A6 SATURDAY, APRIL 16, 2016
Lawmaker who would dismantle ICA says time isnt right
ICA FROM A1
The newly configured ICA
board is looking forward to
being responsive to efforts and
requests from various agen-
cies and offices to work with
us to understand the ICAs
past. We will work with the
Legislature, the Governors
Office and the Mayors Of-
fice to strengthen the citys
finances. I pledge that from
here on out, the ICA will be a
transparent operation and all
decisions and procedures will
be based on good government
principles.
On March 28, a slate
of three new Democratic
appointees to the five-member
voting panel reconfigured the
board, electing one of their
own, Leber, the chairwoman.
A Trib investigative series
in late March revealed Scior-
tinos ICA could not produce
92 percent of invoices tied to
agency spending between 2010
and early 2016, with much of
the spent funds linked to no-
bid contracts.
Admiral
reports
cordial
relations
CARTER FROM A1
a question of Chinese behav-
ior.
Whats new is not an Amer-
ican carrier in this region.
Whats new is the context of
tension which exists, which
we want to reduce, he said.
Rear Adm. Ronald Boxall,
the commander of Carrier
Strike Group 3, told reporters
that the Stennis and the ships
in the carriers strike group
regularly have a (Chinese)
ship or two operating with us
or near us.
So far, he said, Chinese ves-
sels have been operating pro-
fessionally.
Weve been very pleased
with the interactions weve
had, he said. They are oper-
ating where they think they
should, were operating where
we think we should. They gen-
erally have professional dis-
cussions over the bridge about
where we are.
Under a blazing sun, Carter
landed on the Stennis in a
Marine V-22 Osprey helicop-
ter. He spent about two hours
on the ship,
watching
a nu m b e r
of fighters
shoot into the
sky off the
flight deck,
do circles
around the
Carter said the
Stennis and
United States
will continue then land
to stand up for again, roar-
our safety and ing to a stop
freedoms. as their tail-
hook caught
the arresting wire.
He later spoke to several hun-
dred sailors in the hangar bay,
including one who asked why
the United States allows China
to participate in the large an-
nual military exercise in the
Asia Pacific. Carter said the
U.S. wants to work with China.
The U.S. insists that the in-
creasing American presence
in the South China Sea and the
broader Asia Pacific is meant
to show support for allies and
is not aimed at any one nation.
But the U.S. military pres-
ence reinforces Carters asser-
tion that America will contin-
ue to fly and sail throughout
the region, despite Chinas
claims of sovereignty over the
vast South China Sea.
Chinas foreign ministry
issued a statement criticiz-
ing increased U.S. military
support for the Philippines,
saying Thursday that mili-
tary exchanges by relevant
countries should not target
third parties, much less sup-
port a few countries in chal-
lenging Chinas sovereignty
and security, inciting regional
contradictions and sabotaging
regional peace and stability.
On Friday, foreign ministry
spokesman Lu Kang said, Be-
fore the U.S. returned to the
Asia Pacific region, relevant
countries had sought to con-
trol the disputes and handle
the conflicts through friendly
negotiations, despite the dis-
putes having existed for over
four decades.
The Trib reported that Sci-
ortino sought personal federal
bankruptcy protection between
2010 and 2011 after being ac-
cused in Philadelphia Common
Pleas court filings of trying to
hide hundreds of thousands
of dollars from creditors in a
string of sham companies run
out of his home.
The bulk of the ICAs board
members since 2010 told the
Trib that they were not in-
formed about Sciortinos
bankruptcy or the allegations
about his companies. The
newspapers stories triggered
ongoing probes by the state
Auditor General, State Ethics
Commission, the Allegheny It is unfortunate, but necessary, that all of us are spending
County District Attorneys of- so much time and energy on the past. It is, however, a new
fice, FBI and the U.S. Attorney day, board Chairwoman BJ Leber said Friday during the ICA
for Western Pennsylvania. meeting in the City-County Building.
State Sen. Wayne Fontana,
D-Brookline, and Sen. Jay Cos- state Rep. Mike Turzai,
ta Jr, D-Forest Hills, led a ris- R-Marshall, that created the
ing chorus of calls in Harris- ICA, adding what they believe
burg for Sciortinos removal. are fixes that will shore up
Both lawmakers have questionable record keeping
drafted changes to the 2004 at the agency and make it
legislation sponsored by more accountable to the tax-
Thousands take part in an anti-government protest in front of the journalist
syndicate. Egyptians are angry about the government handing over two Red Sea
islands to Saudia Arabia.
Rare public protest
draws thousands
EGYPT FROM A1
in the 1980s based on a U.S.-
brokered treaty.
Sisis cabinet announced
the transfer last week dur-
ing a five-day visit by Saudi
Arabias King Salman.
On Friday, protesters re-
sponded with signs declar-
ing Egypt is not for sale
or chanted The people
want the downfall of the
regime and Leave! sig-
nature cries from the upris-
ings that ousted presidents
Hosni Mubarak in 2011 and
Mohamed Morsy in 2013.
Security forces broke up
some protests in the capi-
tal but allowed one group
to gather at a journalists
trade association building
that is a rally point for dem-
onstrations. Police in black
riot gear blocked all but one
entrance to that area, en-
abling the crowd to grow.
Its definitely dangerous
here, said protester Gihad
Younes, 30, a mechanical en-
gineer, but we still believe
in this issue, in this country.
We took down two presi-
dents, we can get a third.
Ahmed Awaad, 40, a pro-
fessor of Islamic archaeol-
ogy, wondered why Sisi was
selling the land by your-
self, without talking to the
people?
Awaad wearing a jer-
sey of former Pittsburgh
Steelers star Troy Polamalu
said he joined in the Jan-
uary 2011 revolution and
was unafraid of security
forces.
Many in the crowd mar-
veled that the protest was
allowed to continue until
nightfall.
Since 2013, protests with-
PHILIP G. PAVELY | TRIBUNE-REVIEW
payers who fund its annual ap-
propriation of about $230,000.
It was the right decision,
said Costa of the decision to
end Sciortinos contract.
Although Costa, the Senate
minority leader, told the Trib
PHOTOS: BETSY HIEL | TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Rania Rifaat, 28, who is a lawyer, holds a sign that
says al-Sisi sold his land, leave. She was part of the
protest against handing over Sanifir and Tiran islands
to Saudi Arabia. We paid for this land in blood, she
said.
out permits have been il- Arab worlds most populous
legal and permits are nation and Americas
rarely issued. strongest Arab ally has
Maybe the regime feels grown over issues ranging
that public anger is so big, from a battered economy
they might be a bit cautious and political repression to
today, said a popular po- increasing terrorist attacks.
litical blogger known as Big Lawyer Rifaat vowed to
Pharaoh. The public anger stay until the end or they at-
is huge, and it goes beyond tack us, pointing to a black-
the anti-Sisi crowd. masked policeman holding
He said he had seen docu- a tear-gas launcher atop a
ments supporting official police truck. Others said
contentions that the islands they will protest on April 25,
belong to Saudi Arabia, but marking the end of Israels
the timing and the manner Sinai occupation in 1982.
in which the deal was ex- Police eventually fired
ecuted was disastrous. tear gas to break up the pro-
Sisi, Egypts former army test and reportedly arrested
chief, was elected president up to 40 people.
in 2014 on a wave of popu-
larity, following the upris- Betsy Hiel is the Tribune-Reviews
ings against Mubarak and foreign correspondent. Email her at
Morsy. But unrest in the bhiel@tribweb.com.
he favors ending the ICA, he
said now is not the time to
do it: The last thing that we
want is to be seen as trying
to sweep all of this under the
carpet, which is how people
would interpret it if we elimi-
nated the ICA now. Were com-
mitted to transparency here,
which means that this must
be done in the open for all Pittsburghs annual budgets.
citizens to see.
More than 80 percent of the
agencys annual spending has hold Rivers Casino gambling
gone to pay Sciortinos salary
and benefits. According to the
work agreement ICA and Sci-
ortino inked in 2014, he is paid
$12,000 per month in wages.
The contract does not
spell out his benefits, and
audited figures for his
entire compensation package
have not been updated since
mid-2014.
His peak year for compensa-
tion likely was in 2012, when erance package and the legal
he received $305,401, making
him one of the states highest
paid employees.
ICA board members say
Bishop says church,
family, then game
STEELERS FROM A1
usually always come home
for Christmas. And its in
the afternoon, so you are
able to go to church, have
your Christmas dinner
early afternoon and then
enjoy the game.
Thats the order recom-
mended by Bishop David
Zubik of the Roman Catho-
lic Diocese of Pittsburgh.
Put God and your fam-
ily first, and then root for
the Steelers, Zubik said.
Greensburg Roman
Catholic Bishop Edward
Malesic could not be
reached for comment, said
Jerry Zufelt, spokesman
for the diocese.
Team President Art
Rooney II admitted that
filling the stadium on
Christmas could be diffi-
cult.
Its a little bit of a chal-
lenge. Well have to work
on that, Rooney told the
teams website. Its ob-
viously something that
doesnt happen very of-
ten, and so in that regard
its a bit of a challenge
that well have to prepare
for. But games against the
Ravens always seem to be
big games for us, and so
Im sure our fans will be
interested in helping us
beat the Ravens that day.
Rooney was unavailable
for comment on Friday.
Philadelphia-based Ara-
mark, which provides food
services at Heinz Field, is
not concerned about staff-
ing shortages for holiday
games, spokesman David
Freireich said.
Any given year, our
clients across the country
often host sporting events
over the holidays. Given
the nature of the work
and the variable game
schedules, our associates
understand they may be
asked to work on holidays,
weekends, etc., Freireich
said in an email. For
all games and events, we
work closely with our part-
ners to plan in advance
to ensure we are properly
staffed in order to deliver
the best service possible
to fans.
Teamsters Local 250 rep-
resents stadium workers
at Heinz Field, but union
brass declined to com-
ment. A woman who an-
swered the phone at the
unions Arlington Heights
office said she had heard
no complaints.
Merrill Stabile, presi-
dent of Alco Parking, pre-
dicted it would be difficult
to get employees to work
on Christmas but said
New Years shouldnt be
a problem. Alco owns lots
around the stadium, and
Stabile said he is worried
about hiring city police
for patrolling the lots. The
company hires off-duty of-
ficers on game days.
It might be a little hard-
er to get people, but well
be paying them overtime,
he said. Its at least time
and half and maybe double
time and a half.
Stabile said the company
is trying to determine the
impact of holiday games.
New Years Day will
probably be no different
than any other December
part of that steep figure was
because of an agency policy
that allowed Sciortino to sell
back his annual vacation days,
a practice the board has dis-
continued at the one-employee
agency.
ICA works alongside a simi-
lar state body organized under
Act 47 authority to scrutinize
Unlike the Act 47 overseers,
ICAs board is able to with-
revenue earmarked for Pitts-
burghs coffers.
The city filed a lawsuit in
July seeking release of what
soon will rise to $20 million
in gambling funds, litigation
that helped to drain ICAs
bank account. With Sciortino
gone, the ICA board might
have to dip into the gambling
revenues owed to Pittsburgh
to pay their ex-directors sev-
costs spent on his dismissal.
Carl Prine is a reporter with the
Tribune-Review investigations team.
Christmas Day
There have been 15
regular-season games
on Christmas Day:
1989
Bengals at Vikings
1993
Oilers at 49ers
1994
Lions at Dolphins
1995
Cowboys at Cardinals
1999
Broncos at Lions
2000
Cowboys at Titans
2004
Raiders at Chiefs
2004
Broncos at Titans
2005
Bears at Packers
2005
Vikings at Ravens
2006
Eagles at Cowboys
2006
Jets at Dolphins
2009
Chargers at Titans
2010
Cowboys at Cardinals
2011
Bears at Packers
game crowd, but I think
Christmas Day will be very
lightly attended, he said.
The last time the Steel-
ers played at home on a
holiday was Jan. 1, 2006,
against the Detroit Lions.
There were 656 no-shows
in the 65,500-seat stadium,
according to team records.
The NBA has sched-
uled games on Christmas
since 1947, but the NFL
has scheduled games spar-
ingly on the holiday. The
NFL first played two play-
off games on Christmas in
1971. They resumed play-
ing games on Christmas
in 1989.
The league hasnt played
a game on Christmas since
2011, when the Green Bay
Packers and Chicago
Bears played. The Packers
also played on Thanksgiv-
ing and New Years that
season, winning all three
games en route to a 15-1
season.
North said the NFL is
sensitive to scheduling
games on Christmas and
contacted all 32 teams to
gauge whether they would
be willing to host a game.
Road teams dont have a
say, he said.
With conversations
with Rooney, the Steelers
said they will be willing,
North said. They didnt
demand it, require it or
request it, but said they
would be willing. They
did say that if they were
picked to host a game that
they would prefer it be the
afternoon window as op-
posed to the night window.
The Denver Broncos will
play at the Kansas City
Chiefs on Christmas night.
The Steelers were not
the only option, North
said. There were other
possible Christmas Day
games, but our computers
just happened to kick out
this one as the best.
Staff writers Chris Adamski,
Bob Bauder, Chris Fleisher
and Joe Napsha contributed.