City Councilman Vehemently Denies Accusations On Poster

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Pittsburgh City Councilman Ricky Burgess is angry tonight, calling the act against him an attempt to destroy him.

Flyers accusing the councilman of trading grades for sex were posted around the North Side campus of the Community College of Allegheny County.

The flyers went up the week before an election. Councilman Burgess faced opposition for his council seat.

He says the timing is no fluke.

"I believe this was a politically-motivated attack on my character and credibility," Burgess told KDKA-TV's Marty Griffin.

The flyer has since been removed from the campus. A copy was sent to KDKA-TV and another was sent to Burgess' wife.

The flyer appears to have been written by a student who claims she had to withdraw from all of her classes in her final semester because of the "trauma" Burgess caused her.

The flyer alleges Burgess traded sex for grades – that he would give students an "A" if they had sex with him.

Marty Griffin: "Have you ever had a sexual relationship with a student?"

Ricky Burgess: "I did not do this. I have not engaged in these kind of activities or behaviors."

Griffin: "Have you ever had a sexual relationship with a student?"

Burgess: "I did not do this."

Griffin: "You're not answering my question."

Burgess: "No – I did not do this! No I have not! No!"

Griffin: "You have not had a sexual relationship with a student?"

Burgess: "No!"

Griffin: "Ever?"

Burgess: "Ever."

Burgess, who has been a professor for 20 years at CCAC as well as a reverend and city council member, is disgusted by this.

"It should not be easy – this easy – to attack one's character and one's credibility – it should not be this easy," he said.

Allegheny County and Pittsburgh police sex crime detectives are investigating the flyer.

They say they do not have a victim or a crime.

RELATED LINKS
More Local News
More Reports By Marty Griffin