Editorial: 'Pennsylvania's Law Firm' needs to act like it

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | December 15, 2022 | The Editorial Board

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Why has Gov. Tom Wolf’s Office of General Counsel paid nearly $400,000 of taxpayer money to several private law firms?

It’s a simple question, and there may be a simple and reasonable answer. But the administration’s failure to answer it raises questions about what causes and activities the governor has used state resources to pursue, and why he didn’t use the state’s attorneys to do it. Secrecy always raises suspicions, even if they are entirely unwarranted. 

In terms of legal bills for complex institutional litigation, $367,500 spread across six firms is a pittance. The Office of General Counsel employs hundreds of attorneys working for state departments and agencies, as well as a dozen deputy general counsels in its main office. It’s hard to believe the office couldn’t handle the workload associated with those fees — unless the private firms in question provided specialized expertise the office didn’t have, or the office wanted to offload politically sensitive legal work onto private attorneys whose activities could be kept under wraps.

The first explanation makes sense, but if that’s the case, why hide it? The second explanation is also plausible, but only speculation fueled by the administration’s frustrating commitment to secrecy.

For a year now, the administration has ducked and dodged attempts by multiple news media outlets to make public basic information about the arrangements between the Office of General Counsel and outside law firms. Among other things, it has released invoices with everything but the firm’s name and the amount billed blacked out. It has also forced media to endure months-long delays for responses to simple questions, while using lengthy “mediation” proceedings with the state’s Office of Open Records that were described by news organizations Spotlight PA and The Caucus as “unproductive.”

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

The opportunity for corruption and kickbacks are obvious. Normally, kickbacks are disguised as political contributions. The Clinton spirit lives on!

[Vigilanteman]

Why has Gov. Tom Wolf’s Office of General Counsel paid nearly $400,000 of taxpayer money to several private law firms?

Probably because they made campaign contributions of about 5% that amount.

[Carriage Hill]

Wouldn’t “Tommie The Commie’s” Wolf’s Office of General Counsel records be public record, and private law firms’ record be private and not available to the public FOIA?

[caseinpoint]

If Wolfe is an attorney, he might be using this to feather his nest upon leaving office. Another possibility is poisoning the well for litigants against the state by throwing jobs to the best law firms so they couldn’t represent anyone suing the state due to conflict of interest. Dirty politics but that is a common tactic by public and private deep pockets.

[Cen-Tejas]

and why he didn’t use the state’s attorneys to do it.

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I despise Wolf and all democrats, well, maybe a very high percentage of them. But, on this subject, I’ll say this. I’ve been up against government attorneys in the courtroom and they are, generally speaking, unprepared, untalented, unmotivated and incompetent in the extreme. Indeed, they embarrass themselves and their government client. That’s why they work for the government at a tiny fraction of what a good private attorney will cost and also WHY Governors try not to use them in important cases.

[qaz123]

1. The lawyers for the state aren’t that good so they feel the need to hire outside counsel so they don’t get their a$$es handed to them in court.

2. Pure corruption and kickbacks.

Think about years ago, when they had the America’s Cup race in San Francisco. Environmentalists sued saying the sailboats would cause harm to the birds, etc. Of course, all the other boats and ships don’t bother any of the animals. Anyway, a defense wasn’t even presented, the environmentalists made a quick buck and the races went happened.

Wonder where all the money paid to the liberal law firm went and how much ended up in the pockets of the county attorneys.

[Segovia]

And yet; the people of this state supposedly voted for “more of the same”...... I believe voter fraud and stolen elections has a long, long, long history in the state of Pennsylvania.