Latest news with #P.G
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Republicans and Democrats both didn't want to talk about Sittenfeld's political future
President Donald Trump's pardon of former Cincinnati Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld means he could run again for office now that his rights have been restored after his felony bribery conviction. If he wanted to, of course. Sittenfeld didn't say anything publicly on Thursday about his future plans now that his federal corruption case is behind him. Those close to him also weren't talking. Does the man who people once saw as the frontrunner for Cincinnati mayor and one of the region's rising Democratic stars now have a political future again? Republicans and Democrats in Cincinnati seemed united in not wanting to say much about Sittenfeld or his political future, if there is any. The pardon by a Republican president of a Democratic politician has put both parties in an awkward position. As for Sittenfeld himself, he did not respond to messages from The Enquirer seeking comment. In a letter he wrote to the judge in 2023 before he was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison, Sittenfeld said his focus was no longer on his personal ambition but "now about my family life, my faith and about helping others who are enduring life's crucibles.' He still had $850,493 in his campaign committee's coffers as of his last filing in January 2025, according to records with the Hamilton County Board of Elections. His past conviction and Trump endorsement doesn't disqualify him from a future run a public office, even in a city where Trump lost by a three-to-one margin, said David Niven, the University of Cincinnati political professor. But Niven doesn't think you'll see Sittenfeld campaign signs anytime soon based on his past statements and the fact that his previous political life almost cost him everything. "I think he could if he wanted it," Niven said. "People love a redemption story. He obviously demonstrated a capacity to connect with people. But I don't see him on the comeback trail." Cincinnati Vice Mayor Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney, who served with Sittenfeld on city council for less than a year in 2020 before Sittenfeld was suspended from council, had more to say than most. In a texted statement to The Enquirer, she saw some future for Sittenfeld in the city but didn't specify what. "There is more work to do, and with his legal matters behind him, P.G is now able to get back to work in some way for the people of Cincinnati," Kearney said. She praised Sittenfeld's past contributions including to the "underserved communities" and pushing for affordable housing. She said Sittenfeld was working to establish a civil rights commission when he resigned from city council. Many people who knew Sittenfeld and worked alongside him didn't publicly celebrate or condemn the pardon. Democratic Rep. Greg Landsman, who served on Cincinnati City Council with Sittenfeld, released a statement saying he didn't know much about the pardon. "I know what you all know, which is what I'm reading," Landsman said. "I'll wait to learn more, and may have more to say then. In the meantime, I don't know much, other than what I'm reading in the news." One of the region's more prominent Democratic funders and Sittenfeld supporter, philanthropist Richard Rosenthal, told The Enquirer it was better not to say anything. "There's stuff that I'm thinking about, but I don't think that it would be helpful to your readers, or to P.G. or to my family for me to comment on the pardon," Rosenthal said. Republicans who were not sympathetic to Sittenfeld during his political career were reticent to say much about Trump's decision to pardon Sittenfeld. Hamilton County GOP Chairman Russ Mock sent a statement to The Enquirer that gave Trump credit but also expressed concerns about the pardon. "President Trump certainly knows about how federal and state corruption prosecutions can be wielded as political weapons, but it could undermine anti-corruption efforts locally, especially as the original conviction was based on a jury trial with substantial evidence," Mock said. When asked for an interview to elaborate, Mock said he didn't have time. Ohio Republican Party Chairman Alex Triantafilou, who was the Hamilton County chair when Sittenfeld was on city council, did not respond to a message seeking comment. Few of the all-Democratic, nine-member Cincinnati City Council had much to say. The nine members were elected with the pledge of rebuilding public trust in the wake of the corruption scandals that led to the arrest of Sittenfeld and two others Democratic members, Jeff Pastor and Tamaya Dennard. "There's no upside to commenting on that thing," said Cincinnati Councilman Mark Jeffreys, one of nine Democratic city council members. City council members Scotty Johnson, Anna Albi, Meeka Owens and Cincinnati's Democratic Mayor Aftab Pureval declined to comment when asked by The Enquirer on Thursday about Sittenfeld. Councilman Seth Walsh wouldn't speculate on Sittenfeld's future. "The corruption scandal that happened is an incredible black mark that happened on Cincinnati, period," Walsh said. "Whether he has a political future, whether any of the individuals that are involved in it have any future with Cincinnati, is less relevant to me than the work that needs to happen to rebuild the public trust." This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: PG Sittenfeld's political future uncertain with Trump's pardon
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Trump pardons PG Sittenfeld, ex-Cincinnati councilman convicted of bribery, per report
This developing story will be updated Former Cincinnati City Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld, who was convicted on federal bribery and extortion charges, has been pardoned by President Donald Trump, according to a CNN report. The case against Sittenfeld centered on donations to his political action committee, which prosecutors said he solicited from an informant for the FBI and FBI agents posing as developers of a downtown Cincinnati project. Prosecutors said Sittenfeld's actions went beyond campaign fundraising and crossed the line into bribery. A jury found him guilty in 2022. He was sentenced to 16 months in prison. Campaign contributions are typically protected by the First Amendment, but the question is when that crosses a line and becomes bribery. Sittenfeld has always said that what he did was ordinary politics. Sittenfeld has taken his case to the U.S. Supreme Court in an effort to overturn his conviction. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: PG Sittenfeld: President Trump pardons former Cincinnati councilman
The Hindu
06-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
The secret to success is patience, perseverance and confidence, students told
VIJAYAPURA 'All it takes to succeed is patience, perseverance, focused approach and the confidence that I can do it,' Vijayapura Superintendent of Police Laxman Nimbargi has said. He was addressing a large gathering of students and parents after inaugurating The Hindu EducationPlus Career Counselling 2025 at BLDEA's V.P. Dr. P.G. Halakatti College of Engineering and Technology in Vijayapura on Tuesday. Narrating his own experience of cracking the Civil Services examination in the fourth attempt, Mr. Nimbargi called upon students not to feel inferior for having studied in Kannada medium. 'You all have the ability and the only thing that stops you from achieving something is the lack of confidence. So, be confident, update your skills and have the fighting spirit, it will automatically help you succeed in life,' he said. Narrating his own journey of a village boy to a college topper and to being an IPS officer, Mr. Nimbargi spoke about the pattern of the Civil Services. Mr. Nimbargi termed the preparation for civil services examination a beautiful journey that will teach one so many things. He said that at the same time it enables one to face any challenge in life. He told students to remember that competitive examinations work on the principle of rejection and elimination to choose the best of the lot. He told them not to get disheartened by failures or rejection. Instead, develop the ability to face rejection or failure as it will help one in facing any kind of challenge, he said. He thanked The Hindu Group of Publication for organising the event in Vijayapura to guide students. He also answered queries from parents and students on facing competitive examinations. Founder and CEO of CIGMA India and member of Karnataka Higher Education Council Ameen-e-Mudassar made a presentation on a wide range of career options available to students. He told students to remember that career is not a course. Emphasising the need for developing multiple skills, he asked them to keep themselves abreast of the technological developments as new career options are emerging day by day. Paediatrician Shruti Sajjan from BLDE (Deemed To Be University) spoke about career options in medical sciences, including the allied fields, and the prerequisites for choosing the profession, which requires a lot of patience. Radiologist Gurubasava Sajjan from BLDE (Deemed To Be University) spoke on the qualities of a good doctor and what to keep in mind while opting for various medical colleges. Lecturer in Computer Science and Engineering and KEA representative Rajesh Hongal told students about the online counselling process and what students and parents should keep in mind while attending counselling. Anil Kannur from the Department of Computer Science, BLDEA's V.P. Dr. P.G. Halakatti College of Engineering and Technology in Vijayapura, told students about the scope for various engineering courses and what a student should keep in mind while choosing engineering. Chartered Accountant Chinmay R. Janadri spoke on career options in chartered accountancy and the scope for it. Several students and their parents raised questions pertaining to courses and counselling. They returned home after getting several of their doubts cleared during the interactive session. Platinum sponsor: The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, Presidency University and Reva University. Gold sponsors: RV University, Bengaluru, Chanakya University, Bengaluru, East Point Group of Institutions, Cambridge Group of Institutions and Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences. Silver sponsors: GSSS School of Architecture for Women, Mysuru, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, JSS Science & Technology University, Mysuru, Karnataka State Open University, Mysuru, Malnad College of Engineering, Hassan, Vidyavardhaka College of Engineering, Mysuru, Sir M. Visvesvaraya Institute of Technology, Bengaluru, Soundarya Group of Institutions, Bengaluru, Adichunchanagiri University, The Christ (Deemed to be University), CMR University, Indian Institute of Fashion Technology, Karnataka Milk Federation and MSIL. Associate sponsors: Khaja Bandanawaz University, Kalaburagi, SDM Educational Society (R), Ujire, The Institute of Cost Accountants of India, Karnataka Bank, Shaheen Group of Institutions, Bidar, Bapuji Educational Association (Regd.), Davangere, Hyderabad Karnataka Education Society, Kalaburagi, VTU, Navkis Engineering College, IDBI Bank and Rai Technology University, Bengaluru. The event was organised in collaboration with Bengaluru City University. The regional sponsor was MVJ College of Engineering, Bengaluru, and the snack partner Naturo.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Documents: PG Sittenfeld to ask U.S. Supreme Court to review his convictions
Attorneys for former Cincinnati City Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld intend to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review his convictions on public corruption charges, saying the case presents legal questions that already divided a lower court "and implicates political conduct that occurs every day in this country." A divided 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Feb. 11 upheld Sittenfeld's bribery and attempted extortion convictions at the same time as it seemingly paved the way for the Supreme Court to review it. In the 2-1 decision, all three judges raised doubts about the convictions, with the majority opinion saying previous Supreme Court decisions had made the line between legitimate campaign contributions and illegal bribes "blurrier." Sittenfeld's attorneys say in a recently filed motion that all three appeals court judges − in separate majority, concurring and dissenting opinions − were "expressly teeing up questions for Supreme Court review." The existing Supreme Court precedents, according to his attorneys, "makes it difficult to distinguish the facts of this case from scenarios that could not possibly involve criminal activity." His attorneys have 90 days from Feb. 11 to formally ask the Supreme Court to take the case, according to Northern Kentucky University Chase College of Law professor Ken Katkin, who has followed the case closely. Judge Eric Murphy, in his concurring opinion, said treating campaign contributions as bribes "raise(s) serious concerns under the First Amendment." The case against Sittenfeld surrounded donations to his political action committee, which he solicited from an informant for the FBI and FBI agents posing as developers. Prosecutors said Sittenfeld's actions went beyond campaign fundraising and crossed the line into bribery. A jury found him guilty in 2022. Sittenfeld's attorneys said there are doubts about whether "courts should be sending people to prison based on such a tenuous, illusory line." "Sittenfeld's prosecution provides a template for how an ambitious prosecutor might target a disfavored politician," his attorney's said. "The Supreme Court is likely to be concerned about that potential weaponization of prosecutorial power." Sittenfeld served about four and a half months of a 16-month sentence before the 6th Circuit released him in May 2024. The court said Wednesday, records show, that he can continue to remain out of prison while his appeal continues. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: PG Sittenfeld to take his case to U.S. Supreme Court
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former Cincinnati City Councilman PG Sittenfeld loses appeal in bribery case
A federal appeals court has upheld former Cincinnati City Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld's convictions on federal charges of bribery and attempted extortion. The decision, released Tuesday morning, was split, 2-1. The court wrote: "Every day in this country, politicians solicit donations to finance their campaigns. And every day, those same politicians make statements about what they believe in, what they've done, and what they promise to do once elected. Sometimes, even often, these solicitations and promises occur in the same place, at the same time. But though this speech and conduct are generally protected by the First Amendment, bribery remains illegal. When the bribery involves money flowing to a politician for his personal use, the crime is straightforward. But when a politician is accused of accepting campaign funds in exchange for the promise of official action, the line becomes blurrier. Still, the Supreme Court tells us there is a line. And Congress and the Court have entrusted juries with discerning between legitimate campaign donations and illegitimate bribes. We must respect that line even in hard cases. This is one such case." The one-time political star who aspired to be mayor was accused of trading favorable votes for campaign contributions. Sittenfeld, 39, was convicted in July 2022 after an investigation that dated back to 2018. He was sentenced to 16-months in prison and immediately appealed. His sentence was delayed while his attorneys pursued legal issues, and Sittenfeld ultimately reported to prison on Jan. 2., 2024. He served about four and half months before the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals released him pending its decision on the appeal. At the time, the panel said that federal law allows release pending appeal when a defendant is not a flight risk, does not pose a danger to the safety of others − and it is "likely that success on appeal, on the substantial question that the defendant raises, would result in reversal or a new trial." In June, Princeton Alumni Weekly, the alumni magazine of the college Sittenfeld attended, published a story about Sittenfeld that included an interview with him. In it, Sittenfeld talked about finding God, not seeking elected office again and instead shifting his career goal to becoming a writer. This story will be updated. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: PG Sittenfeld's appeal in bribery case denied in federal court
