Treasurer Of PAC Tied To Gainey Didn't Report Donations: Police

PITTSBURGH, PA — The treasurer of a political action committee with ties to Democratic Pittsburgh mayoral nominee Ed Gainey faces a criminal charge for failing to report contributions.

African Americans for Good Government treasurer Leeretta Payne faces a misdemeanor charge of violating the state election code, according to Allegheny County police. They began investigating the political action committee in May after the county Elections Division requested a probe.

"The election code requires a political committee files reports for any amount received or expended that exceeds $250. Investigators determined that contributions that met the threshold were received by the PAC but were never reported," a county police release stated.

The release did not indicate how much money the committee received but never reported. WTAE-TV reported in April that the amount totaled more than $100,000 over four years. The station also reported the committee had nearly $70,000 in undocumented expenses.

The committee received more than $16,000 from Gainey's committee over a five-year period, according to WTAE. The station also reported that African Americans for Good Government had paid thousands to Moses Nelson, a Gainey political adviser who is now his campaign manager.

Gainey, a state representative from the city's Lincoln-Lemington neighborhood, faces Republican Tony Moreno, a retired city police officer, in the November mayoral election.

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