RANKIN, Pa. — Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala brought a mobile medical clinic to a housing complex in West Mifflin that has been the subject of legal action by Zappala’s office for allegations of poor conditions.
For the first time, Zappala also addressed comments made recently by Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey while on the campaign trail today.
In a video clip, the mayor is heard calling the district attorney racist.
“I told the DA he’s a racist. I ain’t support the DA,” said Gainey during a recent campaign stop.
Earle asked the DA for a response.
The DA brushed it off as politics.
“I’m in politics. This is politics. I’m a public figure so you can lie about me. I mean I get it. I get it. It’s tougher on my wife,” said Zappala, who added that Gainey is in a heated race with Democratic challenger and Allegheny County Controller Corey O’Connor.
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Zappala, speaking at the Mon Vue Heights housing complex in West Mifflin this morning, also said he never had a conversation with the Mayor.
Gainey’s campaign released a statement defending the Mayor’s comment.
“It’s no secret the mayor and many, many Western Pa. Democrats have long disapproved of the Republican DA’s actions — and campaigned for Democratic nominee Matt Dugan over him. At a time where Trump is rolling back civil rights protections cheered on by white supremacists, Democrats can’t be afraid to call a spade a spade and stand up for the constitutional rights of our constituents.”
Zappala, who won reelection as a Republican after losing the Democratic primary, and Gainey have clashed before over downtown public safety and the declining number of police.
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And last year, Zappala subpoenaed documents related to questionable P-card payments after he said the administration refused to turn them over.
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Last September, Zappala told 11 Investigates he had launched an investigation into city finances including the use of p-cards, trust funds and no-bid contracts. Zappala specifically referenced a $180,000 police staffing study that suggested the city had enough officers.
The DA was highly critical of the report and said it lacked substance.
Today, the DA said he had referred the P-card investigation to the City Controller who also today released an audit on the P-cards.
In that audit, Controller Rachael Heisler called for tighter controls and guidelines but did not find any widespread fraud.
Zappala, meanwhile, said his investigation into no-bid contracts isn’t over yet.
“I’m not done with the no-bid contracts. I just have, this is much more important than that. Anything that’s a financial issue, there’s always a paper trail. You know, it’s not, it’s there,” said Zappala.
Earle questioned Zappala about the focus of his investigation again.
Earle: So you are still looking into this?
Zappala: Absolutely.
Earle: The no-bid contracts?
Zappala: Yes, absolutely.
Earle: In the city of Pittsburgh?
Zappala: In the city of Pittsburgh. Yes.
The Mayor’s office released a statement on the DA’s claims about an ongoing investigation.
“The District Attorney has been referencing ‘an ongoing investigation into no-bid contracts’ in relation to the police staffing study, which was procured through a waiver in 2022. To our knowledge, no warrants have been issued or interviews conducted.”
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