City Manager to Hammer Bros: Our lawyer can beat up your lawyer.
"While I have explained [the Willow Oaks contract] many times to both Mr. Hammer and others, it seems that they remain unsatisfied with my responses...While I may find the legal proposition and statements by Mr. Cohen both irresponsible and unsustainable, I am not an attorney and I do not believe it is in the best interest of the City of Greensboro to allow this sort of claim to stand without response."
So he lawyered up, and his guy James Schenck IV wrote a long letter (included in Carmany's post, linked above): "You have asked us whether, in our opinion as construction contract lawyers, we believe that the claims for additional compensation by UMG were legal and enforceable contract claims at the time the settlement was made. We believe that they were."
The city did NOT report that UMG is currently being investigated for turning in forged documents. So, basically the city is reporting that it is great to pay fraud.
Posted by: ben holder | May 19, 2007 at 08:45 AM
So Mitch and the Peanut Gallery asked a law firm to tell them what they wanted to hear?
Should we be surprised at the results?
All I hear from this is the sound of "ka-ching! ka-ching!" for yet ANOTHER payout from the public cheese account.
Posted by: Bubba | May 19, 2007 at 09:46 AM
Bingo Bubba.
Posted by: Dr. Mary Johnson | May 19, 2007 at 04:58 PM
Mitch has used this begging the question tactic before. Can you say RMA ? Pulleze !
Posted by: Fred Gregory | May 19, 2007 at 05:48 PM
"You have asked us whether, in our opinion as construction contract lawyers, we believe that the claims for additional compensation by UMG were legal and enforceable contract claims at the time the settlement was made. We believe that they were."
I believe pigs fly; and there's a doggie heaven, and I am the greatest person on earth!
I think we all should just forget about all this stuff.......... after all we are not smart enough to comprehend FRAUD!
Posted by: John G | May 20, 2007 at 06:26 PM