LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The President of Louisville’s Metro Council, Markus Winkler, D-District 17, has created an ad hoc committee tasked with investigating ethics violations by Councilman Anthony Piagentini, R-District 19.

The committee consists of Councilwoman Cindi Fowler, D-District 14, Councilwoman Paula McCraney, D-District 7, Councilman Andrew Owen, D-District-9, Councilman Pat Mulvihill, D-District 10 and Councilwoman Betsy Ruhe, D-District 21.

The responsibility of the committee is to review the evidence and determine whether formal removal charges should be filed. Piagentini is under investigations for six ethics violations in an alleged “quid pro quo” scheme.

Fowler, a member of the charging committee, said to ignore the findings of the Louisville Metro Ethics Commission, is to ignore process.

“The bottom line is the ethics commission has handed down six unanimous verdicts and the recommended removal of Councilman Piagentini from the council. To ignore those findings is to ignore process, which the minority caucus has always insisted upon,” she explained. “We have no choice but to move forward and consider the recommendations with or without the minority caucus joining.”

In a statement, Piagentini accused Fowler of having partisan motivations in the process and called upon the ethics commission to release publicly the evidence against him.

“I will continue to fight and I will continue to act with total transparency as I use all legal means available to address and correct the politically motivated findings of a Fischer appointed board,” he said, referring to former Democratic Mayor Greg Fischer.

Piagentini is accused of using his position with the city to get a $40 million grant for the Louisville Healthcare CEO Council, which hired him.

According to the report from the ethics commission, Piagentini took a job with the Healthcare CEO Council a day after Metro Council approved the grant. His fee for consulting services with Healthcare CEO Council was $240,000 for the year.

The seven members of the ethics commission recommended Piagentini be removed from his council position. They also recommended he pay a $500 fine for each violation.