{"id":45820,"date":"2025-11-27T01:28:06","date_gmt":"2025-11-27T01:28:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/45820\/"},"modified":"2025-11-27T01:28:06","modified_gmt":"2025-11-27T01:28:06","slug":"11-investigates-p-card-report-draws-pittsburgh-city-councils-attention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/45820\/","title":{"rendered":"11 Investigates: P-card report draws Pittsburgh City Council\u2019s attention"},"content":{"rendered":"

PITTSBURGH \u2014 11 Investigates\u2019 exclusive report on a new purchase card,<\/a> or P-Card, controversy at Pittsburgh City Hall last week has attracted the attention of the Pittsburgh City Council. <\/p>\n

P-cards function similarly to credit cards and allow city employees to make smaller, last-minute purchases, such as meals for events or meetings. <\/p>\n

Council member Theresa Kail-Smith referenced the 11 Investigates report before approving a new city P-Card purchase during the council meeting this week. <\/p>\n

Kail-Smith didn\u2019t mince words. <\/p>\n

She said she didn\u2019t want to be caught off guard again. <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want Council to be in the situation again where we are on the news, hearing about something we know nothing about. I don\u2019t think it\u2019s fair to us and I don\u2019t think it\u2019s fair to the public,\u201d said Council Member Kail-Smith. <\/p>\n

Kail-Smith was referring to an 11 Investigates report last week that revealed that the Mayor\u2019s Budget Office had made two payments of $3,500 each to 412 Justice for research, engagement and consultation, using a city P-card.<\/p>\n

The organization is run by Angel Gober, who led Mayor Ed Gainey\u2019s transition team when he took office four years ago. <\/p>\n

But City Controller Rachael Heisler said that work appears to be a professional service and should be paid for through a contract with her office, not P-Card.<\/p>\n

Heisler said it\u2019s also a recurring payment that should be handled through a contract. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re the check and balance on the rest of city government and when that payment doesn\u2019t route through our office in the way that it should, it\u2019s unfair to taxpayers to hide that information,\u201d said Heisler. <\/p>\n

A P-Card controversy last year involving the Department of Parks and Recreation highlighted similar problems.<\/p>\n

PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Search warrant served in City of Pittsburgh P-card investigation <\/a><\/p>\n

After issues last year, the city implemented new guidelines to monitor and track the use of P-Cards. <\/p>\n

The Mayor\u2019s office has so far released very few details about the recent transactions.<\/p>\n

Reached last week, the mayor\u2019s office said they were reviewing it. <\/p>\n

This week, the mayor\u2019s press secretary released an updated statement to 11 Investigates, but it didn\u2019t offer many details. <\/p>\n

\u201cPer my previous email, the Administration is reviewing questions and concerns about this matter with City Council members and the City Controller\u2019s office. We will continue to address further questions and concerns through the appropriate channels and expect Council to take action in the near future,\u201d said the Mayor\u2019s Press Secretary, Olga George. <\/p>\n

While admitting it did raise questions initially, City Council\u2019s Budget Director, Peter McDevitt, offered a possible explanation after looking into the transactions. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a service, but it wasn\u2019t a professional service. It didn\u2019t rise to the level of needing a license or certification for someone to do that work, so it doesn\u2019t rise to the level of a professional service,\u201d said McDevitt. <\/p>\n

Whatever the case may be with the recent P-Card transactions, Council Member Kail-Smith is demanding changes moving forward. <\/p>\n

\u201cGoing forward, I want to make sure we have someone looking at these so Council is not voting on things that are illegal, so we are protected, they\u2019re protected, and you\u2019re protected and most importantly, the public dollars are protected,\u201d said Kail-Smith. <\/p>\n

Kail-Smith said she wants to make sure the City Law Department is reviewing all of the P-Card purchases before they get to City Council to make sure they are approved and authorized transactions. <\/p>\n

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