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Allegheny County executive race: Fawcett attacks, Weinstein rebuts

Allegheny County executive race: Fawcett attacks, Weinstein rebuts
TO EXPLAIN. COUNTY CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAW REFORM, INCLUDING CAPS ON CONTRIBUTIONS AND MORE FREQUENT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. THAT’S WHAT DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY CANDIDATE FOR COUNTY EXECUTIVE DAVE FOSSETT IS CALLING FOR. BUT HE DID IT WHILE AT THE SAME TIME ATTACKING FELLOW CANDIDATE JOHN WEINSTEIN. IN THE LATEST STORY, JOHN UTILIZED THE POWER OF UNLIMITED CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS TO TRY TO INTIMIDATE ANOTHER ELECTED OFFICIAL AND BULLY HIS WAY ONTO THE ALLOCATION BOARD. REPORTS ALLEGE WEINSTEIN HAD WANTED BACK ON THE ALLOCATION BOARD AND HAD IT CONVEYED TO STATE REPRESENTATIVE EMILY KINCAID IF SHE RESIGNED FROM THE BOARD, HE WOULD NOT BACK HER OPPONENT IN LAST YEAR’S PRIMARY. KINCAID CONFIRMS AN OFFER WAS MADE, BUT NOT DIRECTLY FROM WEINSTEIN. HER RESPONSE TO MY FIRST CALL WAS TO MY LAW FIRM, TO, YOU KNOW, SEE IF I HAD A DUTY TO REPORT IT TO THE AUTHORITIES. AND, YOU KNOW, DRAFTED A MEMO TO LET MY STAFF KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE ENGAGE IN. AND SHOULD ANY OTHER OFFERS BE MADE TO THEM OR ME, THAT THIS WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT THAT WE CONSENTED TO OR WOULD AGREE TO? REPORTS SAY COUNTY COUNCILWOMAN BETHANY HALLAM CONVEYED A MESSAGE FROM WEINSTEIN. KINCAID CONFIRMS IT WAS HALLAM, BUT HALLAM SAYS THAT’S NOT WHAT THE MESSAGE WAS. WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED THEN? NOT THAT THERE WAS NEVER A CONVERSATION. IF YOU DO THIS. HE’LL DO THIS. THE ONLY CONVERSATION THAT WAS HAD WAS SHE THOUGHT THAT HE PUT HER OPPONENT UP AGAINST HER AND SO WE WENT AND MET WITH HIM AND HE SAID HE DIDN’T DO THAT. SO I DON’T KNOW WHERE THAT STORY CAME FROM. WITH COMMITMENT 2023 COVERAGE BOB MAYO PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS 4 AND JOHN WEINSTEIN ALSO ISSUED THIS STATEMENT LATE THIS AFTERNOON SAYING, QUOTE, I WILL NO LONGER ACCEPT MY MORE THAN TWO DECADES OF SERVICE TO OUR TAXPAYERS BEING DRAGGED THROUGH THE MUD ON THE BASIS OF RUMORS, OUTRIGHT FALSEHOODS AND INNUENDOES SLUNG BY COMPETITORS. I DID NOT SPEAK WITH EITHER A BOARD MEMBER OR ANOTHER ELECTED OFFICIAL ABOUT THE EXPIRATION OF MY SANTER TERM. AS A LONG TIME BOA
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Allegheny County executive race: Fawcett attacks, Weinstein rebuts
In the Democratic primary race for Allegheny County Executive, Dave Fawcett attacked fellow candidate John Weinstein, in the course of advocating campaign law reform on Friday. "There should be reasonable limits on campaign contributions in this county, in Allegheny County. As county executive, I'll get that done," Fawcett said in a news conference Downtown. "Over the past few days, a number of stories have been reported that allege our County Treasurer John Weinstein, has broken the trust of his public office. These stories are troubling and suggest that John has engaged in a pattern of illegal activity in a number of contexts," Fawcett said. "The conduct that John Weinstein has engaged in, as reported, the use of campaign money to try to bully people so that he can keep his power over contracts in the award of contracts. It's outrageous. It's illegal. It's unethical. And it's flat out wrong."Fawcett provided no documentation for his claim of illegal activity.He referred to reports that, a year ago, Weinstein had it conveyed to PA State Representative Emily Kinkead that if she resigned from the ALCOSAN board to make a way for Weinstein to rejoin the board, he would not back her primary opponent."During my primary, I was approached to — an offer was made — that if i resigned from ALCOSAN, that potentially that meant that John could get back on to board and that would mean that he would call off the dogs in my primary," Kinkead, (D) 20th District, Allegheny County, told Pittsburgh's Action News 4 when asked about the story. "My first call was to my law firm, to see if I had a duty to report it to the authorities, and (I) drafted a letter to let my staff know that this is not something that we engage in, should any other offers be made to them or me, that this is not something that we consented to or would agree to," Kinkead said.Today’s top headlines:DA to seek death penalty against man accused of fatally shooting McKeesport officerCharges filed a year and a half after Beaver County assaultSprinkler mishap leads to virtual learning day for South Fayette High School Kinkead confirmed to Pittsburgh's Action News 4 that it was Allegheny County Councilwoman Bethany Hallam who spoke with her. But Hallam says that's not what the message was or how the communication was initiated."Not that. There was never a conversation 'if you do this, he'll do this.' The only conversation that was had was, she thought that he (Weinstein) put her opponent up against her. So we went and met with him and he said he didn't do that. So I don't know where that story came from," Hallam told Pittsburgh's Action News 4. Pittsburgh's Action News 4 repeatedly asked Weinstein's campaign for the candidate's response. After the story was broadcast, Weinstein issued a written statement. "I will no longer accept my more than two decades of service to our taxpayers being dragged through the mud on the basis of rumors, outright falsehoods, and innuendos slung by competitors. I did not speak with either a board member or another elected official about the expiration of my ALCOSAN term," Weinstein said. "As a longtime board member, I am well aware how seats are allocated. Even had the other member resigned, I would not have been eligible for that position which is exclusively reserved for City-based appointees.""I look forward to this race moving away from deliberate smear tactics from my opponents and instead turning to a discussion of ideas about how best to move this region forward. My concern is not discussing allegations that have no basis in fact. My concern is discussing how we build true economic opportunity and improve public safety," Weinstein said.

In the Democratic primary race for Allegheny County Executive, Dave Fawcett attacked fellow candidate John Weinstein, in the course of advocating campaign law reform on Friday.

"There should be reasonable limits on campaign contributions in this county, in Allegheny County. As county executive, I'll get that done," Fawcett said in a news conference Downtown.

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"Over the past few days, a number of stories have been reported that allege our County Treasurer John Weinstein, has broken the trust of his public office. These stories are troubling and suggest that John has engaged in a pattern of illegal activity in a number of contexts," Fawcett said. "The conduct that John Weinstein has engaged in, as reported, the use of campaign money to try to bully people so that he can keep his power over contracts in the award of contracts. It's outrageous. It's illegal. It's unethical. And it's flat out wrong."

Fawcett provided no documentation for his claim of illegal activity.

He referred to reports that, a year ago, Weinstein had it conveyed to PA State Representative Emily Kinkead that if she resigned from the ALCOSAN board to make a way for Weinstein to rejoin the board, he would not back her primary opponent.

"During my primary, I was approached to — an offer was made — that if i resigned from ALCOSAN, that potentially that meant that John could get back on to board and that would mean that he would call off the dogs in my primary," Kinkead, (D) 20th District, Allegheny County, told Pittsburgh's Action News 4 when asked about the story.

"My first call was to my law firm, to see if I had a duty to report it to the authorities, and (I) drafted a letter to let my staff know that this is not something that we engage in, should any other offers be made to them or me, that this is not something that we consented to or would agree to," Kinkead said.

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Kinkead confirmed to Pittsburgh's Action News 4 that it was Allegheny County Councilwoman Bethany Hallam who spoke with her. But Hallam says that's not what the message was or how the communication was initiated.

"Not that. There was never a conversation 'if you do this, he'll do this.' The only conversation that was had was, she thought that he (Weinstein) put her opponent up against her. So we went and met with him and he said he didn't do that. So I don't know where that story came from," Hallam told Pittsburgh's Action News 4.

    Pittsburgh's Action News 4 repeatedly asked Weinstein's campaign for the candidate's response. After the story was broadcast, Weinstein issued a written statement.

    "I will no longer accept my more than two decades of service to our taxpayers being dragged through the mud on the basis of rumors, outright falsehoods, and innuendos slung by competitors. I did not speak with either a board member or another elected official about the expiration of my ALCOSAN term," Weinstein said. "As a longtime board member, I am well aware how seats are allocated. Even had the other member resigned, I would not have been eligible for that position which is exclusively reserved for City-based appointees."

    "I look forward to this race moving away from deliberate smear tactics from my opponents and instead turning to a discussion of ideas about how best to move this region forward. My concern is not discussing allegations that have no basis in fact. My concern is discussing how we build true economic opportunity and improve public safety," Weinstein said.