Ethics Board raids Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller’s office

Investigators for the Philadelphia Board of Ethics visited the city hall office of Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller Friday, accompanied by officers from the Police Department’s Civil Affairs Unit.

A source familiar with the investigation said it involves the possible use of city equipment to print campaign materials for Council candidate Verna Tyner, whom Miller has endorsed for the Eighth District seat that she will vacate at the end of this year.

Tyner said in a brief telephone interview that she knows nothing of any plans by Miller to print materials supporting her, and knows nothing about the Ethics Board probe.

“I had nothing to do with it, I know nothing about it,” Verna said.

Staff at Miller’s office declined comment.

Miller’s attorney Charles Gibbs released a statement saying that Miller “received a request for information from the Philadelphia Board of Ethics” and that she is “cooperative and responding to their request. No further comment is being made at this time.”

David Dunphy, a political consultant working for Tyner’s campaign also said he knows nothing of any materials being produced by Miller’s office for the campaign.

“This is a council issue, not a campaign issue,” Dunphy said. “There’s been no coordination between the campaign and Donna Reed Miller and her council office.”

Philadelphia Board of Ethics Executive Director Shane Creamer declined to comment about the investigation.

Miller decided not to run for re-election in the Northwest Philadelphia district that runs from Nicetown to Chestnut Hill leaving the seat open for what is now a seven way race.