A number of area vendors received subpoenas this week seeking financial records related to their dealings with Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren's re-election campaign.

Multiple sources, including some who received subpoenas, confirmed that the subpoenas went to vendors who were contracted by the Warren campaign or her political action committee. Those receiving the subpoenas declined to speak publicly about the matter.

Warren has issued a statement reading in part: "I have not received a subpoena, I have not been advised by the District Attorney of any Grand Jury Investigatory Proceedings, nor have I engaged in any wrongdoing."

Warren was dogged by campaign finance questions throughout the 2017 mayoral campaign, with complaints filed by Democratic primary opponents James Sheppard and Rachel Barnhart. Those complaints to the state Board of Elections questioned both contributions and expenditures. It was not immediately clear how or why Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley got involved in the matter.

The mayor and her private attorney, William Bauer, have been working with the Board of Elections for the better part of 18 months to address concerns. But the focus there has been on what Bauer described back in July as "an issue with respect to the use of PAC (political action committee) money and expenditures that were made by that PAC ... primarily that and then the name of the PAC."

To that end, a new PAC was established, called PAC for a Stronger Community with different leadership not associated with Warren's candidate committee. Bauer has described dealings with the state as amicable, a matter of exchanging information and clarifying the record. It appeared to Bauer this summer that the matter was close to a resolution, and he said there were no claims of criminal conduct.

Doorley has declined comment on the matter.

The issuance of the subpoenas does not mean that a grand jury has been specifically impaneled for the investigation. Nor does it mean that the District Attorney's Office has proof of wrongdoing; the subpoenas for records can be used as a fact-finding tool.

The information, if it points to possible crimes, could then be the foundation to call witnesses to a future grand jury. However, multiple grand juries could not hear witness testimony. All witnesses must testify before the same grand jury, even if it requires a court order to extend the panel beyond its typical month-long term.

In her statement Thursday, Warren said, "By law, all Grand Jury proceedings including investigations are private and held confidentially, so anyone discussing this matter publicly or with the media would be potentially violating the law."

However, there is no prohibition on witnesses acknowledging that they have been subpoenaed or even discussing testimony, should they appear before a grand jury. But those who received subpoenas have had business with City Hall, and the mayor and other political campaigns, or had concerns over their business being associated with the matter, making them hesitant to discuss the district attorney's investigation.

BDSHARP@Gannett.com

GCRAIG@Gannett.com