Politics

City Development Director Wants Job Back

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― The executive director of the Urban Re-Development Authority is making a request to get his job back after being on paid leave for months waiting for an investigation.

Pat Ford's attorney, Lawrence Fisher, says his client has been exonerated, cleared of all wrongdoing by the State Ethics Commission.

Fisher says the State Ethics Commission conducted a preliminary investigation into Ford accepting gifts from an advertising executive doing business with the city, and then, approving the assembly of a large digital sign on a new transportation center downtown.

But Fisher says the inquiry has been terminated and the commission will not conduct a full-blown investigation.

Fisher now says Ford should get his job back.

"The only reason why the State Ethics Commission did not initiate a formal investigation is because they did not determine if there was any reason to believe that the law had been violated," said Fisher. "We are talking about a nominal gift which, is far below the reporting requirements of state law, and which has become highly politicized by politicians who have purposes I won't speculate about. "

"We haven't been notified, I mean, the URA or the city directly from the Ethics Commission that is the case," said Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl. "Certainly, the news this morning from Mr. Fisher is encouraging, that apparently he is of the belief that there was no wrongdoing, but until we hear directly, we're going to reserve judgment. "

KDKA's Andy Sheehan reports that it is the Urban Re-Development Authority board that will decide whether Ford gets his job back. Fisher adds that he sent a letter to the URA board this morning requesting that.

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