Harrisburg City Council Retains New Legal Counsel
Neil Grover, Esquire accepts the task.
On Monday, July 23rd during a Special Legislative Session of Harrisburg City Council, Neil Grover, Esquire, was hired as City Council’s legal counsel to represent the City’s legislative body in Commonwealth Court matters, specifically the proceedings involving the Writ of Mandamus requested by the Receiver against City Council to make them comply with his order to raise the Earned Income Tax on City residents. With Grover comes the help of attorneys Paul Rossi and Lee Morrison.
Below is the live tweet stream from the special legislative session.
Live tweets from Harrisburg City Council July 23rd Legislative Session, 5:45pm until about 7:00pm. (remember to read from bottom up!)
END- Now, HBG City Council meeting adjourned. They go into Executive Session. Legal strategy talk. It begins, HBG.
- Vote called. Neil Grover, Esquire hired vote 7-0. HBG City Council’s lawyer.
- $125,000. That’s what HBG City Council wants the Office of the Receiver to allocate for CC legal fees.
- HBG City Council Prez reads a letter she sent today to Receiver Lynch asking for State to release funds for CC’s legal representation.
- HBG President City Council Wanda Williams, “This is a war.”
- Grover does say his repping HBG CC currently not a conflict perceived but doesn’t know about future. Hence, reason for need of more attys.
- Question about conflict of interest b/t Grover’s taxpayers group
@DebtWatchHBG & his repping HBG CC. Positions haven’t been opposing. - Grover goes on to admit “We are out gunned, out manned, out numbered.” Goes on to say that doesn’t mean there’s not a way.
#HBG - Dismayed, HBG Councilor Sandra Reid to Neil Grover, “Do you think this is a David & Goliath type of situation?” Grover replies, “David won.”
- Resounding clap in HBG City Council chambers as Councilor Wilson says the people who caused HBG mess should not be allowed to prevail.
- HBG Councilor Wilson, “The citizens of the Commonwealth [of PA] should be worred we have a government interested in being a dictatorship.”
- Uh-oh, HBG Councilor Wilson didn’t like HBG Receiver atty saying “The resistance must end.” Tells public, “This is what we’re up against.”
- An atty next to me whispers, “he’s a good attorney.” Atty Lee Morrison tells HBG CC “There’s no question I’m in this for the long run, too.”
- HBG City Council calls atty Lee Morrison to the table of testimony. He’s the other atty willing to help Neil Grover rep CC.
- HBG City Council asks Grover his impressions of Judge’s position on CC’s stance. Judge Leadbetter, “This is new territory.”
#newterritory - Grover says Judge granting July 25th hearing continuance had something to do w/PA
#voterID hearing same day. Factor in Courthouse traffic - Grover goes into detail about right of HBG City Council to have legal representation. Stresses we the people elected every official involved
- When asked, “Will you represent us if we cannot release finds?” Neil Grover says he’ll stay involved as long as he can.
#HBG - Neil Grover has help of 2 attys right now, one=Paul Rossi of Philadelphia who’s atty in Fed Court issue of constitutionality of Receivership
- Because of State’s position, Neil Grover feels compelled to help HBG CC. He’s reached out to Dauphin County Bar Assoc asking for attys help.
- Neil Grover says Receiver’s atty said, “The resistance must end” in regard to HBG CC. Will State refuse release funds to pay legal expenses?
- Read this update from Friday for Judge’s granting of continuance: details: http://www.todaysthedayhbg.com/harrisburg-city-council-got-more-time/ …
- Two things discussed amongst attys & PA Judge 1) Withdrawal of atty Mark Schwartz 2) 7/25 hearing postponement
- Rules suspended at HBG City Council to permit Neil Grover, Esquire to brief CC on Friday’s Commonwealth Court conference call.
- HBG City Council Special Legislative Session begins. We were waiting on Councilor Kelly Summerford. He’s here.
- Waiting for HBG City Council to begin. Amongst the light crowd is HBG atty Neil Grover who is willing to on take the task of repping CC.
- HBG City Council will vote tonight on hiring City attorney Neil Grover to represent them in Commonwealth Court proceedings.
- START
Thank you to Mr. Grover. I am very happy to see this very intelligent and much needed move by City Council. It appears that the residents will be well represented and the playing field much more level. Thank you to majority of City Council for their steadfastness in the face of adversity and the power plays of others.
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Harrisburg could not ask for a more qualified advocate.
Neil is intelligent, knowledgable and extremely capable. This city is lucky to have someone that cares so much.