How "public" are these findings going to be? The firm was retained as legal counsel. It's all subject to attorney-client privilege. What gets released is whatever the Mayor wants released. This is bogus, complete bullshit. If Healy wants an independent, impartial audit, call in the Attorney General. You know what he's done? He's had a fancy law firm do an analysis of the City's legal exposure, all on the taxpayer's dime.

Who develops the developermen?

Healy sure knows how to pick them. Does Healy have any ethics at all? How can you trust anything Healy does? Will the FBI please come and take him away.

[quote]
covetalker wrote:
Development Auditor Has Ethics Lapse

[from "The Jersey Journal," October 26, 2009]

The law firm hired to audit Jersey City's development process has been removed from a major case due to ethics violations.

At the time, Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy said the audit was being conducted to make sure the development process "is fully transparent, fair and efficient."

Development Auditor Has Ethics Lapse

[from "The Jersey Journal," October 26, 2009]

The law firm hired to audit Jersey City's development process has been removed from a major case due to ethics violations.

Essex County Superior Court Judge Claude Coleman disqualified McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter LLC from representing the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in a whistleblower lawsuit last week.

Coleman found that the firm, specifically partner Walter Timpone, had previously represented one of the whistleblowers who is suing the university.

"Counsel has made misrepresentations to this court and to plaintiff's counsel concerning its role as attorney to plaintiff," Coleman said in a written decision.

Timpone did not return a phone call or e-mail seeking comment.

The city retained Timpone and two other lawyers from the firm, Ronald Riccio and Thomas Scrivo, in August to lead the audit after 44 people were arrested on money laundering and corruption charges, many of them Jersey City officials promising favors to an FBI informant who was seeking favors for a fictitious Jersey City development.

At the time, Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy said the audit was being conducted to make sure the development process "is fully transparent, fair and efficient."

The lawyers were given 90 days to conduct the audit and then compile a report.

Jennifer Morrill, a spokeswoman for the mayor, said the findings would be public once the audit is completed.

Morrill released a statement after learning the firm was disqualified from the UMDNJ case.

"This firm has made an outstanding reputation in the legal community and we're confident that they will produce a professional, thorough and independent audit of our development process," she said.

- Melissa Hayes