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Chapter 17: The Reversal at the Hearing
On the day of the second hearing, the scene outside Pittsburgh City Hall was dramatically different from a week earlier.
Hundreds of citizens gathered in the square, holding various signs.
"Communities are not commodities!"
"Mayor Cartwright, stop selling Pittsburgh's soul!"
"We stand with the Steelworkers Community Center!"
Frank and his old comrades, wearing jackets emblazoned with union logos, maintained order among the crowd.
At the edges of the square, news vans from over a dozen local and national media outlets lined up, their cameras trained on the entrance to City Hall.
Inside the meeting room, the atmosphere had undergone a seismic shift as well.
The audience seats were packed with community supporters and journalists. Robert Jennings, chairman of the city planning committee, no longer appeared relaxed and casual as he had during the last hearing. He seemed restless, constantly wiping sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.
Alan Wexler, the lawyer for Summit Development Group, still sat in his usual spot, maintaining his professional smile. However, his eyes no longer exuded the same confidence; they now carried a hint of unease.
When Leo entered the hall leading the community representatives, a wave of applause erupted from the audience.
Leo nodded to the crowd and then walked to the podium.
This time, his eyes showed no trace of nervousness or uncertainty.
Chairman Jennings struck the gavel, announcing the start of the hearing.
Leo immediately stood up and approached the podium.
"Mr. Chairman, before we discuss any substantive issues, my side requests that the committee first review new evidence that has emerged since the last hearing."
Jennings' gaze immediately shifted toward Alan Wexler.
Wexler still wore his trademark smile and gave an almost imperceptible nod to Jennings.
Jennings turned back, cleared his throat, and said to Leo, "Please present your evidence, Mr. Wallace."
Leo took out the documents he had prepared.
"According to Article 11B of Pittsburgh’s City Asset Disposal Ordinance, for non-profit institutions with a 'community public service' nature, the city hall must publish a disposal notice in at least three local public media outlets at least 60 days prior to deciding on a public auction."
He placed a photocopy of the legal clause under the projector so everyone could see it clearly.
"And the fact is," Leo continued, "the city hall's notice period was only 45 days, and the notice appeared only on the city government's website and in a small community newspaper with minimal circulation—severely violating the legal procedure."
"Therefore, my side believes that the entire auction process was illegal and invalid from the very beginning!"
As soon as he finished speaking, murmurs of support erupted from the audience.
Wexler immediately stood up.
"Objection," he said. "Mr. Wallace’s interpretation of the clause is flawed. The term 'public media' in the ordinance is not explicitly defined. The city government's website and the community newspaper fall within the scope of public media. As for the issue of the notice period, it may simply be a minor clerical error that does not affect the legality of the entire auction."
He attempted to use his signature sophistry to blur the focus of the issue.
But this time, Leo didn’t fall into his trap.
Under Roosevelt’s guidance, Leo had anticipated these possible arguments and prepared accordingly.
"Mr. Wexler, are you insulting the intelligence of everyone here?" Leo’s tone became sharp. "The legislative intent behind 'public media' is to ensure information reaches the widest possible audience. Can a government website visited by only a few hundred people a day and a community newspaper subscribed to by only a few hundred elderly readers compare to The Pittsburgh Chronicle with a circulation of hundreds of thousands or a local TV station with millions of viewers?"
"As for your claim of a ‘minor mistake,’ that’s laughable. A one-day discrepancy might be a mistake, but a fifteen-day shortfall? That’s deliberate deception! The purpose was to keep more citizens in the dark so your client could complete this dirty deal at the lowest cost!"
Leo cited relevant legal precedents one after another, refusing to yield an inch.
In the pure debate over legal procedures, this history student who had spent days in the library matched wits with a battle-hardened top-tier lawyer—and even gained the upper hand.
Sweat began to bead on Wexler’s forehead.
He realized that the young man standing before him was no longer the inexperienced novice who had been on the defensive during the previous hearing.
Just as Wexler prepared to offer another rebuttal, Leo changed tack.
He did not continue to dwell on the legal minutiae.
He knew the anonymous meeting minutes were his ace in the hole—but now wasn’t the time to play it.
He pressed the button on the projector.
The large screen in the meeting hall lit up.
"Mr. Chairman, Mr. Wexler. Regarding the debate over legal clauses, I believe it’s clear enough."
"Now, I’d like to ask you—and everyone present—to watch something else."
"Something about what this auction truly means."
"Objection!"
Alan Wexler’s voice rang out sharply as he shot to his feet.
"Mr. Chairman, I must remind you that this is a legal hearing regarding municipal auction procedures, not a community activity room for screening home videos."
His tone was filled with urgency.
"Any content Mr. Wallace intends to show is irrelevant to the legal issues of this hearing. Its sole purpose is emotional manipulation, which contributes nothing to resolving the legal matter. I request that the chairman immediately halt this unprofessional and time-wasting behavior."
All eyes turned to Chairman Jennings.
The reporters’ cameras shifted from Leo and Wexler to the chairman’s desk.
Another layer of sweat broke out on Jennings’ forehead.
He could feel the immense pressure of the hundreds of pairs of eyes in the room. He saw the incessant flashes of the journalists’ cameras.
He knew that if he agreed with Wexler’s request, tomorrow’s headlines would read: "City Hall Chairman Refuses to Listen to Citizens’ Voices."
That would spell disaster for his political career.
He cleared his throat and struck the gavel forcefully.
"Mr. Wexler’s objection has been recorded."
His voice was louder than before, as if trying to mask his own unease.
"However, considering the significant public attention this event has generated, the committee has decided to allow Mr. Wallace an opportunity to present his background materials."
He turned to Leo and added, "Please keep it brief, Mr. Wallace."
Leo nodded toward the chairman’s desk and pressed play.
On the large screen, the logo of The Heart of Pittsburgh appeared.
First up was the Vietnam War veteran covered in scars.
Facing the camera, he recounted how he had been tormented by nightmares and alcoholism after returning from the battlefield—and how the mutual aid group at the community center had pulled him back from the brink of collapse.
Next was the single mother working at the restaurant.
With tears in her eyes, she spoke of how her child, who struggled with dyslexia, had, for the first time, read her a complete sentence during tutoring sessions at the community center.
Third, fourth…
One story after another from ordinary Pittsburgh residents played in the meeting hall.
The entire hall fell silent.
The journalists, who had been whispering moments ago, stopped talking.
They simply held up their cameras, capturing every face on the screen and the silently tearful faces of the audience members moved by empathy.
The video ended.
Leo turned off the projector.
He turned to face Alan Wexler, his gaze piercing.
He posed the fatal question.
"Mr. Wexler, your legal knowledge is impeccable. You are an excellent lawyer."
"But now, can you answer me a question unrelated to the law—in front of all the citizens of Pittsburgh?"
"Is your client, Summit Development Group, really prepared to water the expensive lawn in front of their future luxury apartment building with these people’s tears, these veterans’ nightmares, and these single mothers’ hopes?"
Alan Wexler felt the futility of words.
He couldn’t answer that question.
He could debate the law and explain procedures.
But he couldn’t deny the genuine emotions and humanity captured in those videos—not in front of all the media cameras.
He opened his mouth but found no words to say.
The atmosphere in the room grew intensely awkward.
Seeing the situation completely spiraling out of control, Chairman Jennings frantically pounded the gavel on the table.
"Order! Order!"
"In light of the new evidence regarding the auction process presented today and the widespread public concern it has sparked…"
He glanced at Wexler, whose face had turned pale, and then at Leo, who appeared calm and composed.
He made his decision.
"I declare this hearing adjourned! The final disposition of the community center will… will be discussed at a later date!"
With that, he hastily left the chairman’s desk.
Leo and the community residents walked out of City Hall.
They were greeted by the thunderous cheers of hundreds of citizens in the square.
They chanted Leo’s name and shouted, "Long live the community!"
Margaret and Frank approached and embraced Leo tightly.
They had won the second round.
But there was little joy on Leo’s face.
He knew this was only a temporary ceasefire.
The battle was far from over.
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