Childhood and Education Journey of P.G. Sittenfeld in Timeline

How education and upbringing influenced the life of P.G. Sittenfeld. A timeline of key moments.

Alexander Paul George Sittenfeld is an American politician who served on the Cincinnati City Council from 2011 to 2020. He was convicted on federal bribery and attempted extortion charges in 2022 following an FBI investigation. After his appeal was rejected, he received a pardon from President Donald Trump in May 2025.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

October 1, 1984: Birth of P.G. Sittenfeld

On October 1, 1984, Alexander Paul George Sittenfeld, later known as a politician in Cincinnati, was born.

2006: State Law Removing Home-Rule Authority on Gun Control

In 2006, a state law removed the authority of Ohio cities to enact their own gun control laws, which Sittenfeld later attempted to reverse.

2007: Graduation from Princeton University

In 2007, P.G. Sittenfeld graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University with a degree in English and was awarded a Marshall Scholarship.

December 1, 2011: Sworn into Cincinnati City Council

On December 1, 2011, P.G. Sittenfeld was officially sworn into office as a member of the Cincinnati City Council.

2011: Elected to Cincinnati City Council

In 2011, P.G. Sittenfeld was elected to the Cincinnati City Council.

2013: Re-elected to Cincinnati City Council

In 2013, P.G. Sittenfeld was re-elected to the Cincinnati City Council, receiving the most votes among the candidates.

January 2015: Announcement of U.S. Senate Bid

In January 2015, P.G. Sittenfeld announced his candidacy for Ohio's U.S. Senate seat for the 2016 election.

January 22, 2015: Announcement of U.S. Senate Candidacy

On January 22, 2015, P.G. Sittenfeld formally announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat.

January 28, 2016: Proposed Amendment for Gun Control

On January 28, 2016, P.G. Sittenfeld proposed an amendment to the Ohio legislature to restore home-rule authority on gun control, allowing city governments to enact their own gun control laws.

June 2016: Marriage to Sarah Coyne

In June 2016, P.G. Sittenfeld married Sarah Coyne.

2017: Re-elected to Cincinnati City Council

In 2017, P.G. Sittenfeld was re-elected to the Cincinnati City Council for a consecutive term, again receiving the most votes among the candidates.

2017: Effort to Establish Pedestrian Safety Funding

In 2017, P.G. Sittenfeld, along with Chris Seelbach, began an effort to establish an annual budget commitment for city-wide pedestrian safety improvements.

November 2018: Work to Keep Over-the-Rhine Senior Center Open

In November 2018, P.G. Sittenfeld collaborated with various organizations to allocate city funding to prevent the closure of the Over-the-Rhine Senior Center.

November 2018: Voters approve charter amendment for regional transit funding

In November 2018, voters approved P.G. Sittenfeld's charter amendment with 75% support, allowing a regional funding mechanism for the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority's Metro bus system.

2018: Involvement in Gang of Five

In 2018, P.G. Sittenfeld was identified as leading the "Gang of Five", a group of Cincinnati city council members communicating via secret text messages.

January 2019: Advocacy for Senior Citizen Services Funding

In January 2019, P.G. Sittenfeld advocated for incorporating resources for senior citizen services in the city's human services budget, which was subsequently approved.

March 2019: Gang of Five agreed to turn over text messages

In March 2019, the Gang of Five, including P.G. Sittenfeld, agreed to release their text messages to settle a lawsuit filed by a local anti-tax activist.

April 2019: Introduced legislation opposing abortion ban

In April 2019, P.G. Sittenfeld introduced legislation requiring Cincinnati's law department to file an amicus curae brief opposing Ohio Senate Bill 23, which would ban abortions after the detection of a fetal heartbeat.

June 12, 2019: Birth of Son George

On June 12, 2019, P.G. Sittenfeld's son, George, was born.

June 2019: Release of Text Messages Revealing Concerns About City Manager

In June 2019, additional text messages were released, revealing P.G. Sittenfeld's concerns regarding the city manager Harry Black, including discussions of his behavior and Sittenfeld's efforts to support him.

2019: Sponsorship of bus-only lane legislation

In 2019, P.G. Sittenfeld sponsored legislation creating Cincinnati's first-ever bus-only lane to improve travel times and reduce congestion.

2019: Sponsored legislation ending cash bail requests

In 2019, P.G. Sittenfeld sponsored legislation ending the City of Cincinnati Law Department's policy of requesting cash bail for defendants.

2019: Pedestrian safety improvements funded

In 2019, pedestrian safety improvement allocations funded 70 projects like enhanced lighting, crosswalks, and street 'bump-outs'.

July 12, 2020: Announcement of Mayoral Run and Subsequent Withdrawal

On July 12, 2020, P.G. Sittenfeld announced his candidacy for the 2021 Cincinnati mayoral election but withdrew following his arrest.

November 19, 2020: Arrest on Federal Corruption Charges

On November 19, 2020, P.G. Sittenfeld was arrested on federal charges of corruption and bribery and was suspended from his seat on the Cincinnati City Council.

2020: Sponsored "renter's choice" legislation

In 2020, P.G. Sittenfeld sponsored the first "renter's choice" legislation in the United States, allowing apartment tenants alternatives to cash security deposits.

2020: End of City Council Term

In 2020, P.G. Sittenfeld's service on the Cincinnati City Council concluded.

2020: Legislation for citations instead of arrests

In 2020, P.G. Sittenfeld, along with councilmember Greg Landsman, introduced legislation to move toward issuing citations instead of arrests for low-level offenses.

2021: Did Not Run for Re-election

In 2021, P.G. Sittenfeld did not run for re-election to the City Council.

2021: Mayoral Election

In 2021, P.G. Sittenfeld planned to participate in the Cincinnati mayoral election to succeed John Cranley, but his candidacy was impacted by other events.

2021: Withdrawal from Mayoral Race

In 2021, P.G. Sittenfeld withdrew from the Cincinnati mayoral election after being arrested on corruption charges.

July 8, 2022: Conviction on Bribery and Extortion Charges

On July 8, 2022, P.G. Sittenfeld was convicted on two felony counts of bribery and attempted extortion after a trial in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati.

2022: Conviction on Federal Charges

In 2022, P.G. Sittenfeld was convicted on federal charges of bribery and attempted extortion following an FBI undercover investigation.

October 10, 2023: Sentenced to 16 months in prison

On October 10, 2023, P.G. Sittenfeld was sentenced to 16 months in prison following his conviction on bribery and extortion charges.

January 2, 2024: Start of Federal Prison Sentence

On January 2, 2024, P.G. Sittenfeld began his federal prison sentence at FCI Ashland.

May 15, 2024: Release from Prison Pending Appeal

On May 15, 2024, P.G. Sittenfeld was released from prison pending the outcome of his appeal.

February 2025: Appeal to the Sixth Circuit Denied

In February 2025, P.G. Sittenfeld's appeal to the Sixth Circuit to overturn his conviction was denied.

February 2025: Conviction and Sentence Upheld on Appeal

In February 2025, P.G. Sittenfeld's conviction and sentence were upheld on appeal.

May 2025: Pardon by President Donald Trump

In May 2025, after his appeal was rejected, P.G. Sittenfeld received a pardon from President Donald Trump related to his prior conviction.

May 29, 2025: Full Pardon by President Donald Trump

On May 29, 2025, P.G. Sittenfeld received a "full and unconditional" pardon from President Donald Trump.

2026: "Finding Community in Prison" opinion piece published

In 2026, P.G. Sittenfeld's opinion piece, "Finding Community in Prison," was published in The New York Times, detailing his experiences and observations while incarcerated.