Two Pittsburgh city councilmen are seeking ethics rulings on Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's controversial nomination of his brother to the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority board.

Councilman Bill Peduto on Friday sent a letter to Sister Patrice Hughes, chairwoman of the city's Ethics Hearing Board, asking the panel to "investigate this nomination" and determine its legitimacy.

Also on Friday, Councilman Doug Shields sent the state Ethics Commission a letter requesting an advisory opinion on newly elected state Rep. Adam Ravenstahl's nomination to the Alcosan board.

In all, Mayor Ravenstahl nominated or appointed nine residents to various boards in a May 19 letter to council.

Adam Ravenstahl's nomination ignited a firestorm.

It came just a day after Mr. Ravenstahl, 25, of Summer Hill, won a special election to complete the term of former state Rep. Don Walko, now an Allegheny County Common Pleas Court judge. Adam Ravenstahl also won the Democratic nomination for a full two-year term and faces Republican Alex Dubart in the November election.

"The city code has rules for appointing, hiring and promoting direct family members of elected officials and employees. As the code states, the only time a direct family member can be appointed is through a waiver from the Ethics Hearing Board," Mr. Peduto said in the letter to Sister Patrice.

City Solicitor Daniel Regan has said that the nomination is proper because the mayor doesn't directly control an Alcosan seat. He also noted that the nomination is subject to council confirmation and that Alcosan a legally independent entity.

However, Mr. Shields told the state Ethics Commission that the mayor exercises control of Alcosan through the appointment of multiple board members and through contracts with the authority.

"It is disingenuous to suggest that the city of Pittsburgh has no 'control' or influence on the Alcosan board," Mr. Shields said in the letter. "Therefore, I respectfully request that the state Ethics Commission render an advisory opinion in this matter."

In an interview, Mr. Shields said, the mayor's nomination of his brother crossed a "clear bright line."

"There is an obvious need to have a question asked here," he said.

Neither the mayor's office nor Adam Ravenstahl immediately commented on the councilmen's requests.

Mr. Peduto said council should not consider Adam Ravenstahl's nomination until the ethics inquiries have been completed.

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