Former State Senator and Pittsburgh City Council President Jim Ferlo dies

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A firebrand of a politician, Jim Ferlo has died.

Ferlo was a longtime member of Pittsburgh City Council and fought passionately for the causes he believed in.

One of those times was when he sat in front of a group of bulldozes when they arrived to tear down the old Syria Mosque.

Ferlo served as the President of Pittsburgh City Council from 1994 to 1998 and then moved on to the State Senate in 2003, where he served until 2015.

"Jim was always somebody who was looking out for people he didn't feel were represented, the poor, the people on the margins of life. Jim was always looking out for those folks," said Allegheny Co. Executive Rich Fitzgerald.

"But it was from his heart though, that's what he believed. He wasn't afraid to come to Harrisburg and talk to our colleagues who were from different parts of the state and didn't understand what was taking place in urban settings like Pittsburgh," said Pa. Senate Democratic Leader Sen. Jay Costa.

Governor Wolf has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in Ferlo's honor.

Ferlo was 70 years old and was still active in local Democratic politics.