'He loves our city': Letters written on Sittenfeld's behalf released

When former Cincinnati City Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld stood before a federal judge Tuesday during his sentencing on federal corruption charges, the judge had already read almost 200 letters, totaling 334 pages written on his behalf from some of Cincinnati's most prominent citizens.

The letters, released Friday morning at the request of The Enquirer and with agreement from prosecutors and Sittenfeld's defense attorneys, include testimonials on Sittenfeld's behalf from former council members, developers, attorneys, some of the wealthiest businessmen in the city and even a former mayor.

And there's a letter from Sittenfeld himself, which the judge called "a very insightful letter" and said played a part in his decision to order a shorter sentence than federal sentencing guidelines called for.

In all, there are 185 letters. None are critical of Sittenfeld, who was on track to be Cincinnati's next mayor before he was arrested in November 2020. He is the only son of one of the most prominent families in Cincinnati.

The letter-writers have known him as a child, a college friend, and a councilman.

They include letters from:

• His family, including his wife and sister, bestselling author Curtis Sittenfeld.

• Lifelong friends, some of whom are friends of his family, who wrote about knowing Sittenfeld his whole life. And there are friends from his own life, some who grew up with him or went to school with him.

• Wealthy political donors. Some of them have been on scores of Democratic candidate fundraising host committees. Take Jennie Rosenthal, who is a national Democratic bundler, but also a longtime close friend friend. Tony Alexander, a donor who hails from the start-up world. And then there is Cathy Crain, a philanthropist who often appears on campaign finance reports. Dianne and David Rosenberg are big donors who came to court every day of the trial.

• Political leaders like Councilman Reggie Harris. former Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory and Cincinnati Democratic Committee co-chair Christie Bryant Kuhns. Jason Kander, a national Democratic figure and combat veteran, also wrote a letter.

• Prominent members of the Cincinnati Jewish community. Sittenfeld is Catholic and got married in the Catholic Church, but his father was Jewish and Sittenfeld has also acknowledged the Jewish faith. Letter writers include Rabbis with Hebrew Union College where Sittenfeld's father served on the board, in addition to well-known Jewish philanthropists such as Dick Rosenthal.

Sittenfeld: 'I take full responsibility'

"I do want to say clearly, though, Your Honor, that going to trial and my intention to appeal does not mean that I do not feel deep responsibility," Sittenfeld wrote in a three-page letter to the judge.

"As someone whose public and professional life was judged and determined by the citizens of Cincinnati, I accept and take very seriously the judgment of the jurors. And I take full responsibility for my actions in this case, which I have never disputed, even as I believe the underlying facts on which we all agree merit further legal debate given the implications for campaigning, governing and issues of free speech."

Former mayor Mark Mallory

Former mayor Mallory recounted how Sittenfeld went from a political colleague to a friend, even bringing groceries to Mallory's mother during the pandemic.

"I can say that people genuinely like PG," Mallory wrote. "They know he cares, they know he loves our city, and they know he is there for them."

Letters share themes of family, community

Many of the letters share the same themes. The Sittenfeld they know is a great husband, father, son and brother. He is involved in the community and should be given a second chance to once again lead in the city of Cincinnati. They also talk about his positive attitude since his arrest. What they don't do is acknowledge Sittenfeld committed a crime. Some don't mention it at all; others discuss why they don't believe Sittenfeld committed a crime.

"Looking ahead, I believe that P.G. will continue to dedicate his life, first and foremost to his beautiful young family, and to also finding new ways to serve the people, institutions and city of Cincinnati," wrote Michael Fisher, former president and CEO of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. "In sum, P.G. is a very good person who has given much to his community. Family, friends, and indeed our city, will be better the sooner these charges and legal matters are behind him."

Former reporters defend Sittenfeld

At least three former reporters leaped to his defense. Deborah Dixon, a former crime reporter for Local 12, said she believes Sittenfeld was conned by “a man of questionable character.” She doesn’t name names, writing: “That’s another story, but I am retired.”

“What I do not believe is that P.G. is a corrupt man who committed bribery,” Dixon wrote. She closed her letter saying I “hope P.G. can be home when 9-month-old Frankie takes his first steps.”

Former WVXU reporter Jay Hanselman also wrote he doesn’t believe Sittenfeld is corrupt.

“Fundraising is part of politics and I do not believe he did anything that other politicians across the country have not done before him and will continue to do in the future,” Hanselman wrote.

Hanselman covered Cincinnati City Hall for the local National Public Radio affiliate going back to 1990. Sittenfeld’s conduct wasn’t unusual, Hanselman wrote.

“In my 30 years of covering government, I heard, “I have the votes, we have the votes, I can get the votes, or we can get the votes,” Hanselman wrote.  “It’s part of the legislative process.”

Despite case, no bitterness

Several people wrote to the judge that Sittenfeld hasn’t become bitter about his situation.

Sittenfeld recently visited his former Cincinnati City Councilman Chris Seelbach at Seelbach’s new place of employment, Ohio Alleycat Resource, Seelbach wrote the judge. Sittenfeld brought smoothies. They helped assemble a travel stroller. Sittenfeld’s four-year-old son, George, named one of the rescue cats “Elmo.”

“PG is a different man than he was in October 2020,” Seelbach wrote. “He has embraced his faith in a way people only talk about. He has asked profound questions about humanity, choices, and suffering, and listened to the answers.”

Sittenfeld has only become more compassionate, Curtis Sittenfeld wrote.

“It wouldn’t have been shocking if his arrest had embittered him or simply caused him to give up,” Curtis Sittenfeld wrote. “Instead, he has taken the opportunity to look deeply inward and above all to connect with other people who are struggling—whether legally, financially, emotionally or in any other form.”

What the judge did

U.S. District Court Judge Douglas Cole sentenced Sittenfeld to spend 16 months in prison after he was convicted by a jury last year on charges of bribery and attempted extortion.

Sittenfeld funneled money from developers into a political action committee (PAC) that he secretly controlled. The developers were actually undercover FBI agents who handed Sittenfeld checks totaling $40,000 on three different occasions in 2018 and 2019. Cole also ordered Sittenfeld to pay a $40,000 fine and he must forfeit $20,000, the portion of the undercover donations to the PAC related to the convictions.

Letter sheds light on Cincinnati Ballet vote

At Sittenfeld’s sentencing, there was one final shocking allegation: Assistant Federal prosecutor Matthew Singer suggested Sittenfeld also attempted to corrupt the process of building TQL Stadium in the West End.

Singer said Sittenfeld threatened the CEO involved in a "prominent stadium deal" that the councilman would vote against the deal unless that CEO gave $11 million to a "private entity." Though he did not name names, Sittenfeld’s attorney later said the references were to FC Cincinnati co-CEO Jeff Berding, building TQL Stadium and the Cincinnati Ballet, which at the time of a zoning vote was headquartered next to where the stadium was being built in the West End and in a building owned by FC Cincinnati.

Sittenfeld's lawyer, Charlie M. Rittgers, confirmed Singer was talking about the TQL Stadium and the Cincinnati Ballet, but Wednesday denounced what he called a "false allegation."

Sittenfeld was initially against giving the stadium project the needed zoning, saying he had concerns about the future of the ballet’s location. There was no public mention of an $11 million request.

"If (the vote) did not go through the franchise would have gone somewhere else," Singer said. "Sittenfeld was the fifth vote. ... Withholding his vote was not based on the public good. It was not based on the merits ... it was not based on the right thing to do."

Eventually, the zoning garnered a 7-0 vote, including Sittenfeld’s support. No payment was ever made, the U.S. District Attorney's office said after sentencing, but what changed?

In one of the letters, Deborah Brant, who was chairman of the board of the Cincinnati Ballet at the time of the vote, praised Sittenfeld’s role in brokering peace between the ballet and the team.

The letter was written before Singer brought up the allegation in court.

Brant wrote Sittenfeld “personally stepped in to gather the two groups of leaders to make sure that both organizations walked away with what they needed. He facilitated several conversations and encouraged me as a leader when the situation got heated and personal.”

She added in the letter that Sittenfeld acted as counsel to her and the ballet and that, she believed, led “to an appropriate negotiation between the two organizations and a resolution that served the needs of both organizations and the city.”

The ballet, as part of a good neighbor agreement with the team, got $1 million from the team. The agreement was signed the same day as the vote and made public. That year the Cincinnati ballet raised $30,000 for a building project that moved the ballet to Walnut Hills.

Read the letters written on behalf of PG Sittenfeld

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Who wrote letters asking for leniency for P.G. Sittenfeld?