novelnext Chapter 17 The Reversal at the Hearing
Chapter 17 The Reversal at the Hearing
The scene in front of Pittsburgh City Hall on the day of the second hearing was completely different from that a week earlier.
Hundreds of citizens gathered in the square, holding up various signs.
"Community is not a commodity!"
"Mayor Cartwright, stop selling out the soul of Pittsburgh!"
"We stand with the Steelworkers Community Center!"
Frank and his old buddies, wearing jackets with union logos, maintained order in the crowd.
More than a dozen local and national media outlets parked their vehicles at the edge of the square, their cameras pointed at the city hall entrance.
The atmosphere inside the venue also underwent a dramatic change.
The gallery was packed with citizens and media reporters who supported the community.
Robert Jennings, chairman of the city planning commission, no longer had the relaxed and casual demeanor he had shown before. He appeared restless and kept wiping the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.
Alan Wechsler, the lawyer for Summit Development Group, remained in his seat with a professional smile, but his eyes no longer held the same confidence as before, and instead showed a hint of seriousness.
As Leo led the community representatives into the venue, a round of applause erupted from the audience.
Leo nodded to the crowd and then walked to the podium.
This time, there was no tension or uncertainty in his eyes.
Chairman Jennings struck the gavel, announcing the start of the hearing.
Leo stood up abruptly and walked to the podium.
"Mr. Chairman, before discussing any substantive issues, we request that the Committee first consider the new evidence that has emerged since the last hearing."
Jennings' gaze immediately fell on Allen Wexler.
Wechsler still had a smile on his face, and he nodded almost imperceptibly at Jennings.
Jennings looked away, cleared his throat, and said to Leo, "Please present your evidence, Mr. Wallace."
Leo took out the documents he had prepared.
"According to Section 11B of the Pittsburgh City Assets Disposal Ordinance, for non-profit organizations with community public service characteristics, the city hall must publish a notice in at least three local public media outlets 60 days in advance before auctioning them."
He placed a copy of the legal text on the projector so that everyone could see it clearly.
"But the truth is," Leo continued, "the city hall's public notice period was only 45 days, and it was only published on the city government's official website and a small community newspaper with a very low circulation, which seriously violated legal procedures."
"Therefore, we believe that the entire auction process was illegal and invalid from the very beginning!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a chorus of supportive voices arose from the audience.
Wechsler immediately stood up.
"I object," he said. "Mr. Wallace's interpretation of the law is flawed. The term 'public media' mentioned in the regulations is not clearly defined. The city government's official website and community newspapers also fall under the category of public media. As for the issue of the public notice period, that may just be a minor oversight by staff and does not affect the overall legality of the auction."
He tried to use his most proficient sophistry to obscure the focus of the issue.
But this time, Leo was not led into the trap.
Under Roosevelt's guidance, Leo had long been prepared for these possible defenses.
"Mr. Wechsler, are you insulting the intelligence of everyone here?" Leo's tone became aggressive. "The original intent of the 'public media' legislation is to ensure that information reaches the public to the greatest extent possible. Can a government website with only a few hundred visitors a day, and a community newspaper with only a few hundred elderly subscribers, be compared to the Pittsburgh Chronicle with a circulation of hundreds of thousands, or a local television station with millions of viewers?"
"As for your so-called minor mistake, that's a joke. Being one day short is a mistake, but being fifteen days short is deliberate deception! The purpose is to prevent more citizens from knowing about this, so your client can complete this shady transaction at the lowest possible cost!"
Leo quoted extensively from classical texts and refused to yield an inch.
He listed the relevant legal precedents one by one.
In a purely legal procedural debate, this history student, who had spent several days in the library, actually managed to hold his own against a seasoned top lawyer, and even subtly gained the upper hand.
Sweat began to bead on Wechsler's forehead.
He discovered that the young man in front of him was completely different from the clueless young man who had been passive at the hearing a week ago.
Just as Wechsler was about to defend himself again, Leo changed the subject.
He did not dwell on the legal details.
He knew that the anonymous meeting minutes were his last trump card, but it wasn't time to play it yet.
He pressed the switch on the projector.
The large screen in the conference room lit up.
"Mr. Chairman, Mr. Wechsler, I think the debate regarding the legal provisions has been clear enough."
"Now, I would like to ask you, and everyone here, to look at something else."
"Some things about what this auction really means."
"be opposed to!"
Alan Wechsler's voice rang out immediately, and he jumped to his feet.
"Mr. Chairman, I must remind you that this is a legal hearing regarding municipal auction procedures, not a community activity room where home videos are played."
His tone was full of anxiety.
"Anything Mr. Wallace is prepared to play is irrelevant to the legal issues of this hearing and is intended only to incite emotions, which will not help resolve the legal issues. I request the chairman to immediately stop this unprofessional and time-wasting behavior."
All eyes were on Chairman Jennings.
The reporters' cameras also shifted from Leo and Wechsler to the podium.
A layer of sweat appeared on Chairman Jennings' forehead.
He could feel the immense pressure from the hundreds of eyes watching him in the hall, and he could see the reporters' flashing lights.
He knew that if he agreed to Wechsler's request now, tomorrow's headline would be "City Hall President Refuses to Listen to Citizens' Voices".
That would be a disaster for his personal political career.
He cleared his throat and slammed the mallet down hard.
"Mr. Wechsler's objections have been recorded."
His voice was much louder than before, as if he were trying to hide his guilty conscience.
"However, given the significant public attention this incident has garnered, the committee has decided to give Mr. Wallace an opportunity to present his background materials."
He turned to Leo and added a sentence.
"Please note, Mr. Wallace, don't take too long."
Leo nodded toward the podium and then pressed play.
The logo of "Heart of Pittsburgh" lit up on the large screen in the conference room.
The first one to appear was the Vietnam War veteran covered in scars.
He spoke to the camera, recounting how he was tormented by nightmares and alcohol after returning from the battlefield, and how the support group at the community center pulled him back from the brink of collapse.
The second person to appear was the single mother who worked at the restaurant.
With tears in her eyes, she recounted how her child, who has dyslexia, read a complete sentence to her for the first time in a tutoring class at the community center.
The third one, the fourth one...
The stories of ordinary Pittsburgh citizens were played in the conference room.
The entire venue fell silent.
The reporters, who had been whispering just moments before, stopped talking.
They simply held up their cameras, recording every face on the screen, and the faces of the citizens in the gallery who were silently shedding tears because they felt the pain.
The video has finished playing.
Leo turned off the projector.
He turned to face Alan Wechsler, his gaze intense.
He asked that fatal question.
"Mr. Wechsler, your legal knowledge is impeccable; you are an excellent lawyer."
"But now, can you answer a question that has nothing to do with the law in front of all the citizens of Pittsburgh?"
"Does your client, Summit Development Group, really intend to use these people's tears, these veterans' nightmares, and these single mothers' hopes to water the expensive lawn in front of their future luxury apartment building?"
Alan Wechsler felt the inadequacy of words.
He couldn't answer that question.
He can argue the law and explain the procedure.
But he couldn't deny the genuine emotions and humanity in those videos in front of all the media cameras.
He opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single word.
The atmosphere in the meeting room became extremely awkward.
Seeing that the situation was completely out of control, Chairman Jennings frantically pounded the table with a mallet.
"Silence! Silence!"
"Given the new evidence presented at today's hearing regarding the auction process, and the widespread public concern arising from it."
He glanced at Wechsler, whose face had turned pale, and then at Leo, who remained calm and composed.
He made his choice.
"I hereby declare this hearing adjourned! The final decision regarding the community center will be discussed at a later date!"
After he finished speaking, he hurriedly left the podium.
Leo and the community residents walked out of the city hall.
They were greeted by deafening cheers from hundreds of citizens in the square outside.
They chanted Leo's name and shouted "Long live the community!"
Margaret and Frank came forward and embraced Leo tightly.
They won the second round.
But there wasn't much joy on Leo's face.
He knew this was only a temporary truce.
The battle is far from over.