City Councilwoman Twanda Carlisle yesterday defended the hiring of a friend and political supporter who is part of an investigation into her spending on consultants, saying the woman is capable of doing the work.

Sheryl Ann Pinson-Smith started her $24,600-a-year job in Ms. Carlisle's office July 31. She also received $30,740 in consulting fees from Ms. Carlisle over the last three years.

Those payments are part of a referral to the district attorney and the State Ethics Commission involving the councilwoman's consultant spending. Since 2002, Ms. Carlisle has spent $134,300 on two dozen consultants, including six who were involved in her 2003 election campaign.

Council President Luke Ravenstahl yesterday described Ms. Pinson-Smith's hiring as "curious" given the referral but added he had no control over the matter.

"It's her decision and she made it. It's up to her constituents to decide whether it's an appropriate thing," he said.

The councilwoman said Ms. Pinson-Smith was one of three people she has hired recently to address staff shortages in her office -- a shortfall she attributed to the controversy over her spending on consultants.

She said Ms. Pinson-Smith was doing a "little bit of everything" in the office. She said she saw nothing wrong with hiring her.

"She's a qualified individual. She's able to do the job, she has been doing the job, so why not have her in the office?" she said.

Ms. Carlisle added that it's a "better fit for everyone" to have her in the office" doing work rather than being paid as a consultant.

"I see nothing wrong with it. She's in the office. People can see what she's doing," she said.

She also didn't think it was inappropriate to hire Ms. Pinson-Smith while the district attorney and ethics commission are looking into the spending on consultants.

"They're inquiring about me," she said. "They're not inquiring about her."

Ms. Pinson-Smith declined comment, referring questions to the councilwoman.

Ora Lee Carroll, a neighborhood activist who is leading an impeachment drive against Ms. Carlisle, said she may try to amend the petition to include the hiring. She said Ms. Carlisle has violated the trust of citizens.

"We voted her in and I believe it's time for her to step down," she said.