PITTSBURGH – The city of Pittsburgh is facing a lawsuit filed by a council member running for re-election who alleges the city is illegally enforcing campaign finance regulation ordinances.
Darlene Harris filed a complaint Dec. 9 in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County against the city of Pittsburgh, Mayor William Peduto, the city of Pittsburgh Ethics Hearing Board and Leanne Davis seeking declaratory judgment.
Harris alleges she filed papers with the Allegheny County Board of Elections to run for Pittsburgh mayor in February of 2017 and in February of 2019 to run for a seat on the city of Pittsburgh Council, District 1.
The suit states in February, the Ethics Hearing Board notified the plaintiff of campaign finance requirements and she informed it and Davis "that she did not intend to file campaign finance reports" with the city and she believes the requirements conflict with state campaign finance laws and are unconstitutional. She was fined $4,150 in September.
Harris seeks for the court to find that the ordinances in question are unlawful, injunctive and all other just equitable relief. She is represented by James R. Burn Jr. of Pittsburgh.