LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A top Republican in Louisville Metro Government is awaiting the verdict in his week-long ethics trial.
Metro Councilman Anthony Piagentini (R-19) is charged with seven counts of ethics code violations.
On Thursday, both sides finished their closing arguments and the Louisville Ethics Commission began deliberations around 11 a.m. but a verdict won't come any time soon.
Todd Lewis, general counsel for the Ethics Commission, said deliberations have been suspended until Friday, Sept. 1 at 9 a.m.
He added the commission is waiting for post-trial pleadings and an official written transcript of the trial, which is due Thursday, Aug. 31.
What are the ethics violations?
The charges stem from a complaint accusing him of leveraging his power as a local lawmaker to get a new job.
Piagentini co-sponsored a proposal to allocate $40 million in American Rescue Plan funds to the Healthcare Workforce Innovation Coalition.
But when it came time for a full council vote last December, Piagentini abstained and withdrew his sponsorship. The funding was ultimately approved.
Records show the next day, Piagentini took that job with the group that formed that coalition.
As the Ethics Commission deliberates, the councilman is confident in his case.
"I appreciate the legal process," he said. "I appreciate that facts and evidence drive this process -- not perception, hype and skepticism. So we're going to stick to that. Because of that, I feel very confident in our case because it stuck to that."
There's no indication how long deliberations will last.
If the Ethics Commission finds Piagentini did in fact violate Louisville's ethics code, the Metro Council would have the power to remove him from his position as councilmember.
This story may be updated.
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