Judge upholds fine against Darlene Harris for failing to file campaign reports

A former Pittsburgh councilwoman’s fine for refusing to file financial disclosure reports in 2019 and the law requiring those reports was upheld Tuesday by an Allegheny County judge who concluded the city is within its powers to require them.

“We’re looking at appeal options,” said Jim Burn, the attorney for former Councilwoman Darlene Harris, on Wednesday. “We respect the judge’s opinion, but we respectfully disagree.”

Harris was fined $4,150 for not filing reports with the city’s Ethics Hearing Board by the first business day in each of the three months prior to the election in 2019. The law requiring those reports was spearheaded in 2010 by then-councilman Bill Peduto, who now is the city’s mayor.

Harris subsequently sued the city, Peduto and the Ethics Hearing Board, alleging the local law was unconstitutional and pre-empted by state law.

Allegheny County Common Pleas Court Judge Joseph James found the Ethics Board’s requirements for campaign finance reports is allowed by law.

“The City of Pittsburgh has broad power to regulate campaign finances,” the judge wrote in a five-page opinion that accompanied an order that Harris pay the fine.

“In a time when campaign finance rules and our ability to track political influence on elected officials are being gutted through decisions like Citizens United, this is a major victory,” Peduto said in a statement.

Citizens United is the 2010 Supreme Court decision that allows corporations and special interest groups to spend what they want on elections.

“It’s a win for transparency, for common-sense oversight of campaign spending, and most importantly for City of Pittsburgh voters,” Peduto said. “We are pleased with the court for holding candidates accountable for their contributions and spending.”

Harris represented the North Side’s District 1 since 2006. She lost her seat to Bobby Wilson in the 2019 primary. She could not imm ediately be reached for comment.

Burn, a former Allegheny County Councilman and state Democratic Party Chairman, contends the city law is unconstitutional. Harris has maintained she followed state laws and filed campaign finance reports with Allegheny County.

She also ran afoul of the ordinance in 2017 during a mayoral challenge to Peduto.