Clark and Gilman Both Officially Running for Peduto's City Council Seat (District 8) - UPDATED

While Pittsburgh City Councilman Bill Peduto may not have formally announced that he's running for Mayor, he's definitely not running for Council again:

Residents of City Council Dist 8, thank you for opportunity to represent you these past 11 years.I will not be running for Council again.
— bill peduto (@billpeduto) November 27, 2012

On Sunday, activist, feminist and PennFuture Director of Communications Jeanne Clark announced on the Run, Jeanne. Run Facebook page that she was, indeed, running. And, this morning, Dan Gilman, chief-of-staff to Councilman Peduto, announced that he was running (via press release).

So how do they stack up?

Jeanne Clark has appeared on the pages of this blog many times -- much of them in connection with her criticism of Lil Mayor Luke for promoting police officers who had been accused of domestic violence. Here's what the City Paper has to say about her:

Clark, of Shadyside, has been an activist on behalf of feminist and LGBT causes for more than three decades; she currently works as director of communications for environmental group Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future (better known as PennFuture).

[snip]

District 8 includes some of the city's most prosperous East End neighborhoods. But Clark says she "also wants to see what I can do about the wide disparity between rich and poor, and the disparity in the services they get." And as befits someone whose current day job is with an environmental group, Clark says she'll be particularly focused on environmental issues like the overhaul of the city's stormwater system. Like many green-minded observers, Clark argues, "We need to be sure there's a green-infrastructure component" to preventing sewage overflow from contaminating local waterways.

Although this would be Clark's first time holding public office, she doesn't lack for political bona fides. She's the chair of the city Democrats' Seventh Ward committee, and a close ally of county executive Rich Fitzgerald. And through her work with groups like the National Organization for Women, she can boast "of a national reputation, and a national network" that can help support her campaign financially.

She also may pick up some tailwinds from a national climate that has become increasingly favorable to female candidates. There are three women currently on council, two of whom -- Natalia Rudiak and Theresa Kail Smith -- are up for re-election this year. (The third female councilor, of course, is President Darlene Harris.) If Rudiak and Smith win their races, and Clark is elected, four of council's nine members would be women. That would be, I believe, the highest percentage of women on council in Pittsburgh history.

So, what's not to like?

Dan Gilman is Chief-of-Staff in Peduto's office for Council District 8. He's worked there for the past eight years. Peduto served in that same position to former City Councilman Dan Cohen. It's a great way to learn a district -- its needs, its problems and its people. From the Post-Gazette:

"For the past eight years, I have counted on the advice, vision and experience of Dan Gilman," Mr. Peduto said in a statement. "He has been my partner in improving our neighborhoods and our city. I know that you can count on him too."

In a statement, Mr. Gilman said his experience working on neighborhood issues, such as flooding and overzealous towing practices, and legislative issues, such as campaign finance reform and lobbyist registration, have prepared him for the council seat. He also cited his work on East End economic development initiatives and his service as a board member with Pittsburgh Cares, Community Technical Assistance Center and other groups.

Additionally, from today's press release:

Dan was an early volunteer with Senator Al Gore’s presidential campaign, interned for American Civil Liberties Union, and as a Pittsburgh Foundation Fulton Fellow for Congressman Mike Doyle on Capitol Hill. He also served as a Presidential Fellow at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress in Washington DC.

So, again, what's not to like?


This is going to be a tough one for me, folks. At this point, I'm just going to say that District 8 is facing an embarrassment of riches in terms of candidates.

UPDATE: OK. When I first read the P-G article I linked to above, it was just about Gilman, then apparently they added Clark (copied from Facebook):

"Two announce bids for Peduto's Pittsburgh City Council seat

post-gazette.com

A Pittsburgh City Council staffer and a Squirrel Hill activist said today they will seek the Democratic nomination for the seat currently held by Bill peduto."

 

And, now the headline is "Three say they will seek Peduto's Pittsburgh City Council seat":

 

"Sam Hens-Greco, 56, an attorney from Squirrel Hill and 14th ward Democratic chairman, said he also is planning to run for the seat but was not sure when he might make a formal announcement. He is married to Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Kathryn Hens-Greco."

Anyone else wanna jump in today?

Must Read: Jeanne Clark's Open Letter to Mayor Ravenstahl on George Trosky's Promotion

The promotion by Pittsburgh Bureau of Police of Zone 2 Commander George Trosky to assistant chief of investigations has not been without controversy due to a history of violent episodes in his past.

Women's advocate Jeanne Clark pens an open letter to the the mayor of Pittsburgh about the promotion that starts with this:

Your public attack on me in the reception line at the Cookie Cruise – berating me for criticizing your promotion of George Trosky to assistant police chief, screaming that I was a "hypocrite," and threatening to "go public" with what you perceive to be my failure to support all domestic violence survivors – was bizarre, to say the least. Coming on the heels of the same threat made to me on your behalf by City Councilmember Theresa Kail-Smith the day before, it was clear you intended to silence me.

That's not going to happen. Three women are murdered by spouses or ex-spouses in this country every day, and it must be stopped. I believe that promoting Trosky will make the problem worse here. Not just for women, but also for other police officers, and for the city as a whole. But you insist on taking actions like this promotion – actions that harm our city – just because they serve your personal needs and desires.

I'm sure you'll want to read her entire letter here.

Ms. Mon & Ms. Clark

Two new blogs by two local women at two MSM:

Ms. Mon's Salon
Frances Monahan (Ms. Adventures on the Mon, This Just In @ Pittsburgh City Paper) is also now blogging at The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. (Thanks for the shout out!)

Ms.blog: Jeanne Clark
Jeanne K. Clark (PennFuture & President of the Squirrel Hill chapter of NOW) is now blogging at Ms. Magazine.

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Great Lineup of Guests Today!

David has some great guests lined up today while he's subbing for Lynn Cullen from 9 to noon:

Pittsburgh City Councilman Bill Peduto

US Congressman Mike Doyle (D-PA 14th)

President of the Squirrel Hill chapter of the National Organization for Women Jeanne Clark, who will be addressing the issue of police promotions and who was a main force in organizing tomorrow's public hearing at 1:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers (fifth floor of the City-County Building, corner of Grant Street and Forbes Avenue)

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Columnist Tony Norman

UPDATE: Emailed from David's camera phone: