tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13204387668558529702024-03-07T21:18:07.393-05:00The Busman's HolidayMy Collection Of Curiosities -- A Work In ProgressBob Mayohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15284393139608821650noreply@blogger.comBlogger350125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320438766855852970.post-79152514310360020052019-03-24T11:23:00.001-04:002019-03-24T11:23:11.797-04:00FOI: WANT TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW? FOI Workshop: Freedom of Information & Open Records<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://spjpittsburgh.blogspot.com/2019/03/foi-want-to-know-about-your-right-to.html" target="_blank">Free event this Saturday, March 30, 10 AM</a></div>
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Join us for <a href="https://spjpittsburgh.blogspot.com/2019/03/foi-want-to-know-about-your-right-to.html" target="_blank">this <b class="">free</b> FOI and Open Records workshop</a>, Saturday March 30th, hosted by SPJ -- the Society of Professional Journalists, Pittsburgh Pro Chapter and Duquesne University Chapter.</div>
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Bob Mayohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15284393139608821650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320438766855852970.post-31441997493882409272013-05-24T08:01:00.000-04:002013-05-24T08:01:34.632-04:00Q&A: Darlene Harris May Opt to Run for Mayor as Independent?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsSqOR5zN9FHwJII2xlHq5S6iFSvV66bsHS8SsRRn2JL91tvAJqZrWLRwaAagdwYCHRHdy0NQ9iKX9wXpiaFegK3RdUZC8R7jqWe-qjp71CZc0fQjq5SHaVwNHKn6h1PUXhZHWpL0vSt0/s1600/Darlene_Harris.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsSqOR5zN9FHwJII2xlHq5S6iFSvV66bsHS8SsRRn2JL91tvAJqZrWLRwaAagdwYCHRHdy0NQ9iKX9wXpiaFegK3RdUZC8R7jqWe-qjp71CZc0fQjq5SHaVwNHKn6h1PUXhZHWpL0vSt0/s400/Darlene_Harris.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I</span>f you enjoy following Pittsburgh mayoral politics, you may find<a href="http://www.wtae.com/news/local/allegheny/darlene-harris-keeping-options-open-for-mayoral-run/-/10927008/20280590/-/94pv48z/-/index.html" target="_blank"> this video</a> interesting. 12 times during our 2 minute and 41 second conversation, City Council President Darlene Harris stuck to her four word talking point about her intentions. Here's a <a href="http://www.wtae.com/news/local/allegheny/darlene-harris-keeping-options-open-for-mayoral-run/-/10927008/20280590/-/94pv48z/-/index.html" target="_blank">link to WTAE video of my Q&A</a> with Harris about her switching her registration from Democrat to Independent in order to qualify to run for mayor in the fall race. There are some interesting nuggets hidden KMOO #7 and KMOO #10: her pause before her answer about fundraising and her comments about Mayor Ravenstahl.<br />
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I'd reported on Wednesday about the prospect of an Independent mayoral candidate running against Democratic primary winner Bill Peduto and Republican Josh Wander. <a href="http://www.wtae.com/news/politics/bill-peduto-pledges-to-shake-up-city-government-from-top-to-bottom/-/9680976/20261284/-/w5kik/-/index.html" target="_blank">That story</a> includes a clip of Councilman Corey O'Connor, whose long-term political future is sometimes the subject of speculation, laughing off the idea he'd jump in to this race. (He can't and he doesn't want to. He remains registered a Democrat, he now backs Peduto after staying neutral during the primary, and he's getting married next month.)<br />
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Here's a transcript of my Darlene Harris Q&A. I numbered her KMOO count for handy reference.<br />
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<b>Q:</b> "Are you planning to run as an independent for mayor in the fall?"<br />
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<b>A:</b> "I am just keeping my options open." (1)</blockquote>
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<b>Q:</b> "Keeping your options open means what?"<br />
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<b>A:</b> "Keeping my options open." (2)</blockquote>
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<b>Q:</b> "Did you change your party registration, when did you do that , and explain the significance of that?"<br />
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<b>A:</b> "Well, there's been a lot going on in the city, and I wanted to make sure that I left all options open." (3)</blockquote>
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<b>Q:</b> "Obviously, if for some reason Mayor Ravenstahl left office, you would become acting mayor. If you were acting mayor, is that the only circumstance under which you could run as an independent?"<br />
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<b>A:</b> "I guess that would be the only way that you could run as an independent."</blockquote>
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<b>Q:</b> "Well, I mean you could, as council president. But *would* you, unless you became acting mayor?"<br />
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<b>A:</b> "All I'm doing is leaving my options open." (4)</blockquote>
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<b>Q:</b> "So you don't rule out running as an independent for mayor, even if Mayor Ravenstahl serves out his term?"<br />
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<b>A:</b> "Just keeping all options open." (5)</blockquote>
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<b>Q:</b> "So , keeping your options open means that you're an independent, you changed your registration, so that you may run for mayor?"<br />
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<b>A:</b> "Just keeping the options open." (6)</blockquote>
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<b>Q:</b> "And have you collected money for a mayor's race yet?"<br />
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<b>A:</b> "Just keeping the options open." (7)</blockquote>
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<b>Q:</b> "Raised any money?"<br />
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<b>A:</b> "(2 second pause) Just keeping the options open." (8)</blockquote>
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<b>Q:</b> "Have you gotten any encouragement from anyone to do this?"<br />
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<b>A:</b> "I just am leaving all options open." (9)</blockquote>
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<b>Q:</b> "Is Mayor Ravenstahl encouraging you to do this?"<br />
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<b>A:</b> "Absolutely not."</blockquote>
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<b>Q:</b> "Is he discouraging you?"<br />
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<b>A:</b> "He actually -- we have had our times."</blockquote>
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<b>Q:</b> "In his discouraging you considering this?"<br />
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<b>A:</b> "No. He hasn't encouraged or discouraged me. I don't think he even realizes what has happened."</blockquote>
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<b>Q:</b> "By when will you make a final decision on whether or not you'll run for mayor as an independent?"<br />
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<b>A: </b>"Uh, time will tell."</blockquote>
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<b>Q:</b> "When exactly did you change your registration?"<br />
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<b>A:</b> "When it was time to do so."</blockquote>
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<b>Q:</b> "In other words, prior to 30 days before the primary?"<br />
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<b>A:</b> "Exactly."</blockquote>
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<b>Q:</b> "So, you've been strategizing for a while?"<br />
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<b>A:</b> "Exactly."</blockquote>
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<b>Q: </b>"What should Pittsburghers make of this?"<br />
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<b>A: </b>"To keep my options open, and we'll see in the future." (10)</blockquote>
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<b>Q:</b> "So, basically this would mean that the primary wasn't the last word, so far as you're concerned, about what the field will be in the fall."<br />
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<b>A:</b> "All I have said is, I've left my options open." (11)</blockquote>
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<b>Q:</b> "Are you leaving your options open, councilwoman?"<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>A:</b> "I have left my options open." (12)</blockquote>
<br />Bob Mayohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15284393139608821650noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320438766855852970.post-21609848998934537212013-03-03T14:09:00.000-05:002013-03-03T14:09:09.482-05:00Q&A - on Mayor Ravenstahl's Mystery Candidate<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">A lighter atmosphere during the mystery candidate Q&A</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">M</span>ayor Luke Ravenstahl's somber and reflective news conference on Friday had a few lighter moments. Some came when the mayor -- in response to questions -- revealed the existence of his chosen mystery candidate.</div>
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This unnamed person is Ravenstahl's favorite to jump into the mayor's race to succeed him, now that he's dropped out. Here are my notes of that Q&A , starting with Jon Delano's questions that suddenly brought laughter and smiles from the mayor.</div>
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<b>Q</b>: "Mayor, there are only two candidates, two announced candidates to succeed you --"</div>
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<b>A</b>: "I'm sure that will change soon."<br />(Reporters' laughter.)</blockquote>
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<b>Q</b>: "My question is, are you encouraging others to get in this race or to look at this?"</div>
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(The mayor chuckles, pauses, then answers.)<br /><b>A</b>: "Yes. (Smiling.)<br />(More reporters' laughter.)</blockquote>
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<b>Q</b>: "Do you have a specific candidate in mind, mayor?"</div>
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<b>A</b>: (Smiling) "Yes."</blockquote>
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<b>Q</b>: "Obviously, that candidate has not yet announced?"</div>
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<b>A</b>: "Correct..."</blockquote>
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<b>Q</b>: "Would you like to share with us who that candidate is?"</div>
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<b>A</b>: "No."<br />(Reporters' laughter.)</blockquote>
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Moments later, Delano followed up.</div>
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<b>Q</b>: "I want to come back to this candidate you that would like to see run for mayor."</div>
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<b>A</b>: "Yes." (The mayor chuckles again, and takes a drink of water.)</blockquote>
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<b>Q</b>: "Have you spoken to this candidate?"</div>
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(There's a pause.)<br /><b>A</b>: "No." (The mayor smiles again.)</blockquote>
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<b>Q</b>: "You have no indication whether this person wants to run for mayor or not?"</div>
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<b>A</b>: "Correct."</blockquote>
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<b>Q</b>: "Do you intend to speak to this candidate and encourage this person to run?"</div>
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<b>A</b>: "Yes." (Smiling.)</blockquote>
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<b>Q</b>: "And there's nothing more you're going to tell us?"</div>
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<b>A</b>: "Not right now, no."</blockquote>
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I then joined in with my own followup questions.</div>
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<b>Q</b>: "Just to be clear, do you envision, in a sense, a surrogate of the Ravenstahl administration to carry on the agenda of the administration and the Ravenstahl administration team? Do you think that's the best course for your people and for the city?"</div>
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<b>A</b>: "I'm sorry, say that again?"</blockquote>
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<b>Q</b>: "Do you envision a surrogate candidate who would represent -"</div>
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<b>A</b>: "Oh."</blockquote>
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<b>Q</b>: "-- the accomplishments of the Ravenstahl administration , your staff, your team, your vision, to represent your team in the primary?"</div>
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<b>A</b>: "No, I don't think so." (Now with a more serious and formal tone.)</blockquote>
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<b>Q</b>: "In the general election?"</div>
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<b>A</b>: "No."</blockquote>
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<b>Q</b>: "So when you say there's someone you envision that you could support, you don't see that person as keeping the Ravenstahl team together to do that?"</div>
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<b>A</b>: "Um, first of all, we're speculating, um…"</blockquote>
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<b>Q</b>: "You said yes to a series of quest --"</div>
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<b>A</b>: "No, no, no, I know. It's -- well, first of all, I don't know. (Laughs.) We're speculating. I don't know what that person may or may not do. You know, so."</blockquote>
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<b>Q</b>: "But you have someone in mind?"</div>
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<b>A</b>: "I do."</blockquote>
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Later, I asked a final followup.</div>
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<b>Q</b>: "Is your brother a candidate that you would like to see run for mayor?"</div>
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(Reporters' laughter. The mayor shakes head and chuckles.)<br /><b>A</b>: "No."<br />(Louder reporters' laughter. The mayor's mother then jokingly chimed in with a loud "no" of her own, gesturing with her arms for added emphasis.)</blockquote>
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Delano then added:</div>
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<b>Q</b>: "Sorry I opened this."</div>
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<b>A</b>: "No, that's okay. I kind of opened it because I answered your question."</blockquote>
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Bob Mayohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15284393139608821650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320438766855852970.post-4709270581879880482012-10-18T17:42:00.000-04:002012-10-18T17:42:12.323-04:00Billboard Ballistics: Councilwomen Draw Fire From Lamar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGAYWpqdUS2j8V5LRK14o2PTjNnfc9L-B2XCBanaZrChY_-efFT9GDoEPgJbG7Zfgy3UaaPnQEKoYkJuCjZz_8UDY774VPOejFiM4mAMOOEL3z_DIRVrQMqbn2i9VY_E1Tacoszq_jClc/s1600/zoomedbillboard.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGAYWpqdUS2j8V5LRK14o2PTjNnfc9L-B2XCBanaZrChY_-efFT9GDoEPgJbG7Zfgy3UaaPnQEKoYkJuCjZz_8UDY774VPOejFiM4mAMOOEL3z_DIRVrQMqbn2i9VY_E1Tacoszq_jClc/s400/zoomedbillboard.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://pittsburghpa.gov/district4/about" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">P</span>ittsburgh Councilwoman Natalia Rudiak</a> may be joking about the attack billboard in her district targeting her, but <a href="http://www.lamar.com/About" target="_blank">Lamar Advertising</a> is deadly serious about it. The billboard company's sign shows her smiling with the caption "Worst economy in 50 years, Natalia Rudiak says: Let's raise taxes". (The billboard doesn't elaborate that what the councilwoman is proposing to tax is billboard advertising.) </div>
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Rudiak <a href="http://twitter.com/nataliarudiak/status/258686880219025408" target="_blank">responds on Twitter</a> "All politicians want free advertising. Thanks Lamar. I finally hit the big time!"</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcH9T0WB7CSk7NAMyAUES79IQMK0bP5EVsfge2PabPVzOnzJuBuegZxYG1v_gOYjFrLQR5CVuaeqERwEa-Gcg3OGdVktFIn4z9Sao_VtcUw8qng2pnAUuWPrmOaRvb0UtdXmXJOY5cF-E/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-10-18+at+9.36.59+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcH9T0WB7CSk7NAMyAUES79IQMK0bP5EVsfge2PabPVzOnzJuBuegZxYG1v_gOYjFrLQR5CVuaeqERwEa-Gcg3OGdVktFIn4z9Sao_VtcUw8qng2pnAUuWPrmOaRvb0UtdXmXJOY5cF-E/s320/Screen+Shot+2012-10-18+at+9.36.59+AM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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The <a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-city/lamar-fights-proposed-pittsburgh-ad-tax-with-billboards-658120/" target="_blank">PG reports Lamar has put up similar signs</a> targeting the bill's co-sponsor Council President Darlene Harris and plans on placing more these billboards across town. Reporter Joe Smydo quotes Lamar's attorney Jonathan Kamin as saying "we just wanted to raise public awareness about the tax that the city of Pittsburgh is looking to impose on businesses that choose to advertise".</div>
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<a href="http://www.scenicpittsburgh.org/?page_id=2" target="_blank">Scenic Pittsburgh</a> is firing back at Lamar Advertising, describing the billboards as a "misleading, unfair, and bullying tactic". Its Executive Director Mike Dawida says "billboards lower property values by 30% and pay almost no taxes; home and business owners pay thousands of dollars in property taxes while billboards pay nearly nothing". The group previously framed the issue <a href="http://www.scenicpittsburgh.org/?p=587" target="_blank">by claiming on it's website </a>that an "Out-of-State Corporation Makes Millions off of the City Skyline – (and) Pays Less than $10 in Local Taxes".</div>
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Here are links to previous <a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/business/news/pittsburgh-city-council-bill-would-increase-taxes-on-billboards-652918/" target="_blank">PG</a> and <a href="http://triblive.com/news/adminpage/2582573-74/tax-harris-advertising-bill-council-lamar-outdoor-police-billboards-million#axzz29eirvp00" target="_blank">Trib</a> coverage.</div>
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The public hearing on the proposed billboard tax is set for October 30th.</div>
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I'll have more on past clashes between City Council and Lamar Advertising in an upcoming blog post.</div>
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Bob Mayohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15284393139608821650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320438766855852970.post-19738006474748099102012-10-16T08:07:00.002-04:002012-10-16T08:07:58.880-04:00News Notes: Drilling in the City<b><span style="font-size: large;">I</span></b>n the Twitter stream this morning:<br />
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Councilman Patrick Dowd <a href="http://twitter.com/patrickdowdpgh/status/258157226974384128" target="_blank">tweets</a> that his legislation to regulate drilling inside Pittsburgh city limits lands on the desks of <a href="http://apps.pittsburghpa.gov/dcp/PC_Agenda_10-16-12.pdf" target="_blank">Planning Commission</a> members today.<br />
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<a href="http://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/out-of-the-comfort-zone-a-wary-response-for-proposed-gas-drilling-rules/Content?oid=1575383" target="_blank">Pittsburgh City Paper has reaction</a> from the sponsor of the complete ban on drilling in the city -- a ban which still stands unchallenged in court. Notably, former Councilman Doug Shields posted two comments on the City Paper story which, combined, are longer than than Chris Potter's story itself.<br />
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Bob Mayohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15284393139608821650noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320438766855852970.post-1454252168828138992012-10-12T00:42:00.001-04:002012-10-14T17:44:51.131-04:00Q&A - Mayor's Plan for Paramedics Strike: Use Firefighters & Suburban EMTs as Replacements<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">M</span>ayor Ravenstahl tells me he's prepared to use Pittsburgh Firefighters, suburban EMTs (emergency medical technicians) and EMS managers to fill the gaps, if the paramedics union goes on strike. Here's a transcript of my question and answer session with the mayor.</i><br />
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<b>Q:</b> On the negotiations with paramedics, should Pittsburghers be worried -- are you worried -- about what impact this may have if things turn more sour in these talks?<br />
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<b>A:</b> "I'm not worried and residents shouldn't be worried. I have talked with our public safety folks and am adamant about the fact that we will keep people safe. If they decide to strike, we have a plan in place to respond to that. And we should not see any interruption of service and I believe that we'll be able to keep people safe."</blockquote>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>"So, we're going to hold the line. We believe that we've negotiated a fair deal. And we believe we've negotiated a deal that will actually make residents safer in the long term. That will put more ambulances on the street. It will transfer the rescue work from EMS over to Fire, to use some of those firefighters that have that ability, and free up paramedics and ambulances to do more work. That'll put two more ambulances on the street. Our response times already are not good enough. They need to improve, and this will improve the overall delivery of services in public safety."</blockquote>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>"They want to make it about our union versus their union, that's not what this is about. This is about delivery of safety services for all residents. Whether it's a firefighter, a paramedic, a police officer, the resident doesn't care. The resident doesn't care. The resident wants to be safe and this is going to make our city safer."</blockquote>
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<b>Q:</b> What about the paramedics union suggesting that somehow the best medical care or response isn't adequately addressed under these changes that you want?<br />
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<b>A:</b> "Well, we disagree with that, (number) one, because when you look at the history of rescue work. First of all, we have a large number, I think it's over 300 firefighters who are trained EMTs. So, these individuals have expertise and training to do it. And a large number of rescue calls, in fact, don't even require medical service. A lot of the times they are people who are stuck in elevators. Or, you know, they find themselves in a situation where they can't get out of some place. So these are not emergencies in a lot of cases. These are not issues that need medical attention. In some cases, do they? Yes, but in that case we have EMTs and others that can do it."</blockquote>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>"So, we're not putting this on the table in any way to jeopardize pubic safety. In fact, we're going to enhance it, and that's why we're so adamant about it. Previous studies, Tri Data, for example, called for this to happen. The Act 47 team (the city's financial overseers) put it in their plan, and now here we are, attempting to implement it and we think we're doing the right thing by the taxpayers."</blockquote>
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<i>(While discussing the history of the paramedics contract talks, the mayor added this next comment, which prompted my follow up questions.)</i><br />
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<b>A:</b> "…If they go on strike, we're prepared to deal that."</blockquote>
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<b>Q:</b> If there's a strike, would EMS managers be sufficient to cover, or would you pull people from the Fire Bureau to cover?<br />
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<b>A:</b> "We would do a combination of both. We believe the EMS managers and the paramedics that are there now would team up with a trained EMT that happens to be a firefighter now, and that's how we would handle the situation. We believe we have enough manpower, at least in the short term, to do that. It's not uncommon, even under the current system for us to call mutual aid and have others come in and help. So, if we need to do that, we'll do that just like we do now."</blockquote>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>"The pubic safety director and I have had numerous conversations about this. Obviously, we are concerned if a strike happens, but we are also prepared. And he has given me his word and I believe, just given what he's shown me, that we're prepared to do this in the event of a strike. We hope that doesn't happen, but if it does, we're prepared for it.</blockquote>
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<b>Q:</b> So, suburban EMTs and paramedics could wind up responding to Pittsburgh emergencies under this cooperative deal, existing cooperative deal?<br />
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A: "Well, and people may be surprised to know, they do now. They do now in a lot of cases, so that wouldn't change. That happens. It's called 'mutual aid' in the event that we are, you know, our ambulances are out and we don't have the ability to get to a call, suburban communities come in now and help us. So that's not different. There are times where we do the same for them, and it's called mutual aid. So, that may happen. But I want to be clear that that's not any change in current practices. That happens currently under our existing agreements."</blockquote>
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<b>Q:</b> And the firefighters union wouldn't balk at the idea of being pressed into service?<br />
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<b>A:</b> "We've had discussions with them and we expect that they would be cooperative, yeah."</blockquote>
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Bob Mayohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15284393139608821650noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320438766855852970.post-66631418898736942692012-10-11T20:20:00.000-04:002012-10-11T20:20:32.900-04:00The Busman's Holiday: Please Stand by...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Powering up.</div>
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There's more to come.Bob Mayohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15284393139608821650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320438766855852970.post-36647403274011074982010-11-08T11:05:00.008-05:002010-11-08T17:27:11.806-05:00UPDATED with Council Reaction: Mayor Ravenstahl's Budget Message Breakout Quotes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjIrdLhSfxHbp1QEORfj2NAmIvJxIXnK3it6PnsHqADEi2idILEh4JNpZ102jiGOlH0uIzNzQWCt5pEFMUPxZ6qD_4BOOx1W5j7i1hm8ISX60-3Z9lv28CAL4PsJB4TChuq8kbOHlTWsA/s1600/IMG00178-20101108-1039.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjIrdLhSfxHbp1QEORfj2NAmIvJxIXnK3it6PnsHqADEi2idILEh4JNpZ102jiGOlH0uIzNzQWCt5pEFMUPxZ6qD_4BOOx1W5j7i1hm8ISX60-3Z9lv28CAL4PsJB4TChuq8kbOHlTWsA/s400/IMG00178-20101108-1039.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537309007857090978" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">UPDATE 2:</span></span> Reactions from City Council members to Mayor Ravenstahl's address which warned of a coming "financial nightmare" in 2016 :<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Council Finance Chair Bill Peduto:</span><br /><br /><blockquote>• "Under his scenario which he presented today which is using one sided numbers, sure you can make that argument. But is it reality? No. Not unless we choose to go down that path. That's a path I will never travel."<br /><br />• "We had a scolding, if nothing else,of city council -- and it wasn't even based on reality."<br /><br />• "He's still trying to push an idea, even at the point of today, which was harmful to Pittsburgh."</blockquote><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Council President Darlene Harris (via written statement):</span><br /><br /><blockquote>• "We have no intention of selling ourselves short, and no plan to initiate debt that will destroy future generations."<br /><br /><br />• "We also have no intention of foregoing billions of dollars of revenue over the next 50 years so that investment bankers can drain the life out of our City."<br /><br />•"...In the coming weeks we will be actively working - day and night - to produce a decent, working solution to the immediate crisis, and thereafter this body intends to address the very core of the issue - the pension funds themselves.</blockquote><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Councilman Doug Shields:</span><br /><br /><blockquote>•"I was little chagrined, to say the least, to hear that it's all council's fault, number one. Number two, there is a viable plan that the council enacted on the table."<br /><br />• "I never saw a mayor come into the chamber and essentially insult the council."<br /><br />• "It was like, 'okay, I'm coming into council to yell at the council about something, to basically throw this in the council's face, and blame them for everything."</blockquote><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Councilwoman Natalia Rudiak:</span><br /><br /><blockquote>• "He said the actions of a few. I think there was clear majority that rejected the one option. there are still other options on the table."</blockquote><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">UPDATE 1: </span></span>Here are some key quotes from Mayor Ravenstahl's budget message delivered to City Council. (I posted a version of this earlier via mobile e-mail, but thumbtyping via BlackBerry leaves something to be desired in the way of formatting.) I've also expanded some quotes.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mayor Luke Ravenstahl</span>:<br /><p></p><blockquote><p>• "It appears that Pittsburgh must return to the years of deficit spending..."</p><p>• "Council...is forcing us into a financial culture that looks too much like our past".</p><p>• "I submit five year plan today that does not raise taxes. That does not make draconian cuts to basic city services."</p><p><br />• "...makes sure that Pittsburghers can get through the next five years unharmed, even when confronted by pension payments that double and triple..."</p><p>• "We will do that by using our fund balance to ensure that we survive through 2015."</p><p><br />• "In 2016, the first year following the five year plan, our fund balance will be depleted."</p><p><br />• "(In 2016) we will be forced to make a $91 Million payment to the state pension system.."</p><p><br />• "...that is a quarter of our city's entire budget...more than it costs to operate any city departmentt."</p><p><br />• "After 2016, I cannot tell you how Pittsburgh will..deliver..core services without severe cuts & tax increases."</p><p><br />• "Pension payments after 2016 are even more staggering."</p><p>• "With a fund balance that is dried up, Pittsburgh will have to make a $127 Million pension payment in 2017. "</p><p><br />• "...our city walks with its eyes wide open into a fiscal nightmare."</p><p><br />• "I saw this day coming and prepared city for it as best I could."</p><p><br />• "...presented City Council with a solution that could have saved us from this..."</p><p><br />• "...some members of City Council chose the short term, irresponsible approach..."</p><p><br />• "...it is not too late to prevent an eventual Pittsburgh bankruptcy."</p><p><br />• "...if five members of council choose to do the right thing."</p><p><br />• "We can still avert pension crisis by making a large cash infusion into our pension fund immediately..."</p><p><br />• "...and fighting for a new revenue stream to increase our pension payments..."</p><p><br />• "...ignoring these solutions...will in time force us....back to the dark days..."</p><p><br />• "That is not what I wanted. It is not what is best for Pittsburgh..."</p><p>• "Nonetheless, if that is the path Council chooses, we must live with it, regardless of how disastrous the long term consequences will be."<br /></p><p><br />• "The budget and five year plan I present today balances."</p><p><br />• "It maintains services without raising taxes through 2015".</p><p><br />• "...but Pittsburgh will not be able to absorb the costs of state takeover in 2016 or beyond."</p></blockquote><p></p><p>--<br />Sent from my mobile device</p>Bob Mayohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15284393139608821650noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320438766855852970.post-47453457327383956182010-05-21T06:54:00.011-04:002010-05-21T07:27:20.115-04:00Notes & Quotes: From My Interview with Targeted Tweeter, ACLU<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB4SGLbU2hWLKPVn5XH53Fgyxuw8vkgmE-PL1gQnKg-6sbj_LspXnlt9kO4tdLo3pxyOYiWtDhnFlj3-my6P1LK7_GSwBch5Ul-JfPyYNnj_5vTe7i4bFaNqoQWQpw0UEX2THuhOP6x9o/s1600/tweetcontrov.png"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 326px; height: 343px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB4SGLbU2hWLKPVn5XH53Fgyxuw8vkgmE-PL1gQnKg-6sbj_LspXnlt9kO4tdLo3pxyOYiWtDhnFlj3-my6P1LK7_GSwBch5Ul-JfPyYNnj_5vTe7i4bFaNqoQWQpw0UEX2THuhOP6x9o/s400/tweetcontrov.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473680973151888898" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:180%;">F</span>irst, <a href="http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/video/23628612/index.html">here is a link</a> to my Channel 4 Action News story on my interview with "<a href="http://twitter.com/casablancapa">Signor Ferrari</a>", one of the anonymous tweeters -- along with <a href="http://twitter.com/bfbarbie">BFBarbie</a> -- targeted by PA Attorney General <a href="http://twitter.com/Tom_Corbett">Tom Corbett</a>'s grand jury subpoena. It's a follow-up <a href="http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/video/23611872/index.html">to this story</a> in which I asked Republican gubernatorial <a href="http://twitter.com/CorbettforGov">candidate Corbett</a> about the the case.<br /><br />I should also note that Attorney General's office spokesman Kevin Harley tells me:<br /><br /><blockquote>"This matter will be more fully explained (Friday) morning in Dauphin County Court at the sentencing hearing of convicted felon Brett Cott, who was one of the principals who was convicted in March as part of the bonus (Bonusgate) investigation that we did."</blockquote><br /><span style="font-size:180%;">N</span>ow the notes from the Q&As.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilZcUSDZDYAy9sRRKDlLfq44m7iYeSJ24hM-3ub32pFjjwuC1oA2yzR5m4Q4dCVuMozJy-wnUE42YW4lDQXr1cILwWNBAHKWPKgCfPDYUPocDQO7q0OoxpM4DYIuEPjr0FLTVyYLpDOKM/s1600/SignorFerrari.png"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 149px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilZcUSDZDYAy9sRRKDlLfq44m7iYeSJ24hM-3ub32pFjjwuC1oA2yzR5m4Q4dCVuMozJy-wnUE42YW4lDQXr1cILwWNBAHKWPKgCfPDYUPocDQO7q0OoxpM4DYIuEPjr0FLTVyYLpDOKM/s200/SignorFerrari.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473681394409753186" border="0" /></a><br />The person who goes by the alias Signor Ferrari is behind the targeted Twitter account CasablancaPA; here are my notes of what <a href="http://casablancapa.blogspot.com/2010/05/nice-campaign-work-geniuses.html">blogger Ferrari</a> said in our phone interview:<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Reaction to the subpoena:</span><br /><br /><blockquote>Ferrari: "We consider it a violation of the First Amendment… The right to criticize public officials anonymously is constitutionally protected."<br /></blockquote><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">On tweeting and blogging:</span><br /><br /><blockquote>Ferrari: "We have very closely followed Corbett's investigation of the legislature. We've examined some of his other actions as Attorney General, and we've simply pointed out instances where we feel that he has basically not lived up to his responsibilities."</blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Target of criminal investigation?</span><br /><blockquote><br />Ferrari: "That's not a question I'm prepared to answer. We intend to remain anonymous and we will not confirm or deny who we are, whether we're connected to the defendants."</blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Anything to say to Tom Corbett?</span><br /><br /><blockquote>Ferrari: "What we have to say to Tom Corbett we have said in our blog and we will continue to say it on our blog."</blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Why should anyone care about this case?</span><br /><br /><blockquote>Ferrari: "Because what happens to us could happen to anyone. This is really not about the identities of these particular bloggers. This is about the right of an american to anonymously criticize a public official."</blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Closing comment:</span><br /><br /><blockquote>Ferrari: "I'm just extremely grateful to the ACLU and very encouraged by the support we've gotten from fellow bloggers and tweeters on the internet."</blockquote><br /><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">.<br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiMOwvJOHmYf9nfLi-nQqaY2dIyVCfuiYVq8lGZZvflnrk2gm4ex4nc-hdbAB8fjqb0y0YFwMfhA7XOZatdO1wHyU31SeGwgr6HqSatmHueqzNwW2X6t5YYWXhHuoikykiZkvlpbcLNUA/s1600/Walczak.png"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 176px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiMOwvJOHmYf9nfLi-nQqaY2dIyVCfuiYVq8lGZZvflnrk2gm4ex4nc-hdbAB8fjqb0y0YFwMfhA7XOZatdO1wHyU31SeGwgr6HqSatmHueqzNwW2X6t5YYWXhHuoikykiZkvlpbcLNUA/s200/Walczak.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473681596326280146" border="0" /></a>Vic Walczak, the Legal Director of the <a href="http://twitter.com/aclupa">American Civil Liberties Union Pennsylvania Chapter</a> tells me the ACLU is now representing both Signor Ferrari and the other targeted blogger who goes by the name BFBarbie. Here are some quotes from that interview:<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Q: He wants to know who the two tweeters are. What's wrong with that?</span><br /><blockquote>Walczak: "The tweeters are individuals who have been criticizing Attorney General Corbett and the whole Bonusgate prosecution as being overly political."<br /><br />"It is a prized American possession not only to only to criticize the government, but to criticize the government anonymously. This is a tradition that goes back to the founding of this country, when you think about Thomas Paine handing out his leaflet ' Common Sense', that was done anonymously. The Federalist Papers, perhaps the most important documents written about government, were written anonymously. It's a right that the Supreme Court has recognized time and time again. …You know, the right to criticize the government anonymously is very, very important in this country."<br /><br /><br />"If the Attorney General sees this as being somehow criminal, then he's in for a huge first amendment fight, because that would be tantamount to criminal libel, which we got rid of decades ago. …I mean you don't throw people in jail because they criticize you. And that is a very scary thought when you think about somebody who's been nominated by one of the major political parties for governor of this state. If the view is that you can throw critics in jail, or somehow use the criminal justice system against them, that's kind of a scary notion."<br /></blockquote><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">On the specific legal concerns:</span><br /><br /><blockquote>Walczak: "This would appear to be a misuse of the grand jury process to get information in aid of sentencing. The theory seems to be that the A.G.'s office believes that one or both tweeters are a legislative aide, Brett Cott who has been convicted and is to be sentenced tomorrow. They've filed a pre-sentencing report saying that if Mr. Cott is the one who is the one who is tweeting these criticisms of the A.G. and the prosecution, that that means he's not showing sufficient remorse and that in fact the sentence should be enhanced. So, is this an appropriate use of the grand jury process? We think not."<br /><br />"The second is it's just a frontal assault on the First amendment. You don't just go and unmask your political critics. You're got to have an awfully good reason to do that, and we certainly we haven't heard one in this case."</blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">What if such a tweeter were, in fact, a convicted criminal?</span><br /><br /><blockquote>Walczak: "We don't believe that changes the legal analysis at all here. I mean even if it's a person who has been convicted, they don't give up their constitutional rights. They will give up their liberty at some point, but they certainly don't give up their right to criticize the prosecutor or anybody else."</blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">What's next?</span><br /><br /><blockquote>Walczak: "Right now we're in discussions with the attorney general's office and we are hoping to convince them to withdraw these subpoenas. If that doesn't work, then we'll be filing papers, probably a motion to quash the subpoena. And then we'll see what happens."<br /></blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">If I'm someone who doesn't know about Twitter and barely cares who's running for governor, why should I care about this?</span><br /><br /><blockquote>Walczak: "I think everybody should care about whether or not the government can somehow punish you or retaliate against you if you say things critical of the government. I mean it's a prized right to be able to criticize your elected officials."<br /></blockquote><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">.<br /></div>Bob Mayohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15284393139608821650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320438766855852970.post-71815181269132578972010-02-23T07:45:00.009-05:002010-02-23T17:37:45.597-05:00UPDATED: New City Government Web Design Lowers City Council Profile<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAFc4fySZG6Wg5ihebnaT5ImcZJnx2vGngyiqPEWspa39Z1oYvlNxtkDrr1_lzn1VgKTyawwpZbV5oRFW_dKqYLmlVBEiO5H29GCKkaimWo2e21qkxdcFzkC4JHgUxCImOr1yV6T8FQIo/s1600-h/sitecompareY.png"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 330px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAFc4fySZG6Wg5ihebnaT5ImcZJnx2vGngyiqPEWspa39Z1oYvlNxtkDrr1_lzn1VgKTyawwpZbV5oRFW_dKqYLmlVBEiO5H29GCKkaimWo2e21qkxdcFzkC4JHgUxCImOr1yV6T8FQIo/s400/sitecompareY.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441446313285058738" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:130%;">[UPDATE 1 :</span> The city's now changed its website since this blog post -- and I have some new information. I've added my e-mail exchange with Mayor Ravenstahl's Press Secretary Joanna Doven to the end of this post. A hat tip to Tim McNulty of the PG's Early Returns, </span><a style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;" href="http://community.post-gazette.com/blogs/earlyreturns/archive/2010/02/23/new-city-website-snubs-council.aspx">who spotted</a><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"> the website change as of 11:15 AM.]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;">T</span>he "<a href="http://www.pittsburghpa.gov/">Emergency Information Page</a>" on the City of Pittsburgh's <a href="http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/">website</a> is apparently a sneak preview of a site re-design in the works -- one that literally takes City Council down a notch.<br /><br />You can compare the <a href="http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/">before</a> and <a href="http://www.pittsburghpa.gov/">after</a> looks at these links.<br /><br />Blogger-on-hiatus Bram Reichbaum and Pittsburgh Councilwoman Natalia Rudiak were discussing it recently via Twitter.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOPWUObFRAk_KVIFxRzNGSnfcRvi3AomuQYnmv8N7CEH1LeQ1rS_cM2OrBJUrl9bOaWzoQVfJjqzHSVn-tS5uHCYWHlQMUy-QZnKNB6zcOmv1bYORzpzrMmUfQlq9UIZedrl8EcQtRoFY/s1600-h/BrNrtweets.png"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 308px; height: 186px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOPWUObFRAk_KVIFxRzNGSnfcRvi3AomuQYnmv8N7CEH1LeQ1rS_cM2OrBJUrl9bOaWzoQVfJjqzHSVn-tS5uHCYWHlQMUy-QZnKNB6zcOmv1bYORzpzrMmUfQlq9UIZedrl8EcQtRoFY/s400/BrNrtweets.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441446484875641762" border="0" /></a><br />In the old website design, the link to City Council appears immediately to the right of the link to the mayor. <span style="font-style: italic;">(You can click on any of this images to enlarge them.)</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiblaJiNaFlMXrnWrNGbzbkeiJtAGuyq9JRyKhkKLi7mqYDggGMoLU08vCM1hkfiqUKYsJ5jY_n0vGgBjkFv8KMYgYwt3BkuDkXjAL9H7as9ZPFFOeLIbKhZAmdbRwqUOwpjYcKcUO-WAI/s1600-h/oldsite.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 67px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiblaJiNaFlMXrnWrNGbzbkeiJtAGuyq9JRyKhkKLi7mqYDggGMoLU08vCM1hkfiqUKYsJ5jY_n0vGgBjkFv8KMYgYwt3BkuDkXjAL9H7as9ZPFFOeLIbKhZAmdbRwqUOwpjYcKcUO-WAI/s400/oldsite.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441446720755590722" border="0" /></a><br />The new design replaces the "Council" link with a generic "Government" link.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxrq-icDPAtfIhHG8W1V_Q2POV5vqmH_y359Ec-oKjuNtG8ZpaJoI6VqghXzGe0y0bDdPITmr2SVxqT2FjoSOuT7CEvNuB7eVDUzo5R_tI3NX39m7EzO4AFEhxO5Jqh4aHezjT3Yt4hKA/s1600-h/newcitysite.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 58px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxrq-icDPAtfIhHG8W1V_Q2POV5vqmH_y359Ec-oKjuNtG8ZpaJoI6VqghXzGe0y0bDdPITmr2SVxqT2FjoSOuT7CEvNuB7eVDUzo5R_tI3NX39m7EzO4AFEhxO5Jqh4aHezjT3Yt4hKA/s400/newcitysite.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441446903649377762" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The link to City Council only appears if you hover your cursor over the word "Government".<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgolg49VtfRNCGz17mUDZkBXpJNU7YVbl1kwh1gwUHXvKiwx7GYRhQOEYfwuBOb1wcJphjFJrM__1mJXDfd-mUO4aufc5mXKP_omzvd8qBmHEs9NGFbEW_8e-GQG2e5_Oscoolp4FrMRx8/s1600-h/newcitysitedropb.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 146px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgolg49VtfRNCGz17mUDZkBXpJNU7YVbl1kwh1gwUHXvKiwx7GYRhQOEYfwuBOb1wcJphjFJrM__1mJXDfd-mUO4aufc5mXKP_omzvd8qBmHEs9NGFbEW_8e-GQG2e5_Oscoolp4FrMRx8/s400/newcitysitedropb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441447156396610290" border="0" /></a><br />Curiously, the link to the mayor's office appears both immediately after the home page link and as the first link under "Government", above City Council -- a sort of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primus_inter_pares">first among equals</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">UPDATE 2 :</span></span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Here's my e-mail exchange with Mayor Ravenstahl's Press Secretary Joanna Doven since my original blog post. At some point during this e-mail exchange the city restored City Council to the new website masthead. The Howard Stern mentioned in the cc: heading is the the city's Director of Information Systems.</span></span><br /><br />-----Original Message-----<br />From: Mayo, Bob<br />Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 10:27 AM<br />To: Stern, Howard; Doven, Joanna<br />Subject: City website changes<br /><blockquote>...Is this arrangement final? What went into the decision to drop City<br />Council down in the web link hierarchy?<br /><br />Thanks.<br />Bob Mayo<br /></blockquote><br /><br />----- Original Message -----<br />From: Doven, Joanna<br />To: Mayo, Bob E<br />Cc: Stern, Howard<br />Sent: Tue Feb 23 10:31:07 2010<br />Subject: RE: City website changes<br /><blockquote>I will consult with our web designer on this "concern" I assume council has. If Council has a concern, they may also consult with him. Nothing has been brought to our office's attention regarding arrangement yet.<br />The redesign is still in its infancy stage.<br /><br />Thanks,<br /><br />Joanna</blockquote><br /><br /><br />-----Original Message-----<br />From: Mayo, Bob<br />Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 11:47 AM<br />To: Doven, Joanna<br />Cc: Stern, Howard<br />Subject: Re: City website changes<br /><blockquote>No one from council pointed it out to me or expressed a concern. I noticed the change and am asking questions based on observation. Was the web designer instructed to make that change or did he/she do it without guidance? Was it done in house or contracted out?<br /><br />Bob</blockquote><br /><br />----- Original Message -----<br />From: Doven, Joanna<br />To: Mayo, Bob<br />Sent: Tue Feb 23 11:55:16 2010<br />Subject: RE: City website changes<br /><blockquote>In-house. No instruction from this office.<br /><br />According to web designer...<br /><br />The idea for Government was to have a page that describes city government (the elected bodies) to citizens. This page was an exploration of the concept:<br />http://redesign.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/government/<br /><br /><br />The drop-downs were a more recent addition in the latest design, allowing us to have links to all of the most prominent resources.<br /><br /></blockquote>Here's an image from the updated city website.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0b_B3wn6IQ8xJctmWcaxM5KLiOryMOCQhvc2NXUWkQIg9AkiMCIBa4gasjDhVosoY45D2tGyHx2sxgS5rlmm9toeJS75CBZLkxwwN58pA__b_qe7qACMHYNb5GddJBDYRcc2NctM7GlM/s1600-h/updatedsite.png"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 131px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0b_B3wn6IQ8xJctmWcaxM5KLiOryMOCQhvc2NXUWkQIg9AkiMCIBa4gasjDhVosoY45D2tGyHx2sxgS5rlmm9toeJS75CBZLkxwwN58pA__b_qe7qACMHYNb5GddJBDYRcc2NctM7GlM/s400/updatedsite.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441570687797563586" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">.<br /></div>Bob Mayohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15284393139608821650noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320438766855852970.post-71062759020894902342010-02-17T17:11:00.010-05:002010-02-17T17:52:51.474-05:00Reporting in the Burghosphere, 2010<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgILzPtPF1SuqmQzxHMNimGZnvmLyj3MJ9K8cPtWn6O1gvC5Pr6D-CuwNsKh-XKOR9wPn7bNXQGWUQAS8gFAkFVAeI7PPX9uesRMd2LSIL9YjDdoL8Uvwk23mzrS1xXTL9546I4jFha-SQ/s1600-h/RitB.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 292px; height: 84px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgILzPtPF1SuqmQzxHMNimGZnvmLyj3MJ9K8cPtWn6O1gvC5Pr6D-CuwNsKh-XKOR9wPn7bNXQGWUQAS8gFAkFVAeI7PPX9uesRMd2LSIL9YjDdoL8Uvwk23mzrS1xXTL9546I4jFha-SQ/s400/RitB.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439338602840044546" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:180%;">P</span>ittsburgh City Paper Editor Chris Potter <a href="http://www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws//gyrobase/Content?oid=75300">raises some interesting questions</a> about the relationship between the news media and Pittsburgh's blogosphere during this week's "where's the mayor" controversy. I spent most of yesterday in Johnstown and wasn't present for the mayor's news conference. My observations here are intended to address Chris' blog post on the topic.<br /><br />Tuesday I was using Twitter to report updates on John Murtha's funeral when JanePitt (Virginia Montanez) sent me the following question:<br /><br /><blockquote>JanePitt: "Is Luke there? Heard a rumor he went to Mardi Gras in New Orleans today".</blockquote><br />Note that I did not tell her the rumor to her-- she asked <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">me</span> about it-- at a time when it was already being discussed by the public on Twitter.<br /><br />My response back via Twitter direct message was:<br /><br /><blockquote>bobmayo: "did not see him at Murtha funeral. I've been hearing that rumor since last night. Doven denies. No 1sthand sightings yest or now"</blockquote><br />(The syntax and spelling is a forced result of Twitter's 140 character limit.)<br /><br />Reporters answer viewer and reader questions about news stories all of the time. If anyone -- not just the blogger formerly known as PittGirl -- asks me a question about a story I'm tweeting, I answer it. If they ask it in the public Twitter stream, I answer there -- but if they ask via Twitter direct message, I answer back the same way. Virginia Montanez may have characterized that as a "source" -- but it wasn't anonymous and I dealt in fact, not in rumor.<br /><br />Though reporters were making inquiries about the mayor's whereabouts, it was City Council's concern about his availability to sign an extension of the snow emergency that made first made news on Tuesday. The tact taken by the mayor's office in order to "make a point" to the media appears to have fueled more reporter interest in getting to the facts. No mainstream media referenced "New Orleans" or "Mardi Gras" until the mayor made his own headlines with his chastising of reporters during the news conference.<br /><br />I do enjoy reading Chris' work and listening to his Wednesday appearances with Lynn Cullen online. I'll have to download today's session <a href="http://video.pghcitypaper.com/cullen/podcast.xml">via iTunes</a> to hear if they discuss this topic.<br /><br />Virginia Montanez, meanwhile, has moved on to again taking up the cause of the <a href="http://thatschurch.com/2010/02/17/a-new-plea-from-jamie-and-ali/">BRESMA orphans in Haiti</a>.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">.<br /></div>Bob Mayohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15284393139608821650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320438766855852970.post-55173281598876502922010-02-15T21:12:00.005-05:002010-02-15T21:26:05.210-05:00On This Date In The War On Snow<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVKo37TROFOgLmDVpghNea1GNuHi_I4KarAmyag3Xa0rHV-s1Q3DAn14itNZv1rWo6swajwtr42vAXnp3eJMxTapX2dlEYSgMjvdUVt30qhYdLOpPkMeBnrWIE0dMQ5YxC6cYMQJhbVvA/s1600-h/snowwar08b.png"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 311px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVKo37TROFOgLmDVpghNea1GNuHi_I4KarAmyag3Xa0rHV-s1Q3DAn14itNZv1rWo6swajwtr42vAXnp3eJMxTapX2dlEYSgMjvdUVt30qhYdLOpPkMeBnrWIE0dMQ5YxC6cYMQJhbVvA/s400/snowwar08b.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438661482998534850" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:180%;"><br />H</span>ere's <a href="http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/video/22573575/">a link to my Channel 4 Action News report</a> tonight examining Mayor Ravenstahl's 2008 plan for snow removal in the wake of citizen complaints at the time. The plan was announced two years ago today.<br /><br />I did contact Mayor Ravenstahl's Press Secretary Joanna Doven, asking to interview the mayor himself for the story but was told he was not available. She did provide this map of street salting routes which was developed as part of the plan. She explains that "red means state road, yellow means primary, blue means secondary, and green means tertiary. Each division has a list of priority roads".<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWYOcIRL0tHpuGjtUN1bZy5WXv4Un6U1WFv3cE0YZvkrNsSneH1H3eAJnxGiGrCQ3Pg-BjMpy4QiMma_kXcaOq55tNOsPejQEA6KSN77dkeLqsGB6ORqY7Ywr7YgweVnm8lJpNB_F_Vk/s1600-h/saltmap.png"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 281px; height: 217px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWYOcIRL0tHpuGjtUN1bZy5WXv4Un6U1WFv3cE0YZvkrNsSneH1H3eAJnxGiGrCQ3Pg-BjMpy4QiMma_kXcaOq55tNOsPejQEA6KSN77dkeLqsGB6ORqY7Ywr7YgweVnm8lJpNB_F_Vk/s400/saltmap.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438659457630908146" border="0" /></a><br />Here are three of my questions for the mayor, along with the answers from Public Works Director Rob Kaczorowski, as seen in my TV report:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Q: When was the state-of-the-art snow removal and (computerized) routing system --"RouteSmart" -- put in place, and is he satisfied with how that system is working?</span><br /><br /><blockquote>A: "RouteSmart at that point, wasn't useful to us. Actually the part of the legwork that we did took us about two years. It's completed and this is all fieldwork that was done by two people."<br /></blockquote><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Q: Did the city benchmark Pittsburgh against other cities -- and what best practices elsewhere have been adopted?</span><br /><blockquote><br />A: "I couldn't find a city that had actually the type of terrain and challenges that we have here in the City of Pittsburgh -- parking on both sides of hilly, narrow streets."</blockquote><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Q: Does the city now install snow plows on refuse trucks -- and did it do so during this year's big storm?</span><br /><br /><blockquote>A: "We found out in the early seventies when it was tried that it led to numerous accidents and it was actually more detrimental than helpful."<br /></blockquote><br /><br />Below is Mayor Ravenstahl's news release from February 15, 2008.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">MAYOR HEATS UP DPW'S RESPONSE TO WINTER WEATHER</span><br />Date: February 15, 2008<br />Contact: Alecia Sirk, Press Secretary<br /><br /><br />PITTSBURGH (February 15) Mayor Luke Ravenstahl is fired up about the the Department of Public Works inconsistent removal of snow and ice, the remnants of which have left some side streets impassable.<br /><br />After fielding complaints from a number of residents, the Mayor cancelled his afternoon meetings Thursday for a tour of City neighborhoods, to see for himself where travel routes were still frozen.<br /><br />"I am putting my full attention on getting these issues resolved," Mayor Ravenstahl said. Sure, Mother Nature can deal us a rough hand in the winter months. But we should not make excuses, we should make changes."<br /><br />Mayor Ravenstahl convened a meeting with top City officials after returning to the office and, effective today, the Mayor has announced the implementation of a snow and ice mitigation plan for Pittsburgh:<br /><br />1. The promotion of Rob Kaczorowski to Deputy Director of Operations for the Department of Public Works, a move that will require no pay increase. The Deputy Director, to serve under DPW Director Guy Costa, will be charged with supervising and managing all operations for the Department, including snow and ice removal. Current Deputy Director Mike Gable will be named Deputy Director of Administration, charged with supervising the administrative aspects of Pittsburgh's largest non-public safety related department.<br /><br />2. The purchase of the best state-of-the-art snow removal and routing system available. The system will be in place no later than December 2008. Staff will also be benchmarking Pittsburgh against other cities to identify and evaluate best practices that could be useful for Pittsburgh.<br /><br />3. The installation of snow plows onto refuse trucks for use on larger, primary streets, freeing up other trucks to clear the side streets.<br /><br />4. The requirement that existing snow and ice removal routes will be adhered to, barring a major emergency, regardless of who calls the Department or the City.<br />"For decades, plows have been inefficiently being moved from one part of the City to another based on calls to City and Council offices, wasting time and missing entire sections of neighborhoods," Mayor Ravenstahl said. "The existing snowplow and deicing routes will be followed for the remainder of this winter, sticking to their plans and cleaning every neighborhood, street by street and block by block."<br /><br />Then changes come just before a week in which at least three days of flurries are predicted.<br /><br />"We can do better and we will do better, " Mayor Ravenstahl said. "All of our resources should be mobilized when our residents need us. With these changes, I will see to it that the City doesn't melt down when faced with snow and ice."<br /><br /></blockquote><br /><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">.<br /></div>Bob Mayohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15284393139608821650noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320438766855852970.post-82977704081795860012010-01-18T16:31:00.008-05:002010-01-22T05:35:44.937-05:00Pittsburgh Flight to Haiti : Reporter's Notes<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">[UPDATE:</span></span> <span style="font-style: italic;">You can read Burgher Jon's question about Monday's BRESMA coverage and my response </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1320438766855852970&postID=8297770408179586001&isPopup=true">here in the comments thread</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> of this blog post.]</span><br /><br />Raw notes aren't pretty... but here are my raw notes on the latest developments, followed by a statement from former US Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan (via Bram of the Pittsburgh Comet). I'll have a report on Channel 4 Action News at Five.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">NOTES:</span><br /><p>Governor's press secretary Gary Tuma confirms that Governor Ed Rendell is among the officials on the flight to Haiti. At 3:17pm he said that the plane touched down in Miami "about ten minutes ago" and should be taking off within 45 minutes of that touchdown. It's next stop: Port-au-Prince, Haiti.</p><p><br />If all goes smoothly, they hope to pick up 61 of the children from the BRESMA orphanage at the airport here and return to Pittsburgh at 11pm or 12 midnight, by way of Miami. Tuma says that they don't know if things will go smoothly..and that the return to Pittsburgh could come later, if they do not.<br /></p><p>He says some of the 150 children from the orphanage will be going to the French or the Dutch.</p><p>61 will be coming to Pittsburgh.</p><p>41 have adoptions "in the pipeline".</p><p>The 61 will first go to Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh for evaluation. Catholic Charities will be involved in caring for their needs while they are here.</p><p>Tuma says that relatives of the two sisters had contacted UPMC, and that UPMC contacted the governor. Saturday and Sunday, arrangements were made. There was contact with the Haitian ambassador, the Pentagon, and Homeland Security officials to get clearance for the mission. Republic Air provided the plane, which also carries medical personnel and nurses.</p><p>Tuma says many officials -- including the Haitian ambassador in particular -- advised that it would be helpful if Governor Rendell were personally on the plane. Tuma says the Haitian ambassador believed that Governor Rendell's presence might provide strengthen their efforts, in case there was any trouble on the ground in Haiti.</p><p><br />Statement from Mary Beth Buchanan on the events of today:</p><p></p><blockquote>"I had little prior knowledge of the attempted air rescue mission that departed from Pittsburgh today, though I have since been advised that some of the resources aboard the flight were collected through the efforts of myself and others. Now that it is underway I am hopeful for the best, and continue to pray for the safety of young Jamie and Ali, this group of Haitian orphans and all of the people suffering in Haiti."</blockquote><p></p><p>--<br />Sent from my mobile device</p>Bob Mayohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15284393139608821650noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320438766855852970.post-89584692819216710632010-01-03T14:19:00.021-05:002010-01-04T08:01:26.294-05:00The Ticket?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrcA2lqHhFxyxxX_YYaJmBSYTgfb6PAFEc2_l7pjd_61goFZAtJtURFFOQ1XHOpcuWhyoYpnMnNy-om2Hg1bYekOP_h825qD1sJVX1ibg13F1YzcLkEOmZacXc3k8ZYguyAM_v61-NzMs/s1600-h/TheTicket%3F.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 277px; height: 182px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrcA2lqHhFxyxxX_YYaJmBSYTgfb6PAFEc2_l7pjd_61goFZAtJtURFFOQ1XHOpcuWhyoYpnMnNy-om2Hg1bYekOP_h825qD1sJVX1ibg13F1YzcLkEOmZacXc3k8ZYguyAM_v61-NzMs/s400/TheTicket%3F.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422595759128044578" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">UPDATE 7:</span></span> [Councilman Bill Peduto <a href="http://twitter.com/billpeduto">on Twitter</a>: "Ravenstahl backed City Council President slate lacks experience AND independence - it must be stopped. Not sure that I will be able to get the needed fifth vote, but we cannot let any Administration control Executive & Legislative branches."]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">UPDATE 6:</span></span><span style="font-style: italic;"> [Councilwoman Smith</span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_660589.html"> to Trib</a><span style="font-style: italic;">: "This is something that came to me on Tuesday, and, quite honestly, it's not something I'm seeking...I'm trying to find anybody but me."]</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">UPDATE 5:</span></span> [Councilman Peduto, via Twitter to supporters: "Despite rumors, I am still a candidate for Council President with 4 votes and working for one more - thank you for kind words of support."]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">UPDATE 4:</span></span> [Councilman Burgess, via spokeswoman: "No comment".]</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">UPDATE 3:</span></span><span style="font-style: italic;"> [Councilwoman Theresa Smith responds to my e-mail: "I appreciate the opportunity to comment; however, I will decline at this time and refer you to the Council members mentioned in your email for their comments. Thank you for the opportunity to comment and I look forward to working with you on additional reports in the future."]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">UPDATE 2 :</span></span> <span style="font-style: italic;">[Dayvoe of <a href="http://2politicaljunkies.blogspot.com/2010/01/pittsburgh-city-council-election-fix-is.html">2 Political Junkies notes</a>: if true, Smith would become council president with 8 months experience, Lavelle would become finance chair with 0 days experience.]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">UPDATE 1 : </span></span><span style="font-style: italic;">[Patrick Dowd confirms he now backs Smith for Council President. Says they need someone who can work together with others and reach across divides. Says Smith has shown that capacity and will serve them well, moving forward.]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;">T</span>he latest political buzz? That Theresa Kail-Smith has the votes to become Council President -- and that she will reward new Councilman Dan Lavelle for his vote by appointing him Finance Chair, the second most powerful position on council.<br /><br />Anything can change between now and Monday morning's vote -- but the predictions now are that Councilman Rev. Ricky Burgess will abandon his hopes for council presidency and throw his support to Kail-Smith, with Patrick Dowd and Darlene Harris providing the rest of the five votes needed.<br /><br />Still awaiting callbacks from council members -- there are other scenarios.<br /><br />Other sources say that Councilwoman Darlene Harris is herself a candidate for council president.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUZBNUvWVyWNYaF19u7cM49rc_4TWrH23rNcZ8oc0AlOonjLxeyZ8H1xo-KSHDg-nrfbOIKOF0v3SNOj7N9g3zyJryvAiLUIuQZPHbywMgaACPWt_v3lPlyrf4adUW-EDoVJ7-OpKyU7M/s1600-h/HARRIS2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 110px; height: 145px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUZBNUvWVyWNYaF19u7cM49rc_4TWrH23rNcZ8oc0AlOonjLxeyZ8H1xo-KSHDg-nrfbOIKOF0v3SNOj7N9g3zyJryvAiLUIuQZPHbywMgaACPWt_v3lPlyrf4adUW-EDoVJ7-OpKyU7M/s400/HARRIS2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422599798581724546" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">.<br /></div>Bob Mayohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15284393139608821650noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320438766855852970.post-61180808154764028712010-01-03T00:00:00.010-05:002010-01-03T01:06:43.673-05:00The Sunshine Law & City Council's New Year's Eve Veto Override Attempt<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTFw_6A5aGsf2SBlP610R7Gj239WRzJDoz2S2OHGtfSN5vBRCl_sWpBLp3zeCnUR697RI6jjID7PPJVJau4ZigMFzpvWYbuM7hItdkgjLMvLkRc-OcTjUoPm0hsRuhI8L9hy9g3Oyy2Lc/s1600-h/PAsun.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 273px; height: 288px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTFw_6A5aGsf2SBlP610R7Gj239WRzJDoz2S2OHGtfSN5vBRCl_sWpBLp3zeCnUR697RI6jjID7PPJVJau4ZigMFzpvWYbuM7hItdkgjLMvLkRc-OcTjUoPm0hsRuhI8L9hy9g3Oyy2Lc/s400/PAsun.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422060193373416690" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:180%;">O</span>kay, I think I've solved this.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic;">• There's nothing in the City's Home Rule Charter that bans council from holding a meeting on less than 24 hours notice. You can check the pdf file <a href="http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/city_clerk/assets/HOMERULE%20Revised%2012-7-00.pdf">here</a>.</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic;">• There is something in the Rules of Council (incorporated into the City Code) that says the city clerk should give council </span><span><span style="font-weight: bold;">members</span></span><span style="font-style: italic;"> (not the public) at least 24 hours written notice of a special meeting.</span><br /></div><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">• That 24 hour notice requirement can be waived by a vote of 6 out of 9 council members.</span><br /><br /><br />...BUT...<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">• A special meeting of City Council called with less than 24 hours public notice would violate Pennsylvania's Sunshine Law.</span><br /><br /><br />Here's the quote. The PA Sunshine Law says:<br /><br /><blockquote>" An agency shall give public notice of each special meeting"..."at least 24 hours in advance of the time of the convening of the meeting specified in the notice".</blockquote><br />Section 709 adds that a "<span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);">Public notice is not required in the case of an emergency meeting</span>" -- but it strictly defines an emergency as:<br /><br /><blockquote>"A meeting called for the purpose of dealing with a real or potential emergency involving a clear and present danger to life or property. "</blockquote><br /><br />So, hypothetically, if Council had mustered the six votes, first to hold the meeting on short notice and then to override Mayor Ravenstahl's New Year's Eve veto, what could have happened?<br /><br />The Sunshine Law says a legal challenge to the meeting could be filed within 30 days. If a judge ruled the meeting broke the Sunshine Law, he or she would have the <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">option</span> of invalidating any action taken at that special meeting. Note the passage uses the words "<span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);">may</span>" and "<span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);">discretion</span>". It's not an automatic loss.<br /><br /><blockquote>"Should the court determine that the meeting did not meet the requirements of this chapter, it may in its discretion find that any or all official action taken at the meeting shall be invalid. "</blockquote>(That's in Section 713, titled "Business transacted at unauthorized meeting void". )<br /><br /><br />What's the punishment the council members involved would have faced? A hundred dollar fine:<br /><br /><blockquote>Section 714. Penalty<br />"Any member of any agency who participates in a meeting with the intent and purpose by that member of violating this chapter commits a summary offense and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine not exceeding $100 plus costs of prosecution."</blockquote><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">[Update: Chris Potter also fact-checks these topics in a </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://tinyurl.com/yzeuba6">comment here</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> and in </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://tinyurl.com/yzzso5s">his City Paper blog posts</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> .]</span><br /><br />A couple of open questions:<br /><br />1) Are there any previous cases anywhere in which legislative bodies were stymied from taking override votes because of the timing of vetoes?<br /><br />2) Does anyone see anything in the law or in court rulings that addresses the legality of a veto or an override vote in a case like this? Let me know.<br /><br /><br />Below are some document links, if you want to check them out.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">• <a href="http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/city_clerk/assets/HOMERULE%20Revised%2012-7-00.pdf">City Home Rule Charter</a><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">• <a href="http://library4.municode.com/default-test/home.htm?infobase=13525&doc_action=whatsnew">Pittsburgh's City Code</a><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">• <a href="http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/council/assets/08_Rules_Council_April.pdf">Rules of City Council</a><br /><br /></div><blockquote>"The Clerk shall give written notice to the members of any special meeting not less than twenty-four hours previous to such meeting."</blockquote><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">See Article V: Legislative, Chapter 151: Council, § 151.01 Regular And Special Meetings, , section (c).</span></span><br /><br /><br /><blockquote>"No rule shall be suspended except by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members elected and such vote shall be taken without debate."</blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >See Rule VIII h.</span><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">• <a href="http://www.openrecordspa.org//sunshine_assets/FOIC%20Sunshine%20Act.pdf">Pennsylvania's Sunshine Law</a><br /></div><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >See Sections 709, 713 714</span>.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(51, 255, 51);">.</div>Bob Mayohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15284393139608821650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320438766855852970.post-80329661582510677732010-01-01T22:39:00.015-05:002010-01-02T03:33:09.412-05:00Mayor Ravenstahl's New Year's Eve Veto<div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Notes & quotes from my New Year's Day interviews<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><br />Council Finance Chair Peduto<br />Councilman Dowd<br />&<br />Mayoral Chief of Staff Zober<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"></span><br /><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiYHvNowfbWjBwqfm7fDelnLRJQD4ahITg-amUBZvmWVHnFdXDAXOoDyK0lsVqx0hAFNLXPWR8zOIrExXWi0x1SfTZq7aWPdWV-ctbZtQemGQ7btMAW0wnaWHMVJrm2ygAxQU6teLRfZM/s1600-h/NewYear.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 307px; height: 296px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiYHvNowfbWjBwqfm7fDelnLRJQD4ahITg-amUBZvmWVHnFdXDAXOoDyK0lsVqx0hAFNLXPWR8zOIrExXWi0x1SfTZq7aWPdWV-ctbZtQemGQ7btMAW0wnaWHMVJrm2ygAxQU6teLRfZM/s400/NewYear.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421993309852287570" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:180%;">T</span>hose of you who follow me on Twitter may have read my tweet-by-tweet reports of The New Year's Eve Veto. (See <a href="http://twitter.com/bobmayo">here</a> .) Mayor Ravenstahl's maneuver is sparking bitter divisions. His opponents call him "undemocratic"; his supporters are comparing the other side to "fascists". The bill would have forced developers getting big taxpayer subsidies for large projects to pay workers prevailing wage rates. The mayor's tactic killed a bill unanimously approved by council. Since mayoral critics were more readily available than the mayor's staff last night, I'll start this post with the Ravenstahl administration's side.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixzlUBeOU9OBZfZIbDldPSip7tF8b9oCEzJ5BoaWRxf1iUVaTwKF1_qfc1eLQ1TD-BcmopJy0Fb5op-6ixXlHABIIj7XF4zVzuh5HOoBrrPFtnRStlkLtbEeHH0ZjSDulrNi3cHvewLxw/s1600-h/YZober.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 75px; height: 102px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixzlUBeOU9OBZfZIbDldPSip7tF8b9oCEzJ5BoaWRxf1iUVaTwKF1_qfc1eLQ1TD-BcmopJy0Fb5op-6ixXlHABIIj7XF4zVzuh5HOoBrrPFtnRStlkLtbEeHH0ZjSDulrNi3cHvewLxw/s200/YZober.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421995843212758354" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Mayor Ravensthal's Chief of Staff Yarone Zober</span></span> chose to meet me New Year's Day at the East Liberty site under consideration for construction of a new Target store. Zober used the site as an illustration to critique the prevailing wage bill:<br /><br /><blockquote>• "..Whether it puts at risk things like nine acres of development, 500 jobs that could be created here, a hundred-million dollars of investment, put that all at risk."</blockquote><br />Zober said the mayor had tried to talk with council members, but that:<br /><br /><blockquote>• "The bill was rushed through. So much so, that there's so much vague and ambiguous language in this bill."</blockquote><br />The mayor's chief of staff says that Ravenstahl tried to talk to council members, but they were frightened by potential political retaliation if they opposed the bill. Zober emphasized that the mayor's veto came within the 10 days required by law:<br /><br /><blockquote>• "Everyone should have been quite aware of where this bill was, and council could have scheduled a meeting if they'd wanted to."<br /><br /></blockquote><blockquote>• "If we want to talk about undemocratic, there was a meeting that was held by council yesterday without required notice, against a city ordinance."</blockquote><blockquote>• "We followed the rules, we followed the democratic principles and, frankly, council did not."</blockquote><blockquote>• "Look, this is no 'gotcha' game. This is about making sure great investments can happen in neighborhoods like this."</blockquote><blockquote>• "There are things we can do to make this bill better. Less vague, less ambiguous, and allow developers and investors the right to figure out what they're doing when they come and invest in Pittsburgh."</blockquote><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicN0gBMtpH7175N-Ldz9ofP9Z8mURH3tuUfQMmObTI9ns29Wm0pZyJJq2evvm1-mgjeb3-73nALa8wIotfxpSsBXQZ_R4mda59X6xVZKLzc-y_vQGXo6WgnPbOz6rS7ZiLjHVq1iFyTro/s1600-h/peduto1107.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 137px; height: 98px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicN0gBMtpH7175N-Ldz9ofP9Z8mURH3tuUfQMmObTI9ns29Wm0pZyJJq2evvm1-mgjeb3-73nALa8wIotfxpSsBXQZ_R4mda59X6xVZKLzc-y_vQGXo6WgnPbOz6rS7ZiLjHVq1iFyTro/s200/peduto1107.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421996591312061826" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Councilman Bill Peduto</span></span> met me in the Shadyside business district for our interview. He appeared as much sad as angry as he talked about Mayor Ravenstahl's New Year's Eve veto tactic, which stymied any council override:<br /><br /><blockquote>• "You are denying the American democratic process in that situation. You are basically saying this is a totalitarian society."</blockquote><blockquote>• "That's not good political maneuvering, that's stripping away the democratic process and taking the public out of it."</blockquote><blockquote>• "Under the new council session, it will be debated, it will be passed."</blockquote><br />Peduto argued that the mayor's ends don't justify the means he used, adding:<br /><br /><blockquote> • "there are others who would say the means are the way of judging a person's character."</blockquote><br />Councilman Peduto also criticized a colleague:<br /><blockquote>• "You had Councilman Dowd who announced as he was standing there (in council chamber) that 'I am not present' for this vote, so that he could stay aligned with the mayor."<br /></blockquote><blockquote>• "I don't know what Councilman Dowd is doing and I don't know why he's doing it. I feel disappointed by Councilman Dowd, and other than Joe Lieberman, (he's) probably one of the greatest political disappointments I've had in my life."<br /><br /></blockquote><blockquote>• "He began to heckle the council president during the hearing itself, and then moved to another part of the council chamber and continued to shout from that part of the chamber as well. In 15 years of working in that building, one the lowest points if not the lowest point I can think of."</blockquote><br />On Monday, 2010 City Council members are expected to choose between Peduto and Councilman Rev. Ricky Burgess in a vote for Council President. Peduto comments:<br /><br /><blockquote>• "Are we going to have a council that is a rubber stamp for the mayor, or are we going to have an independent body that can make its own decisions?"</blockquote><blockquote>• "What I saw from the other side was complete confrontation -- a confrontation against the democratic process that we're sworn to uphold. I would consider it one of the lowest marks in my 15 years in city council."</blockquote><br />On claims Mayor Ravenstahl's charges that the prevailing wage bill was vague, ambiguous, in need of more input, and has the potential to hurt Pittsburgh:<br /><br /><blockquote>• "The mayor was silent on it for the seven weeks that it was before us. He never had an opinion, he never reached out to council."</blockquote><blockquote>• "He waited until the very last minute, when council didn't have the ability to fulfill it's democratic process and obligations, and then he made his position known. that's no way to govern, that's no way to lead."</blockquote><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2EqcUZP4waNurpSYU0Skpb4W_os8HQvC8wKDD1vQlWch0oF4AX9EPn7hDW8iSjNeDqAkdrEMln7qD4NN0aQCQ0lKBQCu5arOg2ECVLIuZSd-xz6Uu2c4I6CgHodE0lTO1DekWeXkUxuA/s1600-h/dowdnoapologies.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 139px; height: 106px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2EqcUZP4waNurpSYU0Skpb4W_os8HQvC8wKDD1vQlWch0oF4AX9EPn7hDW8iSjNeDqAkdrEMln7qD4NN0aQCQ0lKBQCu5arOg2ECVLIuZSd-xz6Uu2c4I6CgHodE0lTO1DekWeXkUxuA/s200/dowdnoapologies.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421997639338583762" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Councilman Patrick Dowd</span></span> wasn't available for an on camera interview. Dowd explained that New Year's Day is his wedding anniversary and that last night's meeting took him away from his family.<br /><br />Here are some notes from our phone conversations. Most of this was not recorded, so I don't have a full transcript.<br /><br />Dowd compared Mayor Ravenstahl's New Year's Eve veto maneuver to a chess game, saying:<br /><blockquote> • "Tactically, he beat us."</blockquote> and adding:<br /><blockquote> • "Shame on us for not anticipating" it.</blockquote><br />• Dowd faults his fellow council members for what he describes as a "<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 51);">total ignoring of the rules</span>" by meeting and attempting a veto override. The city code require 24 hours public notice before a council meeting, or a six vote majority to waive that rule.<br /><br />• I noted that Dowd had been part of the 9-to-0 unanimous vote for the prevailing wage bill, and asked why he himself didn't provide the 6th vote to waive the 24-hour notice requirement. Dowd answered there are "<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 51);">ways to deal with this, and it's not by bending the rules</span>".<br /><br />• Dowd dismissed the attempted veto override as a "<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 51);">goofy maneuver</span>" and said he presumed the prevailing wage bill would simply be reintroduced for 2010.<br /><br />• The councilman recalled that during debate of the legislation others on council "<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 51);">outmaneuvered</span>" his attempts to amend the bill. Councilman Dowd calls it :<br /><blockquote>• "<span style="font-style: italic;">poetic justice they were outmaneuvered</span>" by Mayor Ravenstahl.</blockquote><br />• Dowd quotes:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote>• "..you can't bend the rules. And that's what fascists do -- and in the 30s, particularly. And that's what my colleagues were trying to do last night."</blockquote></div><blockquote><br />• "Two wrongs don't make a right".</blockquote><br /><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">.<br /></div>Bob Mayohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15284393139608821650noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320438766855852970.post-24884941367518173172009-11-24T22:53:00.013-05:002009-11-24T23:17:57.939-05:00My Q&A with the Ravenstahls' Attorney<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA_bkd5U2Ak8zbjzYGvR6sHuAVPwhKwoGOX32BI8OSAjxAGi_vYy6rA5Nk_7vHOQSp-UQoItDUSAE-f14Iao0FkF2dmkDUitxtyPLVBLKXG9d0JWzMMO_UkKzivsp4uLLeMbuk95pVG7c/s1600/sprague.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 310px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA_bkd5U2Ak8zbjzYGvR6sHuAVPwhKwoGOX32BI8OSAjxAGi_vYy6rA5Nk_7vHOQSp-UQoItDUSAE-f14Iao0FkF2dmkDUitxtyPLVBLKXG9d0JWzMMO_UkKzivsp4uLLeMbuk95pVG7c/s400/sprague.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407888029996446546" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:180%;" ><br />T</span><span style="font-style: italic;">he following Q&A is a transcript of my telephone interview with Luke and Erin Ravenstahl's attorney, Richard Sprague of Philadelphia.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bob Mayo Q:</span> My request to your earlier was that the mayor sit down and speak with us on camera as he has done in one other case, to talk about these developments. Will he do that?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">Richard Sprague A:</span> The answer is I have advised him not to and his wife as well. On the basis that I was retained, really, after they announced that they have separated to then then give them privacy, leave them alone. They've announced they've separated, they're going to work on their own problems but that's a personal matter. It's got nothing to do with the mayor's public activities as the mayor of the City of Pittsburgh, and his wife's private -- as a private citizen, what she does. And for him to appear on other channels, on the radio interviews, is really not keeping private about which I have asked the media to honor. And so I have advised them not to give any further statements or interviews.</blockquote><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mayo Q:</span> If that was the intention, why was that one venue chosen -- before we move on, just to clarify that?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sprague A:</span> I met with the mayor. As far I know they were readily available, and I agreed that we would give one statement and he would give a public release today. And since all he's going to be saying in any interview is 'that my wife and I have separated'. The only other thing that I made clear is that he is living in the City of Pittsburgh, so he's meeting the residency requirement. That's the only thing that would be said. How many times does he just say that over and over? I understand every TV channel and radio feeling 'well, why weren't we selected?'. But, you know, tough.</blockquote><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mayo Q:</span> Moving on. In what capacity has the couple retained you? Are you handling legal separation, a legal divorce?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sprague A:</span> Fair question. I am not their lawyer on the domestic situation between them. I am strictly their lawyer to try to preserve their right of privacy. I recognize the mayor as a public official won't have quite the privacy that his wife would have since she's a private citizen. But I am trying to get for both of them the recognition, just like any other couple, just like if you were getting a divorce, or getting -- I shouldn't even use that word, because that's not in the offing. It's a separation. If you were separated, you'd want to have privacy, work it out with your wife. You have a one year old child. Those are private concerns, it's got nothing to do with administering the city. So my role is to try to get them their privacy. And secondly, to prevent there being a whole bunch of smears, innuendoes, defamatory things being suggested. Because if that is so, I will bring appropriate legal action. But it's limited to that. I am not their domestic relations lawyer.</blockquote><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mayo Q:</span> To clarify, under Pennsylvania law. Is there legal separation under Pennsylvania law and in what sense is that term being used here?<br /><blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sprague A:</span> Well, the separation is something that the parties have mutually agreed to and worked out between themselves. And that is fine wherever you are... it's just whatever is agreed to. Sometimes it's not agreed to between the parties, one just separates from the other. And other times the parties can mutually agree , and here it was mutually agreed.</blockquote><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mayo Q:</span> But there's no document filed with the court now or at any other point regarding separation?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sprague A:</span> Not in this matter.</blockquote><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mayo Q:</span> And you have referenced earlier about whether there's any prospect of divorce documents being filed. That-- ?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sprague A:</span> Divorce is not in the offing. The only thing that's in the picture now is they have separated. They are interested in their child, they are interested in working things out between them, and what happens in the future we'll have to see.</blockquote><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mayo Q:</span> You had referenced earlier in this interview and in our phone conversation when we spoke earlier in the day, concerning your role in protecting them from defamation, from smears, from invasion of privacy. Has there been anything in your view that has approached that? What is the basis for that concern?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sprague A: </span> No, there's nothing. As a matter of fact, I must say this, because there's been calls from great numbers of the media in Pittsburgh. And you know I'm not out there, I don't know how they're carrying it. But in the interviews by the reporters, including yourself, I think there's been a full appreciation of a couple wanting privacy, and their personal domestic situation. It's got nothing to do with his running of the city.</blockquote><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mayo Q:</span> Now, in the one on camera interview that the mayor did, he was asked about and answered questions about talk about (<span style="font-style: italic;">topic redacted</span>). That was brought up in that interview --<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sprague A:</span> I've got to interrupt you on that. See, I think that is outrageous to even raise that kind of a -- and I call that a smear. And if you're broadcasting that, and making that statement, then say so and I'll action against you. You understand that the mayor did not respond to that question raising that, saying things will work out. And that, you know, reporters can something -- I can say on this broadcast right now something terrible, saying, well, there's a report about this or that. And that would be terrible for me to do. You deal with a situation that they are separated and leave it like that. If the mayor answered the question you're talking about then he did not follow my advice, which is he is not to dignify anything like that and he's not to talk further. He's told the citizenry that they're separated and has asked for privacy, which I think is appropriate and i think the media ought to respect.</blockquote><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mayo Q:</span> Is the reporter who broached that subject liable for potential legal action by the mayor?<br /><blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sprague A:</span> I'll have to look and see what he said. (pause) And how he said it.</blockquote><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mayo Q:</span> The announcement by the couple came a few weeks after the general election. Can you address whether or not there was a choice made not to bring this information into the public spotlight until the election was resolved? Was a decision made earlier that they'd be moving forward with this but to defer until after the election?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sprague A:</span> I understand that question, but that would involve a conversation between me and my client. As I'm sure you're aware, attorney client conversations are privileged and are not discussed.</blockquote><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mayo Q:</span> So you're not authorized to address that either way on behalf of your client?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sprague A:</span> That's correct.</blockquote><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mayo Q:</span> Do you have anything else regarding any aspect the mayor's official role? Or his use of any resources, whatever, in his role in the office of the mayor that in any way relates to this? Or is there no connection or relationship in any way between his official, public, elected role and this sad turn in his private life?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sprague A: </span> There is absolutely no connection. There, you know , let's face it. People get married, sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't. That's a private matter between a couple. In this case, obviously they have decided to separate. They are going to work on their problems. And that has nothing to do with his role as Mayor of Pittsburgh and the request of the couple for -- on that issue, on that issue alone -- privacy. If you like or don't like what he's doing as mayor, take him up on those activities, but leave this couple alone in terms of their personal marriage.</blockquote><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mayo Q: </span> Is there anything else that you want to add or to emphasize in your role speaking for the mayor, dealing with the media for the mayor in this case that we've not covered?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sprague A:</span> No, I think that you've asked good questions, you've covered it. I do resent the question that picks up what I consider, you know -- I hear rumors, innuendoes. I don't think that's appropriate. But other than that, I think it's fine. And I think, as I've said, this has got nothing to do with his business as the Mayor of Pittsburgh. People ought to understand, and I think the public does understand the request for on this issue to the media -- 'leave us alone on this issue' -- is very understandable. And I think the public would stand behind the mayor and his wife 100 percent. And I really think except for the media feeling 'well we've got to get something that another media doesn't have' -- your question about why was it broadcast on one station and not on others. You know, that's just the media wanting to be at the center of some matter. The media ought to have the decency just to leave them alone on this issue.</blockquote><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mayo Q:</span> And again, the reason why I asked the question was that it was within the scope of the one interview that he chose to grant... I wanted to see if that suggested if it was something that you wanted to address. But you're saying even the broaching of that question by his chosen interviewer, you feel was inappropriate?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sprague A:</span> If he raised that, I think it's absolutely inappropriate. I think on a public broadcast there are some standards that the media should stand to. And that is you don't publicly give 'I hear', or 'there's rumors', or 'there's innuendoes'. I don't think that's proper newsmaking.</blockquote><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">.<br /></div>Bob Mayohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15284393139608821650noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320438766855852970.post-4232539750260402009-11-23T23:23:00.009-05:002009-11-24T00:01:36.934-05:00Luke & Erin Ravenstahl's Statements on Separation<span style="font-size:180%;">T</span>he following e-mail arrived tonight from the mayor's office:<br /><br /><br />(PITTSBURGH) November 23, 2009<br /><br />Today, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and Erin Ravenstahl issued the following statements:<br /><br />Mayor Ravenstahl:<br /><blockquote>“For some time, like many couples, Erin and I have been working hard to build a successful marriage and have faced the challenges associated with that. Sadly, Erin and I have decided that it is in our family’s best interest to formally separate.<br /><br />As public people, we recognize that we must share this information. We have strived to work through our challenges and to do so as privately as possible. However, now reaching the decision to formally separate, we felt we should let Pittsburgh know.<br /><br />Erin and I are now focused on continuing to enjoy a relationship, albeit a very different one, for the continuity and benefit of everyone involved, most importantly, our son Cooper. Our relationship is, and will continue to be, amicable.<br /><br />We do not know what the future will hold for us. We have no immediate plans to pursue a formal divorce. We simply ask that Pittsburgh understand and respect our family’s privacy as we deal with this very personal matter.”</blockquote><br />Erin Ravenstahl:<br /><blockquote>“Luke and I have made the very difficult decision to formally separate. I am a private person, so sharing this very personal matter publicly is difficult for me, but I understand that this is something that Pittsburgh should know.<br /><br />I will always be Luke’s friend and continue to share with him our love of our son, Cooper. We will continue to make sure that he is raised in a loving and supportive family. For his sake, and the sake of our entire family, I thank Pittsburgh for respecting our privacy and allowing us to deal with this as well as we can under difficult circumstances, made all the harder by the public nature of our family.<br /><br />Luke and I will not be making any further public statements on our separation or our family. Because our privacy on this is so very important to us, we have sought professional assistance, retaining the services of attorney <a href="http://www.spragueandsprague.com/attorney.htm">Richard A. Sprague</a>, to help us to address privacy matters. We both will be referring all questions from the media to Mr. Sprague.<br /></blockquote><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">[Updated with link to </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.spragueandsprague.com/attorney.htm">Sprague biography at law firm site</a><span style="font-style: italic;">.]</span><br /><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">.</div>Bob Mayohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15284393139608821650noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320438766855852970.post-92030325505049414962009-10-24T10:03:00.012-04:002009-10-24T15:35:54.260-04:00Mayoral Debate Video Now Online<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXn2GNX3A-v2ME8VmtBPNTs5KkZop2TChrz5g7STvfYR38eSoXy7SlBQbGp6AWjgcwJuBOFstnGptI7yFXnxzmH9-1jeFq2OiZjboHehXZbsZfwqNfA0Y6-uuJVukhAS12RD4dzvoauM8/s1600-h/debatesegments.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 290px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXn2GNX3A-v2ME8VmtBPNTs5KkZop2TChrz5g7STvfYR38eSoXy7SlBQbGp6AWjgcwJuBOFstnGptI7yFXnxzmH9-1jeFq2OiZjboHehXZbsZfwqNfA0Y6-uuJVukhAS12RD4dzvoauM8/s400/debatesegments.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396169114035249314" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:180%;">W</span>TAE's <a href="http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/index.html">The Pittsburgh Channel</a> now has our entire mayoral debate online. You can view it in five segments by clicking on the links below:<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/video/21404964/index.html" target="_blank">Debate video Part <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">1</span></span></a><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/video/21405037/index.html" target="_blank">Debate video Part <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">2</span></span></a></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/video/21405072/index.html" target="_blank">Debate video Part <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">3</span></span></a></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/video/21405039/index.html" target="_blank">Debate video: Part <span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >4</span></a></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/video/21405076/index.html" target="_blank">Debate video Part <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">5</span></span></a></div><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">.</span><br /></div>Bob Mayohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15284393139608821650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320438766855852970.post-89044019041668952312009-10-22T06:17:00.015-04:002009-10-22T10:44:28.146-04:00Post Debate Q&A: Acklin Attacks Ravenstahl on Verbanac Ties<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh80ItuEgIRJ-hE5VrbbAqKtApUTOyps-7YNYwdv8SHOuDbcpcz4O_ORq1k7W-UoBRTKjOvEzd-OBMi9mJLAir5bTMZqCq-gmymqnBHvzsWS0ISXgY4c_SXzWYg0RECX8Igfu9ferFNa1c/s1600-h/AckinHarrisRavenstahl.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh80ItuEgIRJ-hE5VrbbAqKtApUTOyps-7YNYwdv8SHOuDbcpcz4O_ORq1k7W-UoBRTKjOvEzd-OBMi9mJLAir5bTMZqCq-gmymqnBHvzsWS0ISXgY4c_SXzWYg0RECX8Igfu9ferFNa1c/s400/AckinHarrisRavenstahl.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395371633388864994" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><span style="font-size:180%;">I</span>t triggered the sharpest exchanges of <a href="http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/video/21390057/" target="_blank">WTAE's mayoral debate</a>. Independent challenger Kevin Acklin repeatedly questioned Pittsburgh Democratic Mayor Luke Ravenstahl about the influence and role of a private businessman in his administration. Acklin claims that Cranberry businessman John Verbanac is powerful figure who has clients that stand to benefit from influencing Ravenstahl's policies. As he did during an earlier debate, the mayor described John Verbanac as a friend but he ridiculed Acklin's allegations as desperate and false. Verbanac himself later dismissed what he called Ackin's attempt to impugn him as "distasteful and wrong".<br /><br />Acklin told Ravenstahl he had obtained:<br /><blockquote> "...very specific documents and e-mails that prove that Mr. Verbanac has had a very intimate relationship with your administration He's written your speeches, he literally puts words into your mouth. He's called the shots on who you hire and fire. He advises you on city policies and developments, including developing your strategic plan. He advised you on the firing of BBI (Bureau of Building Inspection) Director Ron Graziano and also called for the purging of your staff. It was very clear, Mr. Ravenstahl, that you lied to the people of this city..."</blockquote><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">...Later...</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxyAmke8e_WR6lIIbWS8J8LGN_uGWvi2O3ekEETs4-K6iOElSNqjg1YKpQGLdfHQZJfmFpE6rAdzumR5kMS9Z_B8zIgL9a5ZKdgcx5thskLNMgKTGkWVtalpR1T-uI9P44qqaGJFFDbM8/s1600-h/Acklindebate.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxyAmke8e_WR6lIIbWS8J8LGN_uGWvi2O3ekEETs4-K6iOElSNqjg1YKpQGLdfHQZJfmFpE6rAdzumR5kMS9Z_B8zIgL9a5ZKdgcx5thskLNMgKTGkWVtalpR1T-uI9P44qqaGJFFDbM8/s200/Acklindebate.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395372850393048050" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Kevin Acklin:</span><br /><blockquote> "What business interest does John Verbanac have before your administration or with any of these city authorities?"</blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSfun4nB5vFcw0qOzXpUhFH-6qwnOuZKGZrNoZ0bUivyzh9fUvZu_WtUKB2vs0lt0Zc59ir852Gj_0Ib9X8dYTtVYwtHLwWecNM4aQl8R6wD786qb37g6hdCUCRmQc0gYTR2E2bcrDJRk/s1600-h/Ravenstahldebate2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSfun4nB5vFcw0qOzXpUhFH-6qwnOuZKGZrNoZ0bUivyzh9fUvZu_WtUKB2vs0lt0Zc59ir852Gj_0Ib9X8dYTtVYwtHLwWecNM4aQl8R6wD786qb37g6hdCUCRmQc0gYTR2E2bcrDJRk/s200/Ravenstahldebate2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395373264835755730" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mayor Luke Ravenstahl:</span><br /><blockquote>"First of all, he has none, I answered the question last week, that he is a friend of mine. Your accusations are wrong. They're inappropriate. And I think they show the level to which apparently this campaign is going to go over the next couple of weeks. Bringing private citizens into conversations, making accusations that are false, like Kevin just did. And I'm not going to get into the minutiae of responding to every single thing that he thinks he can throw against the wall. I would just advise Mr. Acklin to be very, very careful."</blockquote><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Acklin:</span><br /><blockquote> "Is that a threat?"</blockquote><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">...Later...</span><br /><br />A<span style="font-weight: bold;">cklin:</span><br /><blockquote> "The mayor just lied again. We have information in documents again, including e-mails that prove very clearly..."</blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ravenstahl:</span><br /><blockquote> "I don't understand your point, Kevin. John Verbanac is a friend of mine, yes."</blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Acklin:</span><br /><blockquote> "Who very much is actively involved in your administration at the same time he literally has business interests in front of the city, that we have documentation to prove. Isn't that the definition of corruption?"</blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ravenstahl:</span><br /><blockquote> "Not at all. Because I have conversations with a gentleman who's a friend of mine?"</blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Acklin:</span><br /><blockquote> "At the same time he's directing your policies."</blockquote><br />The barbs continued after the debate, during my interviews with the candidates. You can click the link below to listen to the raw audio from my mp3 recorder. Below that you can read some breakout quotes from the Q&A. <div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw1Qi-ssgUtfRSLUaa1giONGG-uJwdhExycAoIMK2ud_Wzx68ZsrkydD_OdkXKn9eYEGTNil4lv50ObdPXWOQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Acklin:</span></div><blockquote>• "To be clear, these aren't attacks. These are facts..."<br /><br />• "It's very that Mr. Verbanac has played a strong role in this administration. It's also very clear that he has business interests in front of this city."<br /><br />• "...These documents came from a former high ranking official and I was a little taken aback by the fact that he (Ravenstahl) lied to us."<br /><br />• "...It matters because people want honest leadership in government. And you have a situation here with someone with a lot of influence over this mayor's administration (who) also has a lot of interest in business before the city. These documents speak for themselves. "<br /><br />• "...And if this isn't corruption, I don't know what is."</blockquote><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ravenstahl: </span><br /><blockquote>• "It's laughable. Especially when you consider if he and I were so close, I don't think I would have been a supporter of the Isle of Capri's bid for the casino license."<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">[Note: Verbanac had ties with Forest City Enterprises, which was teamed with a competing casino license bidder.]</span><br /><br />•"I'm not sure exactly what Mr. Acklin is referring to . I think it shows the desperation right now in his campaign. That John Verbanac is a friend of mine -- he is a friend of mine. When I make decisions I speak with a lot of different individuals. Including my staff, including friends..."<br /><br />• "Once again, It's a desperate attempt by a desperate candidate to try to create some interest in a race. And it's uncalled for. And you'd have to ask Mr. Acklin why he's choosing to stoop to these levels."<br /><br />• "..He's (Verbanac's) never given a dollar to my campaign. He's never contributed to my campaign. He's no more than somebody I bounce ideas off of... There's no inappropriate relationship there whatsoever."</blockquote><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Franco Dok Harris</span>, the other independent candidate for mayor, said after the debate:<br /><blockquote> "You hear whispers all the time. We don't have a stack of documents like the Acklin campaign or try to paint any kind of pictures. What we're doing is, we're trying to bring a positive message."<br /></blockquote><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> [Note: Excerpts from the documents released by the Acklin campaign appear on Bram Reichbaum's blog, </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://pghcomet.blogspot.com/2009/10/john-verbanac-friend-with-benefits.html">The Pittsburgh Comet</a><span style="font-style: italic;">.]</span><br /><br /><br />In response to my phone messages, I received the following e-mail from <span style="font-weight: bold;">John Verbanac</span>:<br /><br /><blockquote>Bob,<br /><br />With regard to your inquiry, here is my statement.<br /><br />" I consider myself to be a valued friend and advisor to this Mayor, his predecessor and a number of current and former public officials, non profit and private business leaders. The fact that a desperate candidate in an effort to bolster his failing campaign would attempt to impugn me or the Mayor is distasteful and wrong and an example of why voters are so disenchanted with politics."<br /><br />Thank you.<br /><br />John Verbanac</blockquote><br /><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">.<br /></div><br /><div><br /></div></div>Bob Mayohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15284393139608821650noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320438766855852970.post-88096108161571854672009-09-17T11:18:00.003-04:002009-09-20T20:08:39.186-04:00DAY TWO Update 001 -- G-20 Protest Permits - The Judge's Ruling<span style="font-style: italic;">[These are my raw notes from the courtroom; they will often consist or keywords and phrases and are not a comprehensive log or transcript.]</span><p>10:00 AM: Like me, some attorneys on this case thought that Judge Gary Lancaster's ruling would be filed electronically. Word came that the attorneys are to be here in the judge's courtroom. Once again, the courtroom is full and everyone is anticipating the judge entering shortly.</p><p><br />10:05 AM : "All rise. This honorable court is now in session..."</p><p>Judge: ordinary in a case like this I would draft a written opinion.. since time is of the essence here, benefit the parties to have a ruling. The certified transcript will serve as the ruling of the<br />court.</p><p><br />Judge: Notes that some of the original plaintiffs have been granted permits since the suit was filed. (Remaining) plaintiffs allege their constitutional 1st and 14th amendment rights are being violated.</p><p>Judge says plaintiffs seek:</p><p><br />-Permit CodePink to stage event in Point State Park from Sunday 7pm to Tuesday 7pm.<br /></p><p>-Permit Thomas Merton Center to March from City County Building to 7th Street Bridge and rally at bridge.</p><p>-Permit camping overnight at Schenley Park in Oakland.</p><p>Judge: Court has analyzed claims presented at hearing. Plaintiffs must demonstrate likelihood of ultimate success on merits, irreparable harm if not granted, public interest be served by granting relief.</p><p>Judge: a preliminary injunction is not a matter of right.</p><p>*******</p><p>Judge: On Thomas Merton Center request to march from Oakland to City County Building to 7th St Bridge. Estimate that 5,000 to 7,000 would participate in the march.</p><p>Judge: Rights under 1st amendment are not absolute. Plaintiffs do not allege restrictions are content based. Government interest in safety and in protecting visiting leaders are valid.</p><p>Judge: Defendants have legitimate interest in establishing a security perimeter and in making sure 7th Street Bridge remain passable. City showed would significantly burden already strained police. Bridge has only to points of entry and exit.</p><p>Judge: Defendants have demonstrated not overly broad. Refusal to allow thousands of protesters to stop on the bridge is not overly broad.</p><p>Judge: Defendants have provided evidence justifying the security perimeter. The heart of plaintiff's argument is that it would be more convenient/less restrictive if their request was granted. Modern technology makes being in proximity less critical. Media outlets will be able to cover... info can be spread via YouTube, Facebook, for example. 1st amendment rights would not be violated by restrictions.</p><p>*******</p><p>Judge: On request for order to allow them to camp overnight in Schenley Park. He has serious doubts that sleeping overnight is "expressive conduct" so that the 1st amendment applies. Plaintiffs have not met that burden. Evidence is that their request is to accommodate people traveling to Pittsburgh to protest who have no other place to stay. Says they could camp at state park would camping is permitted for example. No evidence that overnight camping would send any message not sent during daylight hours. Even if camping is expressive conduct, no evidence that city prohibition on camping and park hours is content-based. 300 to 600 camping for six days would be burden on city.</p><p>Judge: City has legitimate interest in making sure its parks are adequately protected. If this the were to allow this group to camp, based on expressive conduct, no doubt other groups would press for same... create burden on city.</p><p><br />City's action does not violate the 1st amendment. The city does not have a constitutional obligation to provide out of town protesters living accommodations.</p><p>*******</p><p>Judge: On CodePink and Point State Park. Notes Junior Great Race has permit for weekend before and Great Race for weekend after. Plaintiff argues that granting of permit to event associated with PA State Senator Jim Ferlo is content based. Judge says plaintiffs are not likely to prevail on this. No evidence city denied CodePink's permit based on content of their message. Finds city acted in a content neutral manner. But city has not shown that it's actions were narrowly tailored.</p><p>Evidence shows breakdown from Junior Great Race is completed by Sunday 5pm. Denial is not narrowly tailored. Denial would be harm first amendment rights. Public interest would be best served by granting permit to CodePink. Ordering city to permit CodePink to use park from after breakdown from race. From 7pm Sunday to 7pm Tuesday during regular park hours.</p><p><br />.</p><p>--<br />Sent from my mobile device</p>Bob Mayohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15284393139608821650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320438766855852970.post-57421569009342639172009-09-17T10:45:00.002-04:002009-09-20T20:00:05.554-04:00Judge's Ruling on G-20 Protest PermitsPermits to march to and rally on the 7th St Bridge, to camp in Schenley Park are denied. Permits for use of Point State Park Sunday 7pm to Tuesday 7pm during regular hours are okayed. More later.<p>--<br />Sent from my mobile device</p>Bob Mayohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15284393139608821650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320438766855852970.post-8286650108029536412009-09-16T22:08:00.004-04:002009-09-20T20:13:21.891-04:00Update 004 -- G-20 Protest Permits Lawsuit -- Federal Court Hearing<span style="font-style: italic;">[These are my raw notes from the courtroom; they will often consist or keywords and phrases and are not a comprehensive log or transcript.]</span><br /><br /><br />3:08 PM Court back in Session.<br /><br />Officer Christie Gasiorowski back on stand, this time as witness for the city. Questioning by City Assistant City Solicitor Michael Kennedy.<br />Establishes that -- while approved -- the permit for an overnight camping event this year was not actually issued.<br /><br /><br />Q: what steps taken to accommodate Thomas Merton Center march? A: Wrote up alternative routes, should have gotten them today.<br />Mapped route from 7th St Bridge to Buncher lot. Distance from Fifth & Craft to Buncher lot along her proposed routing is 3.8 miles. (Note: that appears to involve crossing over to the North Shore and back.)<br /><br />Testifies it's very labor intensive to provide police presence for these events.<br /><br />Asks about plaintiff request to stop and rally at 7th Street Bridge. She testifies that river walk on North Shore is great location providing sight and sound access to convention center.<br />She has concerns about stop and rally at bridge. Exit only at either end. Says "if a molotov cocktail were to go off" there could be a panic and stampede. Doesn't think city could provide for safety if they stopped and rallied on the bridge.<br /><br />3:18 PM cross-examination by Vic Walczak of the ACLU.<br /><br />On the overnight permit -- Walczak : never used because they didn't pay security fee? Officer acknowledges, but says the permit was never approved because it was not signed.<br />Walczak: There's a piece of paper that was signed that was sent out to somebody. Says this was not supplied to us by the city -- "We got it from them (the applicants), your honor."<br /><br />Asks about her distance calculations. Walczak say it appears Craft and Fifth to City County Building is about 1.9 miles. How did you get to the 7th Street Bridge? .7 miles to bridge? 0.4 to cross pan of bridge/ridge and .4 back, not counting distance to cover on the North Side, right? A: Possibly.<br /><br />Walczak: You're suggesting it's too labor intensive for the city to provide for them to stop on the 7th Street Bridge? A: That's one of the issues we have, yes.<br /><br />Q: The city's going to provide security for the march (the city suggests) to the North Side? A: Correct.<br />If the Merton Center has 3,000 to 5,000 people, do you believe the river walk would provide space for that many people. A: Hasn't evaluated, believes it can.<br />Walczak: If people have to spread out over 4 to 5 blocks on river walk by Alcoa, that would require police security, would it not. People could jump in river there, could they not? A: Acknowledges they could.<br /><br />...<br /><br />Walczak asks -- no matter where march ends up, it will require police presence to keep people out of harm's way? Officer Gasiorowski: correct.<br /><br />Walczak: the concern is about safety of the demonstrators, not of the G-20 Summit correct? Officer: that's correct. But she says Secret Service has some concerns about timing in relation to First Lady's visit to the Warhol.<br /><br />Walczak: Asks about people filling bridges to watch fireworks. Officer Gasiorowski acknowledges they may. Appears to say that city may not encourage (I could not hear her answer clearly).<br /><br /><br />...<br /><br />The attorney for the Secret Service -- Albert W. Schollaert of the U.S. Attorney's Office - is now questioning Officer Gasiorowski.<br />Going over Google maps estimates of distances.<br /><br />3:43 PM : Judge Lancaster questions officer about why she's concerned people may fall off the bridge. She answers that if something happens, she doesn't think the two ends of the bridge would accommodate a mad rush of people.<br />Officer Gasiorowski's testimony has ended.<br /><br /><br />3:44 PM Gregory Daley is called as a witness for the city. Supervisor for City Dept of Public Works.<br />Schenley Park comes within his area of responsibility for clean up. Describes the 2007 occasion when a group was allowed to camp there overnight. Says those organizers never cleaned up and city workers had to work all day to clean up the area and haul away debris.<br /><br />3:53 Pittsburgh Police Assistant Chief William Bochter takes the stand as a witness for the city. Oversees the operations branch. He's the co-chair of the civil disturbance sub-committee for the G-20.<br /><br />City Assistant City Solicitor Michael Kennedy is asking questions.<br /><br />Q: What's manpower looking like: A: "we are stretched very thin"... "to the limits right now".<br /><br />Q: A: I have a lot of issues with a rally of 3 to 5,000 people taking place on any bridge in the city, with our "manpower problems". Corrects self to "shortfalls".<br />Acknowledges most protesters will protest peacefully. Says they are very concerned about those who may intend to cause trouble. Says there have been cases elsewhere where people climb bridge superstructures. Concerned about safety of trying to get to them with crowds of thousands. If emergency, there is no access for emergency vehicles. Says when they to disperse a crowd, they always give multiple routes for people to disperse. Chief Bochter If they have to disperse a crowd, there's only one route.<br /><br /><br />Chief Bochter says having to man another site in addition to strip district lot and north shore would spread them thin.<br /><br />Under questioning, says he's concerned about bad people infiltrate peaceful groups, with a different message -- one of violence.<br /><br />4:00 PM Cross examination by Vic Walczak of ACLU.<br /><br />Chief Bochter says there will, in fact, be a police presence on every bridge in Pittsburgh during the G-20 summit.<br /><br />Walczak asks about differences in police approach between a march across the bridge and a stop and rally on the bridge.<br />Chief Bochter says they would keep lanes open during a march, but would not be able to do so in a rally.<br /><br />4:05 PM Chief Bochter has ended. City Assistant City Solicitor Michael Kennedy says the city rests.<br /><br />Walczak says he'd like to raise one point of information about the Secret Service representation of distances involved in varous routes.<br /><br />Judge Lancaster has questions for city's attorneys.<br />-What's basis for denying use of Point State Park Sunday evening (before closing), Monday, and Tuesday? City attorney answers that city crew needs wiggle room in time in case of bad weather. Says there are dangers in relying on the best case scenario, and then having the worst case arrive.<br /><br />Judge: I would say that if next week our biggest problem is a schedule conflict between CodePink and the Junior Great Race, we should be thankful.<br /><br />Judge to protesters attorneys: What is city's alternative routes an affront to 1st amendment rights?<br /><br />Lobel: Says question isn't whether city locations "might be okay", the real question is why marching across the bridge is acceptable, but a brief rally there is not.<br />As for someone jumping off or climbing bridge, if you used that basis -- (that such a thing *might* happen) -- you could preclude *anything* from being granted.<br /><br />Judge: the city has offered CodePink to use Point Park Tuesday and Wednesday, sharing on Wednesday with Ferlo's group? Answer establishes they don't want to get swallowed up by someone else's event.<br />Attorneys for protesters say they believe they've proven there was clear favoritism and bias in granting of permits. Approving a large event for Ferlo on Wednesday, and not a smaller group on Monday and Tuesday.<br /><br />Judge Lancaster: says he will place his ruling on record at 10 AM tomorrow.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">[I'm posting this from home this evening, but I believe the hearing concluded at about twenty minutes after 4.]</span>Bob Mayohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15284393139608821650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320438766855852970.post-61317765975808148352009-09-16T14:52:00.003-04:002009-09-20T20:12:27.013-04:00Update 003 -- G-20 Protest Permits Lawsuit -- Federal Court Hearing<span style="font-style: italic;">[These are my raw notes from the courtroom; they will often consist or keywords and phrases and are not a comprehensive log or transcript.]</span><br /><br />1:49 PM Peter Shell of the Thomas Merton Center is called as a witness by ACLU Attorney Vic Walczak.<br />Shell has been active in Merton Center since 1999. Now co-chair of the anti-war committee of the Thomas Merton Center.<br />Says its a local social justice non-profit organization dating back to 1972. Mostly volunteers. Says center has sponsored "certainly over a hundred" marches and rallies over the years.<br /><br />Mailed in permit application July 24th by certified mail. Calling it a "people's march", "money for people, not for war".<br />Would start with rally at noon at Fifth and Craft in Oakland. A feeder march from Freedom Corner in the Hill District would merge with them, with all arriving at the City County Building.<br />Had originally requested to march down Grant Street to the Federal Building and rally there.<br /><br />Shell testifies<br /><br />Feels G-20 is an "illegitimate organization". Want to go to City County Building to express disapproval of city and county's cooperation with G-20.<br /><br />Walczak: at issue is third leg of march -- where would go after the City County Building.<br /><br />Asks about the Buncher parking lot in the Strip District. (The lot is being offered by the city to protesters a place within sight and sound of the convention center.) Shell: No viable route offered by the city to get to the lot.<br /><br />Walczak: there have been two proposed routes suggested by city -- through Polish Hill from Oakland to get to Buncher lot. Shell testifies it would<br /><br /><br />Walczak: City also suggested route of Over 7th Street Bridge, down General Robinson Street, back across 16th Street Bridge to Strip? A: Yes, but that would also add 3.8 miles to trip and hills would not be possible for older marches.<br /><br />Shell: wants to protest in downtown as a center of corporate and government power.<br /><br /><br />Walczak: asks about protest group's latest proposal.<br /><br />Shell: they propose to stop on the 7th Street Bridge. Says its better than city's suggestion of North Shore walking and bike trail. He doesn't think it would safely accommodate several thousand people.<br /><br /><br />2:03 PM: Cross examination of Shell by John Dogherty of the City of Pittsburgh law department.<br /><br />Q: You've been approved for leg one and leg two of your proposed route? A: Told that, but not seen permit.<br /><br />You've taken it upon yourself to advertise and promote your event, even though you did not get formal approval? A: Waiting for approval would not have left enough time. Feels was reasonable, based on city's saying it would approve Oakland to Downtown route.<br /><br />Shell: If we were given a permit to stop and rally on the 7th Street Bridge, they would withdrawl permit request for other routes.<br /><br />Doughterty: You don't want to march your people into a dead end? A: Yes.<br />Dougherty asks if North Shore river trail would offer better sight and sound that 7th Street Bridge.<br />Shell answers that they're concerned about safety of marchers on the river trail (because of the size of the crowd).<br /><br />Dougherty: You anticipate people taking part in your march who are not part of the Thomas Merton Center? A: Yes. Dougherty suggests there could be a danger posed by those other participants, such as jumping from bridge.<br /><br />2:13 PM<br /><br />Next witness: Pittburgh Police Officer Gazarowski (Spelling? The officer was not at the courtroom microphone when she was sworn in. I couldn't hear her first name or the spelling of her last name).<br />Police bureau's representative on the city's special events committee.<br />Walczak: past practice when more than one application comes in is to grant the first one in? A: yes.<br />Officer testifies she was the one who applied for permit for Pittsburgh Police to use Point State Park.<br /><br />Walczak: Plan is for city police to use the fountain side of the park as a staging area? A: Yes. Q: Don't anticipate it wlll interfere with use of entrance side of park? A: Correct.<br /><br />Walczak: Permit request from Ferlo that came in August 10th was for one day -- September 23rd, correct? A: Yes.<br /><br />Officer says she stamped the CodePink permit application as arriving August 24th.<br />Says 3 Rivers Climate Convergence request also came in on August 24th.<br /><br />CodePink asked for Sunday to Friday.<br />Walczak: Ferlo did not ask for Sunday, Monday, Tuesday -- Code Pink asked for those dates first? Officer answers that of the three -- but indicates that Junior Great Race filed first for Sunday.<br /><br /><br />Walczak: Shows application for Junior Great Race. Officer confirms the permits is for only until 1 PM on Sunday.<br /><br />....<br /><br />Walczak asks about Public Safety Director Huss's reconsideration and approval of Ferlo's Wednesday, September 25th permit request. Officer confirms that she and the city's special events committee did not have a role in approving the Ferlo permit.<br /><br />Walczak: Asks whether CodePink's permit application and the 3 Rivers Climate Conversion application for Point State Park were ever presented to the city's special events committee. The officer says she personally looked at it, but doesn't recall either way whether she presented them to committee.<br /><br />Walczak: the process used for Senator Ferlo's permit application was never used for the applications from CodePink or 3 Rivers Climate Conversion? Officer indicates it was not.<br /><br />Questions now turn to the Thomas Merton Center's march application.<br /><br /><br />Walczak: The city cannot grant a permit that crosses through the Secret Service security perimeter? Officer answers that is correct.<br /><br />Q: What is the route that you suggested? A: Fifth Avenue to Smithfield, to Seventh Street Bridge, to North Shore...etc.<br /><br />2:35 PM<br /><br /><br /><br />[These are my raw notes from the courtroom; they will often consist or keywords and phrases and are not a comprehensive log or transcript.]<br /><br />Walczak: There's no outright prohibition to going on the 7th Street Bridge? A: Not to my knowledge.<br /><br />Officer: Merton Center March might conflict with First Lady's visit to the Warhol... but she says they should be able to accomodate.<br /><br />Walczak: Asks if any other groups besides G-20 protesters have applied to use city parks overnight? She indicates she doesn't believe so.<br /><br />Walczak introduces application from February 25, 2009 for an April, 2009 date, from 10 AM to 10 AM in Schenley Park. Estimated participants, 200 to 300.<br /><br />Officer acknowledges document.<br /><br />Walczak: Special events committee granted this permit, did it not? Officer: it was reviewed but not issued because group did not pay the fee.<br /><br />Walczak: Shows document with checkmark by "Status: approved" for overnight use of Schenley Park. Was approved March 31st of this year, is that correct? A: Yes.<br /><br /><br />2:50 PM Plaintiffs rest. Judge calls ten minute recess.Bob Mayohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15284393139608821650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320438766855852970.post-60253257344038955372009-09-16T14:23:00.003-04:002009-09-20T20:12:06.244-04:00Update 002 -- G-20 Protest Permits Lawsuit -- Federal Court Hearing<span style="font-style: italic;">[These are my raw notes from the courtroom; they will often consist or</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> keywords and phrases and are not a comprehensive log or transcript.]</span><p>1:27 PM: First things first: attorneys for both sides say Judge Gary Lancaster has indicated he may rule from the bench this afternoon.</p><p>When I returned from filing my noon report, there were no seats free in the courtroom where I could plug in and blog, so here's a quick recap of what happened between 11 AM and the 12:30 one hour recess.</p><p>Attorneys for the protesters presented a series of witnesses to try to make the case that the city played favorites when approving permits to use Point State Park during G-20 week.<br />ACLU Attorney Vic Walczak is attempting to show that the plaintiff's applications to use Point State Park from Sunday through Friday actually came before the request by PA State Senator Jim Ferlo.<br />The plaintiff's witnesses appeared to show that after initially being told the park would not be available, Ferlo was told that it could have the park on Wednesday.</p><p>Assistant City Parks Director Michael Radley -- who is also director of the Great Race -- testified that Public Safety Director Michael Huss intervened. Radley told the court that Huss asked him if he could accommodate a group using Point State Park on Wednesday. Radley testfied that he told Huss "it won't be easy, but we'll get it done.</p><p>1:36 PM: "All rise. This honorable court is now in session."</p><p>Radley back on stand. Testifying that camping in city parks is prohibited "for the most part".</p><p>Lobel: let me read what you said in your deposition. "In a rare situation". Is that correct?<br />So the director has the ability to grant permission to camp in a city park? A: "He does, by code".<br />Section 473.04 of the city code: "no person in the park shall camp, except with the permission of the director".</p><p>Lobel: Are there any regulations to guide the director as to which people are allowed to camp and which are not? A: No regulations.<br />Q: Do you know that in 2007 a group of students requested permission to park in a city park? Was it granted? A: It was.<br />Why? A: it was a one night request and appeared to have a very low impact. Group agreed to hire an off duty city police officer to monitor their activity.</p><p>Radley acknowledges that no one from the city attempted to reach any similar sort of accommodations with CodePink or 3 Rivers Climate Convergence.</p><p>How many students camped on that occasion in 2007? A: A couple of hundred.<br />Problems? A: They did not leave park as they found it. Quite a bit of refuse left behind.</p><p>City Assistant City Solicitor Michael Kennedy asks to do direct examination of Radley now, so as not to recall him later. Judge agrees.</p><p>Q: When conditions are ideal, when would you break down from the Junior Great Race? A: Sunday evening.<br />Any adverse conditions could push the breakdown into late Sunday night and into Monday.<br />Has concern about damaging sod and safety of workers if they had to breakdown in rain.</p><p>Judge: In your 13 years, how many times has it taken past 5 PM Sunday to break down from the Junior Great Race?<br />Radley: indicates it hasn't happened in his 13 years.</p><p>Also testifies setup for the actual Great Race the following Sunday would normally start on Wednesday. Says it is being pushed back to Thursday to accommodate Ferlo's event.</p><p>Since 2007 -- when the group of students failed to clean up after themselves -- have any other groups been granted permits to camp in park? A: There have not.</p><p>1:48 PM Radley's testimony ends.</p><p>1:49 PM Peter Shell of the Thomas Merton Center is called as a witness by ACLU Attorney Vic Walczak.</p><p>--<br />Sent from my mobile device</p>Bob Mayohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15284393139608821650noreply@blogger.com0