Acklin outtakes

Timothy McNulty | October 28, 2009

My breaking news story on Kevin Acklin criticizing Luke Ravenstahl on jobs is here. Acklin also addressed further email dumps on John Verbanic, Ed Grattan et al -- his prepared news release said "the campaign is still vetting several leads" and if they "are confirmed as relevant and legitimate they will be provided to the press. There is no time line for this process."

Asked about that during the Q&A, Acklin said the camp has received several calls and offers of information since Wednesday's debate, but the they are still looking them over. It received no calls from representatives for Verbanac or the mayor, he said.

He also tried to tie the emails to his complaints about the city's jobless rate. From his prepared remarks:

When John Verbanac wants to take a jaunt down to Nemacolin with the Mayor, he gets it set up and on the books in one afternoon. When he wants someone hired or fired, it takes one email to the Mayor, and the change is made. If he has an opinion on an important issue before the city, he gets heard and served. But the rest of us do not.

Let me be clear. while corporate interests like John Verbanac are sitting in the Mayor's office, calling the shots and getting their way, the doors to the Mayor's office are literally being chained shut, and slammed in the faces of Pittsburghers who want to talk with the mayor about crime, about their forgotten neighborhoods, about how big corporate developments are hurting our city.