Ethics Panel Clears Former Mayor Street On PHA Contract Vote
By Tony Romeo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A divided State Ethics Commission has decided that former Mayor John Street did not violate the state Ethics Act in the matter of a contract awarded by the Philadelphia Housing Authority.
Saying they "do not condone" his actions, a majority of the state Ethics Commission concludes that former Mayor Street did not violate the state Ethics Act when, as Philadelphia Housing Authority Chairman, he participated in the PHA board's action to award a contract to a law firm that employed his son.
The majority says Street is clear because the action also included contracts awarded to other law firms. But two members of the Ethics Commission dissented from the ruling, saying that "the ban on use of public office for a private, pecuniary gain for the public official himself or immediate family is at the heart of the Ethics Act."
The commission did determine that Street failed, as required, to file statements of financial interests for the years of 2006 and 2010 and ordered him to do so promptly.
Street did not respond to a request for comment from KYW Newsradio on the ruling.
