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Public foots Kelly's legal bill; rival objects

The city is paying to help City Councilman Jack Kelly keep his job, but rival David Oh says taxpayers should not foot the bill.

The city is paying to help City Councilman Jack Kelly keep his job, but rival David Oh says taxpayers should not foot the bill.


Kelly attorney George Bochetto has a contract for up to $75,000 with the Law Department to represent him in a federal lawsuit filed by fellow Republican Oh.

Oh finished 122 votes behind Kelly for the second of two minority party at-large seats on City Council in the November election. In January Oh sued the Board of Elections and City Commissioners, alleging mishandling of absentee ballots.

Kelly was not named in the suit, but has asked to join. The city has asked the judge to dismiss it; trial is scheduled for Oct. 28.
In court documents, Oh argues that Kelly should pay for his own lawyer, as a private citizen who sought public office, just as Oh is.


City solicitor Shelley Smith disagrees: "Kelly, like any elected official, has a PA constitutional right not to be removed from office," Smith wrote in an e-mail response.


Bochetto said Kelly was "dragged" into the suit, and that an elected official can't be expected to pay his legal bills each time someone sues.


"Once the Board of Election installs him in office, and someone wants to say the board of elections did something wrong, it's not fair to say Jack should have to pay out of his own pocket," Bochetto said.


It's not the only bill Kelly is taking heat for. With the city facing a $450 million hole it its five-year plan, this month Kelly asked the Council president's office to a approve a $25,000 public relations contract with Frank Keel, a consultant  closely associated with electricians' union chief John Dougherty. Kelly was told to bid the contract out, and is in that process now.

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