This was our first post, inspired by the departure of former Pittsburgh police chief Scott Schubert following Mayor Gainey’s ascension to office. Published originally on June 14, 2022.
Well, we won’t have Scott Schubert to kick around anymore. The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police chief announced his retirement just hours ahead of an impending mayoral press conference to make a major announcement concerning the police. He is, of course, claiming that his decision was made far in advance of the press conference and that the timing was purely coincidental, and he might not even be lying. Speculation that Schubert’s job was on the line had been flying since new mayor Ed Gainey replaced Public Safety director Wendell Hissrich, and it intensified with the release of the new administration’s transition team report recommending Schubert be fired. Schubert’s announcement a mere 10 days later that he was taking a job with the FBI indicates he was likely circulating his resume well in advance of his “retirement.” Hell, he might have seen the writing on the wall as early as Gainey’s victory in the Democratic mayoral primary last summer.