduct and yet, because of partisan politics, no one can agree on whose job it is to bring charges.

One year ago next month, Republican County Executive Jim Roddey and Democratic District Attorney Steve Zappala vowed to work together to combat voter fraud. It hasn't happened.

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Team 4 Investigates Election Fraud

"It's been really an exercise in frustration getting the DA to take action on this very serious matter," said election board chairman Dave Fawcett.

It was eight months ago that Republican county elections board chairman Dave Fawcett sent a letter to Zappala saying that the elections board found clear evidence of criminal conduct in Elizabeth Township.

At the center is a county official, deputy clerk of courts Phil Martell, who is an active campaigner for Democratic party candidates. Martell's three siblings registered to vote from his house, even though they never actually lived there.

"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out something wrong was done," Fawcett said.

Fawcett and the rest of the elections board called in county police detectives to investigate the Martell case. Zappala clearly doesn't like it. In a letter back to Fawcett, the DA's office writes, "Allegheny County Police presently operates under the control and direction of Chief Executive James Roddey, if they have evidence sufficient to charge persons with crimes, they should proceed."

But Fawcett says county police can't make a voter fraud arrest.

"We, as the board of elections, have the power to investigate, and the statute says directly we are to refer it to the DA, and that's what I have been repeatedly telling the DA and urging him to do something," Fawcett said.

Zappala declined an interview request; so did Roddey. But Roddey's chief assistant says that the elections board will continue to refer cases to the DA's office.

"All the referrals need to be made to the district attorney and to the extent that there are prosecutions that will result from it, that is his call," said Allegheny County Manager Bob Webb.

This is about more than one case in Elizabeth. Since this political turf fight broke out last year, no one in Allegheny County has been charged with voter fraud.