On Sunday April 22, 2012, The Midtown Scholar hosted a panel entitled, "20th Anniversary Commemoration of the Harrisburg Thirteen Lawsuit." In Moore v. Reed (1989), then City Council member Reizden Moore filed a lawsuit against Mayor Stephen Reed over a contract the Mayor entered into with the Harrisburg Senators Baseball Team.

The Court was asked to decide 'which government entity, the mayor or the legislature, had the statutory power to make contracts on behalf of the City.?

In Commonwealth Court, it was ruled that Harrisburg City Council had this power.

Reed attempted to appeal, but the Pennsylvania Supreme Court denied his request to do so.

Three years later, 13 Harrisburg citizens filed a lawsuit against the Mayor for not upholding the Court's decision when he spent proceeds from the sale of the water system.--Tara Leo Auchey