Ravenstahl discusses ties with businessman
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Independent mayoral candidate Kevin Acklin today called on Mayor Luke Ravenstahl to clarify his administration's relationship with Cranberry businessman John Verbanac, whose e-mails to city officials the challenger's campaign released yesterday.
"Give us full disclosure," Mr. Acklin said. "I'm also calling for a full investigation of all [Urban Redevelopment Authority] and city contracts to see exactly what kind of influence John Verbanac, and other corporate interests like him, have in this administration."
Mr. Ravenstahl then met with the Post-Gazette and answered questions about his interactions with Mr. Verbanac, a principal in Summa Development.
"He is somebody I rely on from time to time to bounce things off of," Mr. Ravenstahl said.
He confirmed that the former political consultant advises him on campaign matters, and probably has some role in fundraising.
"He has been consulted there and talked to there and advised me there, just as he has on other issues," the mayor said. "He's never written me a check. Has he raised money? Yeah, I would assume that he's asked folks to contribute."
He saw no conflict between Mr. Verbanac's roles as informal advisor and development professional sometimes seeking city help.
"It's what you do in this job," he said. "You're constantly lobbied. You're constantly asked to do things. ... There's nothing improper about that. And Mr. Acklin knows that, and this is just a desperate attempt by a desperate campaign that knows that the campaign is concluding in 12 days.
"To my knowledge, [Mr. Verbanac] has not benefitted at all on any decisions that this city has made," the mayor continued. "I don't know everybody's business interests throughout the city of Pittsburgh," he added.
"I never made any decision that directly impacted Mr. Verbanac or enhanced him or enriched him in any way." In fact, he said, he continued to support the Isle of Capri's failed bid for the city's lone casino license despite Mr. Verbanac's involvement with the competing, also-failed Forest City Enterprises bid.
"Mr. Acklin has failed to connect the dots," Mr. Ravenstahl said. "He knows it."
Mr. Acklin has for a week made an issue of Mr. Verbanac's relationship as a close adviser to the mayor, and the e-mails, with dates from late 2006 through early 2008, relate to a host of issues, from the new arena and Hill District development to the reuse of the former LTV coke works site in Hazelwood.
Mr. Verbanac had interests in both developments, through a business relationship with Forest City Enterprises. Mr. Acklin confirmed today that he had no evidence that Mr. Verbanac made money from his ties to the mayor.
"We haven't uncovered evidence of dollars changing hands," said Mr. Acklin. But the "intimate role" in the administration played by Mr. Verbanac, even as he won mayoral support for projects, "doesn't smell right, guys, at the very least," Mr. Acklin said in a press conference at his South Side headquarters.
Mr. Ravenstahl's campaign said the mayor may comment later.
First Published October 22, 2009 3:34 pm
