Allegheny County controller candidates quarrel 2 days before Democrats' endorsement vote

The two Democrats dueling to be Allegheny County Controller blasted away at each other's records Friday, two days before county Democratic Committee members vote to bestow the party's primary race endorsement.

County Controller Chelsa Wagner accused her opponent and former county controller Mark Patrick Flaherty of profiting from investment deals with the county and state while he held the office.

“With him trying to cast aspersions on my record as controller, I think it's important for me to show what he did,” Wagner said. “There are things that people should know.”

Flaherty's campaign called Wagner's accusations “blatantly false” and a “last-minute Hail Mary” as her campaign falls apart days before the committee vote.

County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, who is running for re-election and has clashed with fellow Democrat Wagner throughout their terms, supports Flaherty's bid for controller.

The two Democrats are seeking their party's nomination. The county's Democratic Committee will vote Sunday to determine endorsements.

Flaherty's campaign has criticized Wagner for filing campaign finance forms improperly, crossing party lines to team with Republican county Councilwoman Heather Heidelbaugh for a fundraiser, and having employees in her office sign mailers that support her campaign.

Wagner corrected her campaign finance reports, defended Heidelbaugh's reputation as an attorney and said employees signing her mailer support her but were not forced to do so.

On Friday, Wagner claimed Flaherty personally profited from nearly $850,000 in investment fees the state paid to Philadelphia firm Cameron Capital Management and the county paid to North Shore-based US Asset Management while he was county controller.

“I don't have the dollar figure,” Wagner said when asked to what extent she suspects Flaherty profited.

She said the conflicts of interest were not illegal under county or state law.

Abby Murphy, his campaign manager, said Flaherty, as a member of the county pension board, voted to fire US Asset Management in 2009. The company has not done business with Allegheny County since.

Flaherty joined US Asset when he left office, Murphy said.

Flaherty's campaign accused Wagner of “benefiting personally” from holding elected office.

“If she wants to discuss profiting off of taxpayers, Chelsa Wagner needs to explain to taxpayers why she raised her own pay by 35 percent on her first day on the job,” Murphy said.

Wagner said Flaherty pushed for those pay raises in 2011. Mike Mikus, who is working for Flaherty's campaign, said that is not true.

Wagner said Flaherty has spent the past two months campaigning through a “shadow committee,” a reference to Better Jobs, Better Future, a political action committee that Mikus chairs.

Mikus said the committee is not helping Flaherty; however, it is helping local and state candidates with small budgets by providing staff and other resources.

The committee has helped the campaigns of DeWitt Walton, who is challenging county Councilman Bill Robinson for his District 10 seat; Caroline Mitchell, who is challenging county Councilwoman Barbara Daly Danko for her District 11 seat; Dan Connolly, who is seeking the District 13 seat county Councilwoman Amanda Green-Hawkins will vacate this year; and county Councilmen John DeFazio, John Palmiere and Nick Futules, who do not have primary challengers, Mikus said.

Wagner has said Fitzgerald is using the committee to challenge his political enemies, including Danko and Robinson. Mikus, who occasionally advises Fitzgerald but is not on his campaign payroll, said Fitzgerald's contributions will make up a small percentage of the committee's fundraising, but he declined to disclose an amount.

Aaron Aupperlee is a staff writer for Trib Total Media.