Warrant served on Pittsburgh as DA Stephen Zappala investigates Gainey-era contracts

A warrant was served on the city of Pittsburgh by Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala on Monday.

KDKA-TV has confirmed the DA's office is probing several no-bid contracts awarded under the departed Gainey administration, something Zappala's office has been probing for more than two years.

Outside of confirming the warrant had been served, Zappala's office had no further comment.

In August 2023, Zappala filed a right-to-know request asking for documents and communications regarding a controversial police staffing study conducted by the Matrix Consultant Group. The $190,000 study raised eyebrows for concluding the police bureau was adequately staffed.

In awarding the contract, the Gainey administration filed a so-called waiver of competitive process, eliminating the requirement that it be competitively bid. At the time, Mayor Gainey and then-Deputy Mayor Jake Pawlak defended the award, accusing Zappala of playing politics.

"That contract was procured in a legal, ethical, and transparent fashion. We stand behind the process by which their services were secured and the questions now arising from that process, I believe, are frivolous and are either misguided or politically motivated," Pawlak said in 2023.

KDKA-TV reached out to both Pawlak and former Mayor Gainey on Wednesday. Both had no comment on this new warrant, but referred to these statements at the time, saying their contracting was above board and that Zappala had a political agenda. But later that year, Zappala also threatened to take Gainey to court for allowing street crime to flourish downtown, something Gainey denied.

"Violent crime is down in the city. We're doing things to make the city more welcoming. It's thriving in a way we haven't thrived," Gainey said in October 2023.

"If you're not going to enforce the law, if this continues to move the way it is, then I will sue you in federal court, and we will get an order," Zappala said at the time.

The bad blood continued into last year's mayoral election, when, at a campaign event, Gainey accused Zappala of being a racist.

"I told the DA, he's a racist. I ain't support the DA," Gainey said at the event.

It was thought that the investigation into contracts had concluded with no charges filed. But this warrant shows it continues, and both Zappala and Gainey say they'll have no further comment.